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AD finalist names starting to surface

Grizbacker04....Thanks for the information relative to the advertisement. I would think the response would have been good with some excellent candidates. We will see what Engstrom does, won't we...... :?:
 
Grizzoola said:
Well, if this search committee is like another committee of UM, working with the pres. on a non-athletic, non-personnel subject some time ago, what the pres. wants is what the pres. gets. I've come to believe that's how anything works in MT higher ed. It's entirely possible RE's mind has been made up, and the search committee is just window dressing.

For example, by various means, RE could make it clear that his man/woman should be on the list of finalists, from which he will pick. Who, on that committee would say or think, "Well, Mr. Pres., your opinion doesn't mean beans. Your opinion is just one more on this committee." There might be a couple, but I'm sure most on that committee will be reluctant to oppose who RE thinks should be on the final list.

Then, of course, these are all UM people, for the most part on that committee, who I would say would be loathe to exclude an applicant from UM, one of their own. Then, there's that "all things equal, the UM person has to remain in the selection process." This selection process is heavily weighted toward UM applicants, not that they might be less qualified than outside applicants, but it's "all things equal, then....."

This may be unfair to RE. It may be he wants to go outside UM to hire an AD. But, if he does, I will be surprised. My basic point is that, like the committee in the past I referred to, members of this committee will not openly oppose what/who the pres. wants. It's a 1:20 ratio on that committee: the 1 is more equal than the 20.
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does it really matter where the AD comes from? They will have to begin to prove their worth from the very day they are hired and with all the stuff whirling, fairly or not, around UM athletics and the UM itself, the caliber of ability will soon show. UM can handle it...in spite of the blunders of an earnest but somewhat ham handed President.
 
LA....it does matter where the AD comes from. We should be looking for an individual with a background as an AD or assistant AD from a stronger conference. Someone with good ideas and systems tested elsewhere that can possibly be applied at UM as opposed to a local candidate with little knowledge or experience, but just a nice guy that everyone likes.
 
I am not advocating an insider, although I am on record saying I think Kent would do a great job. But here is another way of looking at it.

Given what we have been through this year, and the restlessness of the boosters, would this be the year to make the safe hire? Someone who has the contacts and relationships already with the boosters and the National Advisory Board, rather than someone who has to come in and rebuild those relationships?

Not saying this is the way to go, but it is certainly an argument.
 
I am not advocating an insider, although I am on record saying I think Kent would do a great job. But here is another way of looking at it.

Given what we have been through this year, and the restlessness of the boosters, would this be the year to make the safe hire? Someone who has the contacts and relationships already with the boosters and the National Advisory Board, rather than someone who has to come in and rebuild those relationships?

Not saying this is the way to go, but it is certainly an argument.
 
spsyk said:
Still don't know why O'Day was let go, rather have him back than Hogan.
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If I were an applicant, THAT is the first question I would ask, and I would expect an honest and complete answer. Sadly, this president has not given one that satisfies the far flung alumni, and, if he gives an answer to such a question to an applicant, he should at least say something to us.
 
Spanky said:
LA....it does matter where the AD comes from. We should be looking for an individual with a background as an AD or assistant AD from a stronger conference. Someone with good ideas and systems tested elsewhere that can possibly be applied at UM as opposed to a local candidate with little knowledge or experience, but just a nice guy that everyone likes.
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I agree that a national search is in order and hope they find an able person.

Where I see you grasping at straws is wanting an AD or assitant from a stronger conference, why leave a place where they make more as an asst AD and move down (football wise). You may find someone nearing retirement who fits the bill, does UM really want that. The "up and comers" in the higher football classification won't see this as a step up. Just reality like our coaching salaries limiting the talent pool.
 
Good points Moose, however, I think it is possible to find such a person. Further, I don't think we should hire someone just to fill the position. We will be better off to continue with the temporary AD and re-open the national search, if necessary. We don't even know if Engstrom will be retained, so why allow him to make this important decision until the dust settles with the three investigations.
 
According to Spanky, the search couldn't possibly be legit if someone like Haslam gets the nod, simply because he works at UM currently. I seriously doubt if Spanky has ever spent any time getting to know Kent, or is even aware of what is on Kent's resume. I can tell you that Kent is not a carbon copy of O'Day, and would run his department tighter than Jim did. I think there would be a higher level of accountability, along with professionalism throughout the department. That is precisely what is needed at this time due to the image that has been portrayed of UM and Grizzly Athletics. I am not saying it is fair, or accurate, but perception is reality, and must be dealt with. Spanky, is this a fair assessment of your knowledge of Kent Haslam? If you don't know him, how can you judge him, and if you do, please enlighten all of us as to why he is a bad choice, base don merit, rather than conjecture.
 
GB1....I didn't say he would be a bad choice, now did I? I did say that we must conduct a legtimate national search for our AD and I do agree that this is a critical time for our university. Can you explain why we should stop the search and settle on Kent when we may be able to attract an individual with much stronger creditionals?
 
Spanky said:
GB1....I didn't say he would be a bad choice, now did I? I did say that we must conduct a legtimate national search for our AD and I do agree that this is a critical time for our university. Can you explain why we should stop the search and settle on Kent when we may be able to attract an individual with much stronger creditionals?
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How on earth did you ever think there was ever any consideration of "stopping the search"? That is grasping at straws Spanky. If credentials were the only measure to consider, please explain why Pat Kennedy was a failure. Please explain why our former VB Coach, despite being from a National Championship team at Nebraska, along with being credited with recruiting kids to another NC team there, set the program back years? Credentials are hardly the only means to judge someone, but since you bring them up, do you even know Haslam's credentials? You failed to address the questions I asked you about Kent. Why is that?
 
Two known finalists for a short list? Hope "the committee" broadens its view before final recommendations. Remember, the "committee" only gets to forward their preferred candidate to the President. AND... "if you always do what you've always done, you always get what you've always got."
 
GB1....are you suggesting we hire Kent by default much the same as the Engstrom hire. How has that worked out?
 
Spanky said:
GB1....are you suggesting we hire Kent by default much the same as the Engstrom hire. How has that worked out?
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I am not suggesting anything of the sort, especially when I am not privvy to who all the finalists are. Why can't you answer the questions I asked you about Kent? What are you afraid of? My guess is you don't even know the man.
 
GB1....I don't know Kent, nor do I know any of the finalists. Why are you pushing someone for the job just because you like him? It seems to me that your interest should be that we find the very best qualified individual we can find for this important position at UM....maybe that person is Kent. Further, given the perception of tainted hiring practices of the past at UM, we should be making every effort to follow a high standard regarding the hiring process beginning with the national search. Since you are asking me questions, here are a couple for you: How long was the search? How many qualified individuals replied to the ad?
 
According to reports, the search has gone on for about 90 days, and there were over 60 applicants. I'm not sure if a longer search would yield more qualified applicants. I would guess that news in that business travels very fast, and anyone interested probably jumped on it.

It is a 2 part question. 1. Are there other qualified candidates? 2. Did they apply or show any interest? My guess would be yes, and no.
 
Grizpack....thanks for the information. Out of 60 applicants only 4 made the cut? And 1 was in-house. I wonder....?
 
Spanky said:
We don't even know if Engstrom will be retained, so why allow him to make this important decision until the dust settles with the three investigations.
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Is this just your own opinion, or do you have inside info? RE will not be fired over just this decision of his. There could be other reasons, but RE is a talented administrator, and he has a lot more on his plate than UM athletics. I would expect an answer from you thus: "I do have inside information that RE's performance is seriously being questioned by the Commissioner of Higher Education and the Board of Regents." If you cannot say this, then you are just expressing an opinion like any of us.
 
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