Minutes of the Presidential Committee on Athletics

Big Ten/Iowa Room, Carver-Hawkeye Arena

November 29, 2012

Members Present: Cox, Eko, Hines, Hollingworth, Hovren, Jones, Lee, Moorhead, O’Hara, and Zaharis.

Members Absent: Baker, Chung, Hammer, Herman, Lomax, Parkin, Weinstein, and Westefeld.

Also Present: Modestou, Director of Equal Opportunity and Diversity; Barta, Director of Athletics; Meyer, Senior Associate Athletics Director; Abbott, Curtis, Jantz, and Jennings, Associate Athletics Directors; Walker, Chief Financial Officer; N.Parker, Associate Director of Athletics Student Services; and, Moreland, Assistant Director of Development.

Guest Present: Head Field Hockey Coach Tracey Griesbaum.

The meeting was called to order at 4:18 p.m. by Chair Hines.

I.  Welcome to Coach Tracey Griesbaum (Field Hockey)

Chair Hines welcomed Head Coach Griesbaum. He congratulated her and her team on their season record and appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Griesbaum thanked Committee members. She explained when a field hockey team is invited to the NCAA Tournament, that team is one of the Top 16 teams in the country. Two field hockey seniors received national honors making them the 82 and 83 student-athletes to receive All-America honors in the program’s history. Five seniors will graduate this spring. Griesbaum has five incoming freshman next year and characterized next season as one of rebuilding and moving forward.

II. Announcement

The next PCA meeting will take place February 14, 2013.

III. Approval of Minutes

Zaharis moved to approve the minutes of the November 1, 2012, PCA meeting. Moorhead seconded. Full approval was recorded from Committee members.

IV. Old Business

Standing Subcommittee Reports
A. Academic Achievement Subcommittee - Cox

No report.

B. Equity Subcommittee - Hollingworth

The agenda for the November 27, 2012, meeting is enclosed.

C. Executive Subcommittee - Chair Hines

The Executive Subcommittee met earlier today. The agenda is appended.

D. Student Athlete Welfare Subcommittee - Moorhead

No report.

V. New Business

A.  Update Report on Activities of the Equity Subcommittee - Hollingworth

Chair Hollingworth stated subcommittee members received updates this semester on roster management and hiring activities of Athletics Department staff members. Subcommittee members discussed interviews that took place between individual members of the subcommittee and the head coaches in women’s golf, men’s & women’s track & cross country, and men’s gymnastics looking specifically at equity issues. Any relevant concerns identified are discussed with the athletics director. Hollingworth participated in the search and hiring process for four coaches and encouraged other PCA members to do so when approached by Chair Hines.

B. Description of Athletics Department Search and Hiring Process - Curtis

Curtis distributed the attached document entitled, “UI Hiring Processes & Athletics Personnel Summary.” The handout illustrates that the Athletics Department has 210 regular positions; the breakdown between merit and P&S staff is shown. In addition, temporary employees are hired for seasonal work mainly on the grounds and facilities maintenance crews and to assist with the production of 140+ public events. Individuals are sometimes hired to temporarily “fill in” a vacant coaching position due to timing of a vacancy, i.e., surrounding or during a sports season when it would be very difficult to recruit qualified candidates.

She explained the Athletics Department’s hiring process is the same as for any other UI department and the hiring authorities are noted on the handout. Curtis reviewed the document with Committee members and asked PCA members for questions. A discussion ensued with the following topics discussed: confidentiality of candidates’ names, expediting searches, notification process of temporary coaching hires, and clarification involving temporary hires. Modestou, Director of EOD, also provided input throughout the discussion on behalf of the UI and Athletics Department.

Hines thanked Curtis for her presentation.

C. Report on Athletics Department Hiring Activities During 2010-2012

Attached are handouts from Modestou’s PowerPoint presentation. Noted are the differences in hires by gender as well as by race/ethnicity. All searches are monitored by Equal Opportunity and Diversity staff to ensure policies and procedures are followed.

The Athletics Department did hire one female P&S employee, nine coaches, and 19 administrators in FY2012. The recruitment strategies and sources used to attract diverse applicant pools were reflected in Modestou’s report. Also depicted were recruitment sources used by applicants. EOD staff compiles self-identification information that is voluntarily submitted by applicants.

The Athletics Department revised its Diversity Plan to include more intern-level positions and to identify more effective sourcing strategies. Associate Athletics Director Cutis developed a search committee packet and conducts one-on-one training with P&S search committee chairs prior to commencing a search.

In sum, Modestou recommended the following: continuance of annual meetings with Barta and Curtis, continue to bring a minimum of three finalists to campus for interviews, examine hiring practices for temporary and intern positions to increase diversity of the applicant pool, consult with EOD staff on diversity of the applicant pool before advertisement ends, and continue to use resources from the NCAA on best practices for recruiting diverse individuals.

After a brief question/answer session, Chair Hines thanked Modestou as she received a round of applause from PCA members.

VI. Big Ten/NCAA Legislation and Issues - Barta, Meyer

No report.

VII. Iowa Student Athlete Advisory Committee (ISAAC) - Hovren

A. Work is ongoing to revise ISAAC’s constitution.

B. ISAAC sponsored a graduate school panel discussion for those student-athletes entering or considering graduate school. Panel members addressed admission requirements. The event was well-received. Hovren stated ISAAC is planning additional career events in the spring.

C. The annual bowling social will take place on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day which is January21, 2013, at Colonial Lanes. Each sports team will design a poster surrounding the theme of human rights. Hovren invited PCA members to attend.


VIII. Director’s Report - Barta

A.  Attached are the November sports report and schedules. Barta stated:

1. Football season ended on a low note. Coach Ferentz will evaluate each and every aspect of his program as he does at the end of the season. Barta stated he is confident that Ferentz will have his team ready for next year’s competition.

2. Swimming, track, gymnastics, women’s basketball, men’s basketball, and wrestling have events this weekend.

B. The indoor golf facility is almost complete. The Hoak family, for whom the building is named, visited the facility this past weekend.

C. Phase II of the football facility will be launched this winter. Meyer is working with campus officials on the UI Master Facility Plan.

D. The Big Ten Conference added Maryland and Rutgers. Both institutions are a good fit for the Conference in terms of academics, size, and broad-based programming. Ongoing discussions will take place at the Big Ten level regarding the integration of the two institutions. Herman and Parkin will be involved in these discussions.

Coaches are concerned about the additional expenses involved in traveling to the east coast. Barta stated that he and his senior staff will begin planning for the added expense when budget planning gets underway.

IX. Adjourn

Hollingworth moved to adjourn; Zaharis seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned at 5:32 p.m. by Chair Hines.

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Rae Parker

Recording Secretary

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