IU

Today, Indiana University named its 20th Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, responsible for overseeing 24 Division I-A programs with over 600 student-athletes in men’s and women’s intercollegiate sports.

Background

On June 27, 2008, Indiana athletic director Rick Greenspan announced that he would resign, effective December 31. Greenspan’s announcement came amid allegations that his men’s basketball program violated NCAA rules under then coach Kelvin Sampson. Sampson resigned in the face of the NCAA charges and Dan Dakich became interim head coach. A player boycott followed the Dakich appointment and the team lost four of their last seven games, ending their season with a first-round loss to Arkansas in the NCAA tournament.

Greenspan played an instrumental role – along with then-IU President Adam Herbert – in the hiring of Kelvin Sampson in the first place, all while the NCAA looked into his practices at the University of Oklahoma. It was a bad decision for a program desperately trying to regain credibility.

In March 2007, before the Sampson controversy engulfed the men’s basketball program, Greenspan’s contract was renewed through June 30, 2013. The official press release announcing the University’s decision exuded confidence in Greenspan:

“We have taken this action because in less than three years on the job, Greenspan has already brought stability and major improvements to IU’s intercollegiate athletic programs,” Herbert said. “We must sustain that momentum.

“Rick has been enormously successful as our AD. We want him to remain in this important role for many years to come,” Herbert said. “This is a statement that IU has great confidence in Rick and the long-range vision he has for further enhancements in the university’s intercollegiate athletics program.”

After Sampson’s departure and the Dakich debacle, IU hired Tom Crean from Marquette University in an effort to restore respectability to the men’s basketball program. Crean is Indiana’s third coach since Bob Knight was fired in 2000 by then-University President Myles Brand.

Today’s Announcement

Indiana University President Michael McRobbie announced today that Fred Glass would be the University’s 20th athletic director, assuming duties on January 1, 2009.

Glass earned both his bachelor’s and law degrees from IU (1981 and 1984). Though this is Glass’ first athletics position, he has an extensive background in athletics, having negotiated a deal to make Indianapolis part of a permanent rotation to host NCAA Final Fours. Glass also played an instrumental role in securing Indianapolis’ bid to host the Super Bowl, serving as president of the City of Indianapolis’ 2011 Super Bowl Bid Committee and laying the groundwork for the city’s successful bid for 2012.

Glass was a staffer for then-Indiana Gov. Evan Bayh from 1989 to 1993, serving as chief of staff for his last two and a half years there. Glass was the president of the City of Indianapolis’ Capital Improvement Board, which owns and operates Lucas Oil Stadium, the Indiana Convention Center, Conseco Fieldhouse and Victory Field. During his eight-year tenure as CIB president, Glass represented the Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson in successful negotiations to keep the Colts in Indianapolis.

“I’m accepting this position today because I love big, tough jobs,” Glass said shortly after being introduced at a press conference this afternoon. He added that, “Becoming the athletic director at Indiana University will be the most exciting and most important thing I will do in my professional career.”

Glass seems to be the right man for the job, though the decision has two troubling elements. One is his $410,000 annual base salary – $110,000 more per year than Greenspan’s. At a difficult financial time for the University, it is hard to stomach the cost of the new contract, especially as rumors swirl that University President McRobbie might freeze all administrative hiring.

The other troubling point is the contract term. He has signed a year-to-year contract, suggesting that not only will his tenure be continually in question, but his salary will be renegotiated shortly after he assumes his responsibilities.

An interesting subplot to all of this is the Hoosier football program, now 3 and 5 (1 and 4 in the Big Ten). Was the athletic director announcement fast tracked in order to clear the way for a decision on Coach Bill Lynch? Time will tell.