Fullerton Set to Accept AD Applications

A 12-member search committee has completed and approved a job description for the vacant Cal State Fullerton athletic director position and will begin accepting applications later this week, The Times has learned.

A salary between $55,000 and $70,000 is being offered for the position--a 12-month appointment open to a longer-term agreement. March 29 has been set as a preliminary deadline for applications. A minimum of three years experience at a Division 1 program and a master’s degree are preferred qualifications.

The list of potential candidates continues to grow, but there does not appear to be a favorite. Fullerton associate athletic director Ed Carroll says he will apply and Chapman College Athletic Director Walt Bowman says he is “interested” and has been showing up at Titan basketball games lately.

Other athletic directors who have inquired about the opening include Ralph Barkey (Sonoma State), Dennis Keihn (Cal State Los Angeles), Joe Harper (Northern Arizona) and Dick Heaton (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo).

Those indicating they will apply are alumnus Pat Mooney, a Los Angeles-based sports public relations executive, Pennsylvania Athletic Conference Commissioner Don Kelley, former football coaches Bob Weber (Louisville) and Andy Vinci (Cal Poly Pomona), and Fresno State assistant athletic director David Braine.

“Confidentiality is really crucial to this process,” Dr. Peter Facione, the committee chairman said. “You can lose your best candidates because of a premature leak. That is the biggest risk, and we don’t want our premier candidates suffering repercussions from a lack of confidentiality.”

Facione, dean of the School of Human Development and Community Services, said the position officially will be opened this week. “We plan to advertise the position as soon as possible in the Chronicle of Higher Education and the NCAA Bulletin,” he said.

The committee, which includes football coach Gene Murphy and acting athletic director Leanne Grotke, who said she will not apply for the job, will begin screening early applications Tuesday, to see if they meet the basic qualification, a bachelor’s degree.

Others on the committee are Dr. Jane Hipolito (School of Humanities and Social Sciences), Dr. Jack Lawrence (School of Business), Anthony Macias (administration), Eula Stovall (Physical Education Department), Dr. Pat Wegner (Athletic Council representative), Kevin Forth and Jim Woods (Titan Athletic Foundation) and Associated Students president John Beisner and vice president Tracey Stotz.

Fullerton has accepted 19 applications for the newly created position of assistant athletic director for development.

Lynn Eilefson, the sixth athletic director in the past 5 1/2 years at Fullerton, left Jan. 10 to accept the athletic director job at San Jose State.