ORONO, Maine — If the University of Maine athletic department hopes to field more competitive teams during a somewhat tumultuous time in Division I college athletics, it is going to need a little help.
Toward that end, UMaine has begun the search for a senior associate athletic director.
“Structurally, it’s so clear that we’re missing this slot,” said UMaine Athletic Director Steve Abbott. “It’s a significant position and it’s something that will help us as we continue to try to elevate the department.”
The job, which has not yet been advertised outside the university, will provide the department with another administrator to complement Abbott’s efforts.
“They’ll be No. 2 in the organization and they’ll be involved in everything, but with a partial focus on operational details and financial issues, both incoming and outgoing,” he said. “It will help facilitate the work that the people are doing.”
UMaine has formed a three-person committee to conduct the search. It includes director of budget and business services Claire Strickland, NCAA faculty representative Bob Strong and senior advisor to the president Julie Hopwood.
The committee will forward the names of viable candidates to Abbott and he will make a recommendation to UMaine President Paul Ferguson, who has the final word.
Abbott, who said the job was not created with anyone particular in mind, hopes to have it filled by the start of the school year in September.
The position will pay approximately $100,000 per year, making it the second-highest paid administrative position in the department. Abbott earns $140,000 annually.
Abbott concedes he is a key beneficiary of the move and explained the successful candidate must bring a variety of skills to the job.
“They will be a very experienced hand, somebody who really understands trends in college athletics and who understands not only the athletic mission but the academic mission and the role that the university plays in the state,” Abbott said.
Duties likely will include budget issues involving the teams and developing ways to maximize revenue through games, parking, concessions and apparel sales.
“The goal is to free up my time to work on some of the things where I think I could contribute more,” said Abbott, who included fundraising and marketing among his areas of emphasis.
UMaine has not had a senior associate athletic director since Blake James held the job from 2003-2006. However, budget constraints at the time prevented James from filling the vacancy when he became the AD.
Abbott said having a right-hand person will reduce competing demands for his time and enable the department to increase the efficiency of its operations because answers and decision-making often will come more quickly.
Even though adding the job means a significant expense for the department, Abbott sees it as necessary. He praised Ferguson for his vision in making it happen.
“Really, the decision came with the tremendous support of the president, who ultimately believed that this position will greatly enhance our ability to operate,” Abbott said.
“The point of reducing our budget was to operate as efficiently as possible,” Abbott said, “but it has affected our ability to generate revenue because of the time it has taken away from other people in our department.”
UMaine’s eight-member athletic department administrative staff also includes Associate AD for Internal Operations Will Biberstein, Associate AD for External Operations Joe Roberts, Associate AD for Compliance/Senior Woman Administrator Eileen Flaherty, Assistant AD for Business Sue Randall, Assistant AD for Public Relations Laura Reed, Assistant AD for Development Mike Hodgson and Director of Academic Support Ann Maxim.
Oh, good, more overhead……..next job will be an associate, vp press relations manager, or is that one filled already?
Sounds like an awesome way to spend another 200k!
How much did the story say?
How does this improve education?
You have got to be kidding me? Another high paid administrative position? What’s the name of the person who decided that this is a good use of the publics money? That University needs some adult oversight.
I would wager that the University of Maine was the only division one university in the country without someone in this position.
So Abbott gets the job then hires someone else to do the work? Smart move!
Anyone remotely familiar with the devastating cuts over recent years to UMaine faculty and staff in academic units will surely stand up and cheer for this new position–or a newly configured old position. Note the no. of Associate and Assistant Athletic Directors at the end of the story. Former Gov. Baldacci and former Pres. Bob Kennedy–both relentless supporters of devoting precious private and public resources to expanding UMaine athletics–are cheering from the sidelines. This to them, as to so many others, is literally “the way life should be” at Orono. God bless them all.
Abbott was not Baldacci’s political appointment.
Ted Woodward……….
Teddy!
This is good ol’ boy cronyism through and through. Head to Augusta hand in hand Abbott and I will be your fiercest critic.
If the university put equal emphasis on academic instruction, I might be okay with this. As an alumni, I would never make ANY contribution to my Alma Mater when funds are being utilized in this manner.
UM athletics makes money and in the BUSINESS of college athletics, you need to invest in your product. Black Bear athletics has done wonders for the university.
The primary role of the University is to educate. The problem has become what you stated. It has become a BUSINESS in the area of athletics instead of an EDUCATIONAL institution. When the University decides to prioritize its spending on instruction versus useless administrative positions, I will consider making contributions..
The athletic department budget is approximately 3% of the total UM budget, yet keep in mind $8 million of their budget is money they make on their own from revenue and contributions. There must have been an increase in that money in order for this position to be created because direct institutional funding hasn’t gone up for the past couple years.
Here is my issue. It’s another administrative position of which there are far too many at the University. The are grossly overpaid for what they do. When the University decides to pay its’ professors 100K a year (for those with a full teaching load) I’ll stand in support of this.
Right if it’s such a money maker why is the money from donors dropping, sponsorships are down. Awful TV deal they have with WABI-TV. Attendance at most games except hockey are way down. I have been a huge critic on here of the current program for years on how its run. Them staying in America East when the conference is on the verge of collpase from mismanagement and lack of leadership of the league. What UMAINE needs is a strong leader that it hasn’t had in many years to run the department to get the ship on good fiscal ground and performance at a high level that brings fans back. All we have had is bad leaders and puppets of the coaching staffs (Blake James, Pat Nero, and now Steve Abbott). I thought Abbott would be a change that could clean house and start the path of moving the department in the right direction financially and performance on the field, court , ice. Only thing he has done right is canning Blodgett which was long overdue.
How much of the University of Maine’s total budget goes to academics? What percentage of the budget is that? And the money athletics make lowers the asking price in Augusta by how much?
Athletics at Maine lose money, so the answer is it raises the amount required from taxpayers.
Must be another political reject looking for a place to continue to sponge off of the taxpayer.
Athletics at Maine MAKES money, which is deducted from the amount taxpayers pay. As for your second line, it’s obvious you flunked out of kindergarden.
You second line really ticks me off. And even though none of this any of your dam business, I’ll tell you anyway. I worked until I was 71 years old. I have Social Security, which I PRE-PAID during those 71 years. I have a pension, which my COMPANY pays for. I have Medicare, which I PRE-PAID during those 71 years. I have IRA #1, which I PRE-PAID over those 71 years. I have IRA #$ 2, which I PRE-PAID over those 71 years. Six of those years were devoted to the United States Navy, so on this Fourth of July, you can freely cast innuendoes at people you don’t even know. SWo have a happy Fourth. And burn in h***.
dunbar2: sorry to shatter your dream, but UME athletics don’t make money save when the men’s hockey team has a great season and the Alfond is full. The football team loses roughly 2 million a year, as has been documented repeatedly. Feel free to donate or not, but do keep these facts in mind. GO BLACK BEARS!!!
The fact that he went out of his way to say “the job was not created with anyone particular in mind”, tells me that it was created with someone in mind.
You’re so good. How much do you charge for your seances?
It isn’t rocket science. Get a clue. This has Woodward written all over it.
Ted Woodward
Better way to phase this:
UM athletics draws a revenue unlike other investments the university makes. Does it profit? rarely, but at least it makes some of that money back. Without a doubt, Maine Athletics is the best way to get The University of Maine recognized nationally.