Rutgers President Announces Formation of Search Committee for New Athletic Director, Appoints Interim A.D.
April 8, 2013
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. – Rutgers University President Robert L. Barchi today announced the formation of a search committee to fill the position of director of intercollegiate athletics.
The panel will be co-chaired by Rutgers alumna Kate Sweeney, senior vice president and certified financial planner with Morgan Stanley in New Brunswick, and Richard L. Edwards, executive vice president for academic affairs.
“As we seek to move the university and Rutgers athletics forward, it is imperative that we move expeditiously to fill this important post,” Barchi said. “I’m pleased that Kate Sweeney and Dick Edwards have agreed to head the panel, and I am certain they and the other members of the search committee will work diligently to identify the most stellar candidates for consideration.”
Sweeney is a 1979 graduate of Cook College with a degree in natural resource management. While at Rutgers, she captained both the women’s basketball and lacrosse teams. She currently serves on the Executive Committee of the President’s Council at the Rutgers University Foundation and is co-founder of the Rutgers University Alumni Association Charter Group RU Bi-GLATA. In 2012, she was named by NJBIZ as one of New Jersey’s Top 50 Women in Business.
Edwards, who also serves as interim chancellor at Rutgers-New Brunswick, was appointed executive vice president in Sept. 2012. He came to Rutgers in August 2005 as dean of the School of Social Work. Before coming to Rutgers, he served as dean of the School of Social Work at both the University of North Carolina and at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.
Barchi said the remainder of the committee members, who will represent a broad cross-section of the Rutgers University community, will be named shortly.
Barchi today also appointed Carl Kirschner to serve as interim athletic director. Kirschner is special counsel for academic programs in the Office of the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. He was dean of Rutgers College for 13 years. He also has served as chair of the Academic Oversight Committee for Intercollegiate Athletics, which reviews the applications of prospective Rutgers student athletes and monitors their academic progress.
“I thank Carl for stepping up to take interim leadership of intercollegiate athletics,” said Barchi. “His many years of service to the university community and to our student athletes give me every confidence in his ability to oversee the Rutgers athletics program until we find a new athletic director.”
Barchi added that Kirschner will be ably served by Doug Fillis, senior associate athletic director, and Janine Purcaro, chief financial officer for athletics, who will manage the day-to-day operations of the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics.