Ninth International Conference on Sport & Society

Abstract

This paper discusses the positioning of the Athletic Director (AD) position in academic institutions. We employ the Collegiate Athletic Leadership Model (CALM) to develop hypotheses regarding how the positioning of the AD role within the structure of academic institutions might influence stakeholder’s perceptions. Specifically, we posit that the “space” the AD position occupies might influence stakeholders’ perceptions regarding the relative importance of academics and athletics. The CALM informs this discussion by positing that the organizational structures of academic institutions may facilitate or hinder the goals and outcomes of athletic departments. If this is true, academic institutions must attend to the positioning of the AD role beyond organizational factors related to hierarchy, authority and power etc. While these factors may serve as the drivers of the decision of where to position the AD role, the resulting perceptions is likely to result in unintended consequences. It is the uncertainty about whether such consequences will be positive or negative that makes AD role placement a primary issue. For example, the positioning of the AD role might influence several factors including: relative contributions (donor intentions and behavior); institutional attractiveness; and faculty, staff and student engagement with academics vis a vis athletics.