Blue White Illustrated

August 2014

Penn State Sports Magazine

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www.AmericanAleHouse.net 821 Cricklewood Drive, Toftrees State College n£{°ÓÎn°£{äÈÊUÊÜÜܰÌi«ÞÀÃ̰V £££Ê°Ê i>ÛiÀÊÛiÕiÊUÊ-Ì>ÌiÊ i}i]Ê* Now in 2 Locations Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê still parked bumper to bumper along College Avenue. This was a school in crisis, a school with an interim presi- dent, a reeling football program and looming concerns that the NCAA might just decide the matter was within its ju- risdiction. It was a school that needed someone with great affection for the place, because this was going to be one of the most difficult jobs in sports. Joyner turned out to be that guy. But the circumstances of his hiring rein- forced his reputation as a well-connect- ed insider, and that reputation, coupled with his role in Paterno's ouster, guaran- teed he would be a polarizing figure for the duration of his tenure as athletics director. The fact that he lacked sports- business experience, practically a re- quirement in this era of multimillion- dollar TV contracts and ballooning budgets, made his eventual departure all but inevitable. Joyner was old school. Big-time universities want Wharton School. And make no mistake, Penn State wants to be big-time again. It'll probably get there, too, sooner or later. It is better positioned now than it was in 2011 or '12 to make the kind of bold hires that reaffirm its conception of itself as one of the country's elite athlet- ic schools. Case in point: James Franklin, one of the most sought-after coaching prospects in the country before agreeing in January to take over the Nittany Lion football program. It's entirely possible that Penn State's next AD will have ties to the university, or at least to the Northeast. The man who will be making the hire, new uni- versity president Eric Barron, has come full circle himself, returning to the school where he had previously served as dean of the College of Earth and Min- eral Sciences. So it's not as if previous connections are a disqualification. But they're not a prerequisite, either. Which is exactly as it should be. ■ University forms screening committee The search for Penn State's next athletics director is being spearheaded by a seven-member screening committee, appointed by university president Eric Barron in June. Working in conjunction with Collegiate Sports Associ- ates, an executive search and consulting firm based in North Carolina, the committee is chaired by David Gray, senior vice president for finance and business at Penn State. The other members are: • Linda Caldwell, Penn State's faculty athletics representative to the NCAA and distinguished professor of recreation, park and tourism management and of human development and family studies • Julie Del Giorno, athletics integrity officer • Charmelle Green, associate athletics director and senior woman admin- istrator • Robert Pangborn, vice president and dean for undergraduate education • Tom Poole, vice president for administration • Coquese Washington, Lady Lion basketball coach The athletics director reports to the president of the university, serves on President's Council and advises on issues and concerns regarding all aspects of Intercollegiate Athletics. The director administers the overall athletic pro- gram, which includes 31 varsity sports and an annual budget of $115 million, and provides strategic leadership, direction and oversight for Penn State's athletics department. The screening committee will review applications and nominations until the position is filled.

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