College Sports Information Directors of America

 

As CoSIDA celebrates its 50^th anniversary this year, the organization needs leadership that is working for CoSIDA and thinking about CoSIDA on a full-time basis.  While members of the Board of Directors are handling their ever-increasing institutional or conference-office responsibilities, the Executive Director should be working solely on behalf of CoSIDA. The position also would provide year-to-year continuity for the organization, which would enhance relationships with potential corporate sponsors, peer leaders of other athletics organizations and other important contacts.

 

An Executive Director would have the time and vision to create a long-term strategic plan for CoSIDA members while re-establishing the organization's relevancy on the collegiate athletics stage. The position also gives CoSIDA a leadership focal point for the membership as well as organizations, companies and individuals outside the organization.  Perhaps as importantly, it would enable Board members to focus more on the "big picture" instead of the day-to-day busywork and allow members from all divisions to serve in more active roles on the Board.  And, finally, it could represent CoSIDA at such events as the NCAA and NACDA Conventions, national championships, bowl games and other regional and national meetings.

 

In short, the duties would be two-fold --- to be the day-to-day administrator and "face" of CoSIDA and to raise money for the organization through corporate sponsorship sales and other fundraising activities.  The Executive Director also would play a major role in the annual Workshop while assisting with oversight of the CoSIDA web site and the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America program.

 

Initial qualifications desired include a veteran athletics administrator, at least part of which must be in collegiate sports information.  The individual obviously needs to be familiar with our field. The successful candidate also must have demonstrated leadership and organizational skills as well as knowledge of financial management and fundraising, plus an understanding of NCAA rules and regulations.

 

A screening committee consisting of CoSIDA members, yet to be named, would solicit applications, interview finalists and eventually select the successful candidate.

 

The first step necessary in the process would be the approval of an amendment to the CoSIDA constitution, which will be brought forward at the annual business meeting during this summer's Workshop in San Diego.   If the amendment is approved, the Board will post the position later this summer.  The screening process and interviews would begin during the fall and then the successful candidate would aim to start no later than the end of next winter (sometime February/March/April).

 

As with most membership-based organizations, the position would report to CoSIDA's Board of Directors, which would continue to approve the long- and short-term goals of the organization, with the Executive Director charged with carrying out those plans with his or her expertise on a daily basis.

 

While the hope is that this position ultimately would be able to fund itself while also generating revenue for the organization, money likely will need to be taken from CoSIDA's reserve funds in order to cover a portion of the position, at least during its start-up phase.  Other potential sources of funding include raising the annual membership dues by $25 for the 2008-09 year (to $75 per year), saving money by handling and reviewing various projects currently outsourced or receiving grants from outside organizations. CoSIDA currently has one of the lowest annual membership dues figures in college athletics.

 

At this point, the plan is for the Executive Director to work out of his or her home with costs for office-related expenses such as phone and internet connections, cell phone and PDA service, and other office supplies funded by a line-item in the CoSIDA budget.  The Board's expectation is that the Executive Director would do much of his or her business over the phone or electronically and would travel for sales calls, conventions and other events, thus eliminating the need for formal office space.

 

Current plans call for CoSIDA to continue to fund the paid positions of Director of Marketing and Promotions, Director of Online Services, Treasurer and Secretary, which are also ex-officio members of the Board of Directors.  The Executive Director would work closely with these staff members on marketing and communications initiatives to benefit CoSIDA.

 

Feel free to e-mail Justin Doherty, assistant athletic director for communications at the University of Wisconsin and current CoSIDA third vice-president. His e-mail is: jmd@athletics.wisc.edu.