Bemidji State University Director of Athletics Bemidji State University invites nominations and applications for the position of Director of Athletics. The Director of Athletics is the senior leader of athletics at Bemidji State University and will serve on the President s Cabinet. The Director of Athletics will be centrally engaged in further strengthening one of Minnesota s finest educational institutions devoted to teaching, scholarship, and service. Profile of the Institution & Area Along the western shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University s campus offers a unique and compelling living and learning environment. BSU and its student population of nearly 5,000 undergraduate and more than 400 graduate students are committed to its signature themes of environmental stewardship, civic engagement, and international/ multicultural understanding. In 1919, Bemidji State Normal School began its first regular school year with 38 students. The school, chartered by the Minnesota State Legislature in response to a growing need for public school teachers, focused on teacher training as its primary curriculum. In 1921, Bemidji Normal became Bemidji State Teachers College, offering a four-year degree. Reflecting ongoing changes in the curriculum, the school was renamed Bemidji State College in 1957. In recognition of its growing role as a multi-purpose educational institution, it became Bemidji State University in 1975. Today, BSU hosts more than 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students and has an estimated 41,000 alumni. The University offers majors in more than 50 baccalaureate fields, as well as nine Master of Arts and Master of Science degrees and has a faculty and staff of nearly 600. It is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System. MnSCU was established in 1995 through legislative action that merged the previous community colleges, technical colleges and state universities into one system. With its 31 institutions, including 24 two-year colleges and seven state universities, MnSCU is the largest single provider of higher education in the state of Minnesota serving 277,000 students. For more information visit www.mnscu.edu. Bemidji State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Additionally, several BSU academic programs hold specialty accreditation status: International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (accounting and business programs) National Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education American Chemical Society (chemistry program) Council on Social Work Education National Association of Schools of Music Minnesota Department of Education (teacher education programs) The Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering (industrial technology program) Minnesota Peace Officer Standards and Training [1]
The Bemidji Area Bemidji State University lies among the lakes and forests of northern Minnesota. Lake Bemidji State Park is located just minutes north of BSU s campus. The park and nearby forests serve as outdoor laboratories for courses, as well as sources of recreation for the campuses and surrounding community. The headwaters of the Mississippi River, within Lake Itasca State Park, are less than an hour s drive from campus. As the first city on the Mississippi, Bemidji supports an abundance of summer and winter recreational activities, enriching the community throughout the year. The Bemidji area is home to a population of more than 30,000 and is neighbor to the Leech Lake, White Earth, and Red Lake Indian Nations. Students of Ojibwe heritage add their diversity to the campus culture. Recreational and cultural activities also reflect Scandinavian, other European, and Canadian influences. As a regional service center, the city of Bemidji provides a focus for educational, governmental, business, and medical services. Bemidji State University is significantly involved in many aspects of the Bemidji community. As members of the Joint Economic Development Commission, the University encourages continued growth and development of regional industries. Weekend, evening, extension, online, and summer classes complement the traditional class schedule and reflect each institution s commitment to educate and serve a diverse population. University facilities are available for community use, and area residents are welcomed at campus events. Athletics at Bemidji State University The institution has a current enrollment of 5,354 undergraduate and graduate students. BSU is in the process of a $35 million capital campaign and within the past 12 months has raised $10 million towards its goal. BSU boasts an alumni population of 39,000 with 70 percent living in the state of Minnesota. BSU is a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) for its Division II programs and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) for its Division I men s and women s hockey programs. The intercollegiate athletic program offers 15 sports (10 women/5 men), 13 of those at the Division II level. The program is slightly below the NSIC average of 15.7 sports, but ranks 3rd with the number of women s programs and 13th with the number of men s programs. Bemidji State University has a strong foundation of academic achievement, which is demonstrated by the strong grade point averages of the entire program. BSU student athletes amassed a GPA of 3.10 as reported in the spring of 2012. Men s programs averaged 2.93 while the women were even more successful, posting a GPA of 3.25. The highest GPA belonged to the men s hockey team with a 3.42 grade point average, and the women s hockey, women s golf and women s tennis teams all earned a 3.39. Finally, the athletics program at BSU has had recent competitive success. For example, in men s hockey the team participated in the 2009 Frozen Four. In 2012, the men s basketball team was the 2012 NSIC Men s Basketball Champs, and went on to participate in the national tournament. In football, BSU won the 2012 NSIC Football Northern Division. Finally, it should be noted that the NSIC is one of the premier D2 conferences in the country, winning in recent years national championships in cross country, track and field, men s basketball, and volleyball. [2]
Minimum Qualifications: The next Director of Athletics at Bemidji State University will possess the following minimum qualifications: 1. At least eight (8) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in higher education athletic administration and coaching; 2. A master s degree in a relevant discipline required; an earned doctorate in a relevant discipline is preferred; 3. Evidence of visionary strategic and operational leadership, creative and conceptual thinking, and effective resources management; 4. Evidence of the ability to connect with constituent communities, raise money and resources for athletics, and create a thriving and functional resource base for athletics; 5. Successful record of and commitment to promoting diversity. Additional knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the responsibilities include: 1. Effective personal communication skills; 2. Ability to build, form and maintain relationships that advance athletics at Bemidji State University; 3. Capability to help students develop coherent values and ethical standards through athletic participation; 4. Understanding of best practices of the use of technology in marketing and recruiting; 5. Ability to effectively envision or adapt to, then lead change at an organization-wide or institution-wide level; 6. Strategic human resources skills; 7. Leadership within local, state, regional, and national professional organizations; 8. Ability to manage a comprehensive program of 17 women's and men's sports; 9. The Director must possess a working knowledge of National Collegiate Athletic Association policies regarding intercollegiate athletics at the Division II level (Division I in hockey); 10. Possess an understanding of and commitment to Title IX; 11. Establish goal-oriented relationships with coaches and staff; 12. Promote and market the university's athletic programs; 13. Articulate a compelling philosophy for the role of athletics within a University community. Primary Duties of the Director of Athletics at Bemidji State University 1. Represent the Department of Athletics to the internal and external constituencies upon whom the Department is dependent for successful completion of its mission. This responsibility includes such activities as: a. Partnering with Bemidji State University Foundation, Director of Development for Athletics, Beaver Pride Coordinator, and Beaver Pride Committee to raise sufficient scholarship dollars to become competitive in each respective sport. Provide a leadership role with the Foundation in the Spring Fund Drive, selling sponsorship opportunities with hockey boards, in-ice advertising, scoreboard advertising, and game promotions; [3]
b. Participate in the athletic marketing campaign in cooperation with the Office of Communications and Marketing, the BSU Foundation, and the Beaver Pride Club; c. Serve on Beaver Pride Board and assist with the Beaver Pride activities that include golf tournaments, ice fishing contest, women's walk, Bonspiel Tournament, Hockey Spaghetti Feed, Beaver Pride luncheons, winter golf tournament, tail gate parties, monthly meetings, and many other social events; d. Offer sport camps and clinics in appropriate sports for boys and girls living in the region; e. Maintain successful liaisons with the University's students, faculty, and staff in support of athletics; f. Expand the involvement of alumni, parents, students, faculty, staff, boosters and other friends of the University in departmental activities including attendance at competitions and support-building initiatives; g. As a member of excluded management, assists in the facilitation of communication and improved working relationships across the intercollegiate athletics areas and other areas of the University. 2. Manage the athletics programs and provide administrative leadership for the execution of athletic policy consistent with the philosophy of the institution, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. Attend all conference meetings and actively participate on conference committees. 3. Supervise administrative, coaching, and support staff in athletics, making recommendations relative to appointment, retention, promotion, salary, leave requests and other necessary personnel actions. a. This includes adhering to terms and conditions of all collective bargaining contracts for faculty/staff within the department. b. This responsibility also includes goal-setting with coaches and staff for the long term success in their sport or area. c. The modeling of ethical behavior is expected in all areas. 4. Insure the provision of a successful athletic and academic experience for student-athletes who attend Bemidji State University. This responsibility includes initiatives such as: a. Insuring the ethical recruiting of students who meet the admission requirements for Bemidji State University; b. Providing for full NCAA compliance in the activities of student-athletes, coaches, administrators and athletic boosters; c. Maintain a high level of student-athlete graduation and academic success as determined through the NCAA Academic Progress Reports and grade point averages of each sport. Student-athletes are expected to complete midterm grade checks and provided with the opportunity of academic assistance when requested; d. Providing student-athletes with the opportunity to participate in community service activities. 5. Plan and administer all management functions that support a successful athletics program. This responsibility includes such activities as: a. Develop a long range plan and vision for athletics; b. Monitor a budget of over $4,000,000; c. Obtain institutional support through the submission of annual budget requests to the University and the Bemidji State Student Association (SAFAC); d. Implement and evaluate the department's Title IX plan; [4]
e. Keep up to date on new trends and developments including research results and federal and state legislation in order to provide direction and input for futnre planning; f. Insure compliance with all federal, state, and institutional and association mandates; g. Supervise, in conjunction with Games Management personnel, all University athletic contests, and athletics contests played in University facilities; h. Approve game contracts, schedules, and team travel arrangements with the respective conferences and team coaches; i. Supervise the purchase, care, and repair of athletics equipment. [5]