A 12-person committee has been chosen to select the next Ball State athletic director. Until then, Brian Hardin will serve as the interim athletic director.
Hardin is on the committee, which is set to select three to five possible candidates that will interview with Ferguson.
Ferguson will make the final decision. He said they are planning to hire someone in the next three months, latest in January. The search will remain confidential.
Former athletic director Bill Scholl said he thought a confidential search would be beneficial.
“I do believe it's the right thing to do,” Scholl said. “Doing a confidential search will help with the candidate pool.”
Ball State’s athletic director runs the nearly $22 million budget and is a position connected with the university’s strategic plan, Ferguson said. He said he is looking for someone who is a very effective manager and has an understanding of “the athletics enterprise,” including how to increase fan attendance.
As a member of the committee, Hardin is not a candidate for the permanent athletic director position. Hardin said he is excited to work with the 11 other members of the selection committee.
“Each person might have their own ideas,” he said. “I think that President Ferguson will charge us with a certain task in terms of the type of person he’s looking for.”
While Hardin said he isn’t sure when the committee will choose their candidates, he thinks the specifics of the process will unfold quickly.
Hardin will be taking on the new role, along with keeping up his duties as the deputy athletic director, a position he has held since 2013.
“He is the No. 2 position in the department, so that gives him kind of position and oversight," Ferguson said. "I think Brian has demonstrated a great skill set managing a lot of the athletic operations.”
He will not, however, be receiving part of the athletic director’s $246,750.000 annual salary. Instead he will be paid a stipend.
Prior to coming to Ball State, Hardin spent seven years as the director of football media relations at Notre Dame, where he worked alongside former athletic director Bill Scholl, and two years as a media relations assistant for the Chicago Bears.
Ferguson said Hardin’s experience working in athletics and close relationship with Scholl made the choice a natural fit.
“It’s very smooth,” Ferguson said. “Putting Brian in there, I think, will ensure continuity for both advocacy and providing what the coaches need.”
Scholl said he has had some input, but he is not a part of the committee.
He will be taking over as vice president and director of athletics at Marquette University and is leaving Ball State officially on Oct. 14.
Scholl said he has confidence Ferguson will make a good long-term decision with who is hired. In the mean time, Hardin is taking the temporary position left by his close friend in stride.
“I clearly understand that I’m the interim athletic director. I’m here on an interim basis,” Hardin said. “There won’t be sweeping changes made, that’s just not possible in an interim period. I think a lot of what I need to do is just insuring the trains continue to run on time.”
EARLIER:
President Paul Ferguson announced Brian Hardin has been appointed interim athletic director late Wednesday morning.
"[Brian Hardin] is the deputy athletic director. He is the number two position in the department, so that gives him kind of position and oversight," President Ferguson said. "I think Brian has demonstrated a great skill set managing a lot of the athletic operations. He certainly has been close at [former athletic director Bill Scholl's] shoulder."
A committee of 12 has also been selected to hire the next athletic director.
Hardin has served as Ball State's deputy athletic director since February 2013. He is not a candidate for the permanent athletic director position, as he is a member of the search committee.
Prior to working at Ball State, Hardin was the director of football media relations at Notre Dame for seven years and worked for the Chicago Bears in media relations.
According to a press release, the search will be confidential, "in order to attract the most qualified candidates."
“This is a critically important position for us to fill with the right person for this time at Ball State,” Ferguson said in a press release.
Audrey Bickel, a Ball State athlete and graduate student in sports administration, is the only student on the committee.
“The role of the AD has become increasingly complex and integrated with the strategic direction of the institution,” Ferguson said. “We are looking for an individual with a deep commitment to program ethics and compliance, to an excellent student-athlete experience, including student success on and off the playing field, and a commitment to the competitive spirit."
The search committee |
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