IU ‘very close’ to AD decision

The search for the next IU athletics director is nearing its end, IU spokesman Larry MacIntyre said Sunday.

“It appears to be very close,” he said.

IU trustee Philip Eskew Jr. said he thinks the University announcement could come as early as this week.

IU President Michael McRobbie will be going on a trip to China and Korea on Friday, which leads Eskew to believe the decision could possibly come before then.

“I think he wants to get this thing over with before he goes to China,” Eskew said. “We need to get this person named so that they can be ready to assume control on the first of January. I said something to Bill Stephan (chair of the committee selecting the athletics director) about ‘Are you going to have to work through Thanksgiving or Christmas?’ and he said, ‘Oh, no. We’ll be done long before that.’”

However, Eskew stressed he is not absolutely sure.

“The board of trustees has not been involved in this process,” Eskew said. “This is a selection to be made by the (University) president. The board of trustees has been briefed from time to time saying that the process is ongoing.

“Perhaps he will make his selection before then or not. It’s not, then, a process that he is in a hurry to make, because we have an athletics director until the end of the year, and he wants to get the best person that’s going to represent all the things that an AD has to do in terms of integrity and a great sports program.”

In June, outgoing Athletics Director Rick Greenspan said he would resign at the end of the year. Greenspan’s announcement came the same day IU disclosed that the NCAA had levied a “failure to monitor” charge against the IU men’s basketball program in response to recruiting violations committed by former coach Kelvin Sampson and his staff.