The search for a permanent athletic director has been postponed until at least Spring term, Associate Dean of the College Mary Liscinsky announced on Thursday. It was previously reported that a new athletic director would be named by July 1, 2010.
"We are just not there yet in terms of specifics," Liscinsky said in an interview with The Dartmouth. "We know we need to work on it late spring, early summer."
Chemistry professor Joseph BelBruno has been named committee chair, but the search committee has yet to be formed. BelBruno also serves as a faculty advisor to the football team.
In a release, acting Dean of the College Sylvia Spears said "a clearer understanding of the impact of upcoming strategic budget decisions, campus-wide, will help the College attract the best candidates for the position."
When the search does commence, the committee will be composed of students, faculty and staff. The search will also include alumni, coaches and senior administrators, according to Liscinsky.
"The search will be a community process," she said.
Liscinsky noted that the pool of applicants has yet to be determined, but will likely be facilitated by alumni and networking. The College does not comment on specific candidates up for available positions, she added.
With the budget at the top of the priority list for deans and College officials, the decision to delay the search process was made in an effort to give both projects adequate consideration. The delay may also help widen the pool of applicants, Liscinsky said.
Bob Ceplikas '78 is currently serving as the interim athletic director and was praised by Liscinsky as "great to work with." Ceplikas started in July 2009, after being promoted from his position as deputy athletic director.
The previous athletic director, Josie Harper, announced her retirement in January 2009. She had served in the position since 2002.
Among the challenges sure to face the new athletic director, Liscinsky said that she would like the director to "maintain integrity" while dealing with the hurdles of Ivy League athletics.
"I think that the biggest challenge for the athletic director is that athletics gets continually more complicated, " Liscinsky said. "It will be really important in a time with increasing pressure from the outside for the new AD to say that being a Dartmouth student-athlete is to be a student-athlete."
