Published December 2, 2015
The University of Louisiana Monroe announced today that the head football coach search
committee held its first meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 1.
Pat Mitchell, President of The Carpenter Health Network, was appointed chairman of
the committee. “It’s a privilege to serve as the chair,” said Mitchell. “There are
great times ahead for ULM and the football program, and I am honored to be a part
of it.” The committee will hold a minimum of one meeting per week until the position
has been filled.
ULM’s department of human resources has posted the job announcement on their website,
as has College Sports Solutions (CSS)—the collegiate athletic search firm assisting
ULM in the search.
According to the job description, “The University seeks an experienced, energetic,
and innovative candidate who is charged with leading the football program. Successful
candidates will demonstrate a commitment to a program of competitive success built
upon a foundation of integrity reflecting core institutional values.”
The pool of candidates has grown considerably over the last week, according to Mitchell.
The goal of the search committee will be to determine which candidate is the strongest
fit to move the football program forward.
Amid growing concerns about the quality of student-athlete education within the NCAA,
the University has expressed deep interest in a coach who will instill, among other
things, a higher focus on academic excellence. In an interview just this month with
Inside Higher Ed, Mark Emmert, the president of the NCAA, indicated that it was the
responsibility of individual universities to ensure that athletes are earning high-quality
degrees—not the NCAA. ULM is heeding this call and taking the effort very seriously.
Nick Bruno, ULM president, reiterated that the university would be transparent about
the search process, but also indicated that those involved in the search would respect
the confidentiality of the candidates.
According to Bruno, “The foundation has been set and we are all coming together with
a singular goal of building upon that foundation to make our football program stronger
and better.”
