UNLV interim AD Tina Kunzer-Murphy is "reorganizing the athletic department, changing positions throughout and instituting substantial pay cuts," according to Mark Anderson of the LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL. Those affected have until Aug. 5 to "accept their new positions or quit." Kunzer-Murphy said that the changes "were made to create a smoother transition for whoever is hired as the full-time athletic director." She said, "We’re streamlining the reporting structure and improving communication." Kunzer-Murphy added that she "made the changes in consultation with" UNLV President Neal Smatresk. She "denied the steps were taken for her to become the permanent athletic director." Kunzer-Murphy "wouldn’t specify which employees were demoted and who received pay cuts, saying nothing is in place until they make their decisions whether to accept the new responsibilities." Anderson reports the most significant changes were "to remake the reporting structure of the various sports by limiting the number of associate athletic directors in charge." Men’s and women’s basketball and football will "report directly to the athletic director, and the senior associate AD and senior women’s administrator will oversee the remainder of the sports." Another change is putting Associate AD/Compliance Eric Toliver "directly under the president rather than the athletic department." Meanwhile, Senior Associate AD/Football Operations Terry Cottle’s position "has been eliminated." Kunzer-Murphy said that the "director of football operations job will be created instead to report directly to coach Bobby Hauck" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 7/26).
HELP WANTED: In Birmingham, Brandon Marcello noted Auburn Univ. is "creating two new positions in its athletics department in an effort to 'strengthen' internal operations." The "biggest addition is that of a chief operations officer, who will serve as the top official in the department under athletics director Jay Jacobs, and will carry similar responsibilities to that of an athletics director." The COO will "direct the overall planning, implementation, administration, direction, supervision, and day to day operations of the athletics department." Jacobs also will hire a CMO to "help with the department's branding and oversee their marketing efforts" (AL.com, 7/24).
