Leadership Profile Director of Athletics This search is being assisted by:
Coppin State University is accepting applications and nominations for the next Director of Athletics of its 14 Division I sports programs and intramural and recreational athletics. Academic Search has been retained to assist with this search. Coppin was founded in 1900, and is now a model urban, residential liberal arts university and historically black institution located in the northwest section of the City of Baltimore. As a member of the University System of Maryland, Coppin is a fully accredited institution, whose major academic programs include Education, Health Care, Business, and Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) disciplines that are designed to prepare students to be competitive in regional, statewide, national, and international markets. The University provides educational access and diverse opportunities for students through excellence in teaching, research, and community engagement, thus preparing analytical, socially responsible, lifelong learners. Coppin State University builds on a rich legacy of empowering students, promoting community revitalization, and strengthening relationships with local, national, and global partners. Coppin offers 33 Bachelor s and 11 Master s degree programs and one Doctoral degree program, with approximately 3,100 students enrolled in day, evening, online, and weekend undergraduate and graduate courses. Coppin is primarily a commuter university, but also houses over 600 student residents on campus. Approximately 75 percent of the overall student population is female, and 90 percent are Maryland residents. Just over 60 percent of Coppin students are first-generation college students. Overview of Athletics: Coppin State University competes at the highest level of collegiate athletics NCAA Division I as a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). The MEAC consists of 13 outstanding historically black institutions across the Atlantic coastline. In addition to Coppin, those members are: Bethune-Cookman, Delaware State, Florida A&M, Hampton, Howard, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State, North Carolina A&T State, North Carolina Central, Norfolk State, Savannah State and South Carolina State. The MEAC is completing its 46 th year of intercollegiate competition as the 2015-16 academic school year winds down. Based in Norfolk, Virginia, MEAC sponsors 16 Division I sports with automatic qualifying bids for NCAA postseason competition in baseball, women s bowling, men s and women s basketball, men s and women s cross country, football, men s and women s tennis, men s and women s indoor and outdoor track and field, softball, volleyball and men s golf. MEAC student-athletes excel on and off the field, and several have been recognized on ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-America and All-District teams. The conference sponsors All- Academic teams in each of its sports and awards two post-graduate scholarships of $5,000 each annually to one male and one female student-athlete who have excelled academically and athletically and are in their final season of intercollegiate athletics eligibility and competition under MEAC and NCAA 2
regulations. Coppin State is very proud that its student-athletes have posted an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher for 15 consecutive semesters, and that 59 percent of its student-athletes had a 3.0 or higher GPA for Fall 2015. The mission of the Coppin State athletics department is to provide student-athletes with an opportunity to compete at the Division I level while receiving a quality education consistent with the mission of the University. The athletics experience is an extension of the educational process whereby student-athletes acquire the skill, characteristics and self-confidence that will enable them to reach their full potential, both in athletics and in life. Coppin State currently competes in 14 varsity sports at the Division I level. Men s sports include baseball, basketball, tennis, cross country, and indoor and outdoor track and field. Women s sports include basketball, bowling, cross country, softball, tennis, volleyball, and indoor and outdoor track and field. Athletic programs, classroom and administrative offices are centered around the state-of-the-art Physical Education Complex (PEC), which was completed in the fall of 2009. The PEC is a 246,000- square-foot multipurpose sports and entertainment center, which includes 4,100 fixed seats for basketball games and concerts, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, two weight rooms, racquetball courts, two auxiliary gymnasiums and a dance facility. The PEC is adjoined by similarly new outdoor athletic facilities, including a 400-meter track, a softball field, eight tennis courts, and a soccer field. The Department of Athletics also includes all of the exciting and diverse activities offered through Campus Recreation and Wellness. Through modern facilities in the PEC and outdoors, students may join a sports club, play in an intramural league or just get fit. Coppin offers its students a variety of aquatics programs, many intramural sports and other group exercise classes and recreational activities. Summary of Position: The Director of Athletics (AD) is the Chief Athletic Officer of the University, reports directly to the University President, and is a member of the University Cabinet. The AD manages the University s intercollegiate, intramural and recreational athletics programs, and has responsibility for planning, leading, coordinating, and evaluating all athletic programs and functions. The AD is responsible for developing relationships with various constituencies that will lead to growth of external funding; negotiating, designing and managing commercial relationships; managing and enhancing utilization of athletic facilities; ensuring compliance with all federal, divisional and University athletics regulations; and administrating departmental funds and accounts in a fiscally responsible manner. The AD is responsible for the overall vision, operations, and strategic direction for the University s athletic programs, inclusive of 14 intercollegiate sports, and all intramural, club, and recreational athletics activities. The AD will work cooperatively with students, faculty and staff throughout the University to 3
successfully advance the athletics programs, recruit and retain exceptional coaches, and continue to create an environment that promotes excellence amongst its scholar-athletes. Principal Responsibilities: Leadership Compliance Manage and direct the daily operations of the intercollegiate athletic, intramural, fitness and recreation programs of the campus. Guide and mentor students. Supervise the coaching and administrative staff of the Department of Athletics. Work in conjunction with University leadership to strengthen the athletic programs and lead the development and implementation of a strategic plan for campus athletics. Ensure compliance with all federal, NCAA, division, conference and University athletics regulations and reporting requirements. Oversee compliance regulations for all Department of Athletics programs and operations in accordance with the University s NCAA and MEAC guidelines. Monitor strict observances of Title IX regulations governing equality of opportunity in men s and women s athletics by keeping informed of legal requirements and consulting with University staff regarding compliance with NCAA regulations. Ensure certification of the academic and health eligibility of all varsity athletes. Strategic Planning and Analysis Develop a long-term strategic plan and vision for the Department of Athletics. Develop a sustainable plan to provide access to University athletic facilities for community use when Coppin s athletes or athletic teams are not utilizing the facilities. Collect and analyze departmental statistics and data and prepare and distribute reports as appropriate. Financial Management Prepare and manage the budgets of the Department of Athletics in compliance with the University s NCAA and MEAC financial rules and regulations. Develop and implement a marketing and fundraising plan for the Department of Athletics and closely monitor its progress, taking strong action as needed. Maintaining Relationships Ensure that coaches recruit student athletes in accordance with the policies of the Office of Enrollment Management and the Office of Financial Aid. 4
Oversee intramural, recreation, club sports, fitness and wellness programming on campus and assure that they are developed, implemented and evaluated by department staff. Supervise and manage student employees, as needed, to ensure their academic and professional development. Continue to improve the University s relationships with the surrounding communities of Baltimore City and the region. Other duties as assigned by the University President. Required Qualifications: Five years of progressive leadership experience in athletics in a university or college environment. Ten or more years of relevant experience highly desired. Bachelor s degree required. Master s degree strongly preferred in athletic/sports administration, sports science, sports management, sports psychology, business administration, or any relevant or closely related discipline. Desired Attributes and Experiences: Prior track record of success at supervisory level in sports administration at the collegiate level, particularly in Division I. Technical ability in the management, analysis and planning of all intercollegiate athletic program functions. Knowledge of best practices in sports administration. Ability to work successfully with University faculty and staff to advance athletic efforts. Strong mediation skills and the ability to facilitate with both confidence and competence. A strong record of consistently improving all intercollegiate programs. Knowledge of NCAA, MEAC, Title IX, VAWA and Employer Equal Opportunity guidelines and compliance regulations. Ability to make public presentations and to inspire confidence with internal and external constituents. Ability to work effectively with the media. Excellent organizational, written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills and attention to detail. Integrity and a self-driven standard of excellence. Conditions of Employment: Frequent evening and occasional weekend hours and some recruitment and sports-related travel. Applicants must have a valid driver s license. The successful candidate will need to complete a background check and other pre-employment verification processes. 5
Application Process: For full consideration, applicants are encouraged to apply by May 27, 2016, although applications may be accepted until an appointment is made for this position. All applicants must submit a cover letter, a current resume, and names of five references with their titles, email addresses and phone numbers listed. References will only be contacted with written permission from the applicant in advance. Applicants are strongly encouraged to carefully review the athletic website of Coppin State University at http://coppinstatesports.com/. Application materials should be submitted to CoppinDirectorAthletics@academic-search.com. Academic Search is assisting Coppin State University with this search, and all inquiries may be addressed in confidence to William F. Howard, Vice President & Senior Consultant, at wfh@academic-search.com or 202-263-7489. Coppin State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, pregnancy, age, disability status or veteran status. View the EEO is the Law poster for more information regarding your rights under the law. For more than three decades, Academic Search has offered executive search services exclusively to institutions of higher education. Academic Search was founded on the principle of strengthening higher education leadership through professional search services. We are the only search firm in the nation with a formal relationship to a premier leadership development program. As the subsidiary of the American Academic Leadership Institute (AALI), Academic Search provides substantial financial support to a number of leadership identification, development, and support programs across all sectors of public and private higher education. For more information, visit www.academic-search.com. 6