UNM confident in AD search

Regents president expects ‘robust’ field

The search for the next athletic director at the University of New Mexico goes on.

And if there is anyone scared off from applying for the job amid a summer of financial turmoil for the athletics department, the people running the search aren’t saying so.

“UNM is a competitive destination for an athletic director, and our search firm is reporting a great deal of interest,” said Rob Doughty, the President of UNM’s Board of Regents and one of 10 members of a UNM search committee for the job.

“We expect a robust field of highly qualified candidates and I am looking forward to a thorough and thoughtful process that results in UNM hiring a dynamic new athletic director.”

That 10-person committee of UNM employees, which will forward a final recommendation to UNM Interim President Chaouki Abdallah, is still awaiting the initial vetting and recommendations from Parker

Executive Search. That Atlanta-based search firm is contracted for $50,000 by UNM to aid in the search to replace Paul Krebs, the AD who retired in June after 11 years on the job and amid two state investigations into the financial practices and fundraising procedures of the athletic department.

Daniel Parker, heading the search, told the Journal he couldn’t comment on how the search is progressing, which is standard for such searches.

A job posting by UNM from earlier in the month stated applications for the job will be accepted through Aug. 9.

Abdallah has not said if there is a specific timetable or goal in mind for hiring an athletic director, though Janice Ruggiero’s contract as interim AD (she is normally deputy AD) runs through Dec. 31.

While the job requirements on the job posting finalized earlier this month by UNM’s internal committee also include all the standard qualifications for an AD (i.e. an understanding of NCAA rules, experience in intercollegiate athletics, etc.), there was an emphasis on financial oversight and fundraising.

Those included such items as:

■ Ensures budgetary and fiscal accountability of the department of athletics in order to adhere to a balanced budget through enhancing revenue generation and monitoring spending.

■ Plans and develops strategies for generating revenues and resources for the university’s athletics department while promoting public support for athletics.

■ Proven success in fundraising cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of donors.

■ Expertise in budget preparation and fiscal management.

■ Ability to identify and secure alternative funding/revenue sources.