Wichita State AD and VP/Student Affairs Eric Sexton "will transition out of the athletics role by the end of next semester," according to Roy Wenzl of the WICHITA EAGLE. Student body President Joseph Shepard and other students had "demanded Sexton’s removal from student affairs and had planned a public protest at the Kansas Board of Regents meeting" on the WSU campus yesterday. But Shepard said, “This has never been about Eric Sexton as a person. It’s because in that dual role he never had time to adequately work with students." Wenzl noted the planned protest was "not popular with all students." Some were "posting protests about the protests on Shepard’s Facebook page" (WICHITA EAGLE, 11/18). Sexton took over as VP/Student Affairs in April, and WSU VP/Strategic Communications Lou Heldman said that Sexton "has not been extensively involved with the day-to-day operations with the university's athletics department" since then. Heldman added that Sexton "has continued to be a Wichita State representative for Missouri Valley Conference and NCAA affairs, but is beginning the process of transitioning out of those roles in the coming months" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 11/18).
WAVE OF MOMENTUM: In New Orleans, Guerry Smith reports Tulane’s search to replace departing AD Rick Dickson is "heating up this week." Sources said that five names "have emerged." Interviews will "happen Thursday and Friday in Atlanta," the hometown of search committee Chair Doug Hertz. More candidates are "expected to be interviewed later, but the first five" are Tulane Deputy AD & COO Barbara Burke, Auburn COO David Benedict, Baylor Deputy AD Todd Patulski, Louisiana-Monroe AD Brian Wickstrom and Univ. of S.F. AD Scott Sidwell. Dickson recently announced that he would "step down at the end of June after 15 years on the job." A source said that former Saints exec Arnie Fielkow "was not under consideration" (New Orleans ADVOCATE, 11/19).
