Interview Questions For Next SU AD

[Whitey23]

How would you answer the following?:

Would you have convened the meeting that Dr. Gross convened regarding Fab Melo?

Would you have agreed to petition the professor to allow for a grade change one year following the completion of the class, even if it were permitted under University academic rules?

Would you retain Herman Frazier and Renee Baumgartner?

Would you retain Sue Edson?

What changes, if any, would you make to the Carrier Dome?

What the Athletic Department's most pressing infrastructure needs at this point?

Would you retain the present Athletic Department Compliance Director?

Would you return the name "Orangemen" to the men's teams and "Orangewomen" to the women's teams?

Would you continue with the Oregon-like uniform approach in football?

What must Scott do in 2015 to retain his job? What kind of extension would you give him?

Will you honor Mike Hopkins' contract to be the next HC?

What sport would you eliminate and what sport would you add?

To what extent should our athletes receive stipends or additional monetary benefits - should we match say, Ohio State dollar for dollar?

Why didn't Shafer visit Robert Washington?

 

[OrangePA]

Very weird. Especially for a high level position. The questions must be more in depth and for the love of god you wouldn't ask him to make statements on people he may fire or set benchmarks for guys to meet or else they are fired without the AD meeting the actual coach and diving into the situation. Asking an outsider and someone who hasn't been around the situation to answer a question like that is very unprofessional and downright foolish/silly.

I guess you must conduct a number of hiring interviews.

What questions do you believe a prospective AD in this situation would be asked by the search committee?

Please give us a list of questions and please provide the answers that you would give or that you would like to see given to those questions.

 

[OrangePA]

I will play.

Would you have convened the meeting that Dr. Gross convened regarding Fab Melo?

Not knowing all the facts, if the options related to Mr. Melo's academic issue were in accordance to those of any student at Syracuse University, I would indeed convene that meeting. Different schools have different bylaws. In my opinion, while student athletes face numerous additional responsibilities than perhaps the typical enrollee, they are not above being a student first.

Would you have agreed to petition the professor to allow for a grade change one year following the completion of the class, even if it were permitted under University academic rules?

I would need to consult the student handbook and speak to the provost on what rules and bylaws are in place for any and all students at Syracuse University.

Would you retain Herman Frazier and Renee Baumgartner?

Understanding the demands of the position as related to by the Chancellor, the Board of Directors and the trustees, my job is to get a thorough understanding of the landscape, the health and the current operations. I do not see my job as one of "cleaning house" but rather, maintain and promote the excellence of Syracuse University's reputation, brand and experience to alumni, current students and future ones.

Part of that process would be to get to know each and every person. Mr. Frazier and Ms. Baumgartner made career and personal decisions to commit to Syracuse University and we owe them the respect of their accomplishments to assess them thoroughly. I make no guarantees on anything I have not thoroughly assessed with my own eyes and ears.

However, Mr. OrangePA, if the question is to insinuate that they should or should not be retained, I would greatly respect the biases of the current administration as I factor in whether or not I may be the right fit for you an this great school.

Would you retain Sue Edson?

See answer above.

What changes, if any, would you make to the Carrier Dome?

The Dome is a unique facility. It is, quite literally, historic in it being the first branded stadium deal and it is rare that a college facility become so synonymous with the college programs that take place in it.

To properly respond to that, I would need to see the operating costs, budgeting, revenue generated and the overall P&L to identify the opportunities and areas to consider further. At (SCHOOL X), I lead the (fundraise/building of, etc. of relatable experience.)

I also need to consult with the Chancellor to properly understand the vision for the University and long-term opportunities that may lie to best determine any changes.

What the Athletic Department's most pressing infrastructure needs at this point?

I do not know the answer to that.

What I can say is that, historically, the University has an excellent reputation. As a private institution, there are numerous advantages and disadvantages that coincide, so any pressing infrastructure change must be assessed versus the needs of the overall University.

But I would offer this. The most pressing need for the department is leadership. Our "friends" in Indianapolis ushered sizable sanctions across multiple programs. The Hall of Fame men's basketball coach was singled out and pointed to. And based on what I read in those 90+ pages, while there was some thing that made me wince - and are things that absolutely are wrong - the allegations that Syracuse University men's basketball program was out of control are simply false.

And yet the media does not study the true facts. The media reports, perhaps sensationalizes, the punishments. Very few people read for the truth, and if they did, perhaps they would find more questions than answers. As I see it, the most pressing issue has nothing to do with infrastructure, but of leadership and the restoration of confidence and pride that Athletics at Syracuse University
Would you retain the present Athletic Department Compliance Director?

Would you return the name "Orangemen" to the men's teams and "Orangewomen" to the women's teams?

**k yes.

Would you continue with the Oregon-like uniform approach in football?

We are Syracuse University. We need to be and act like Syracuse University, so I don't care what Oregon does. We need to commit to a uniform approach to how we go about outfitting our teams on the field. And while I am old school person at heart, we also live in a world where the Cleveland Browns - the Browns! - perhaps the most traditional member of the most conservative organization on earth came out with nine uniform combinations.

No one should be a chameleon, so doing what everyone else is doing is foolish. But so is doing what you've always done before without being open to change.

What must Scott Shafer do in 2015 to retain his job? What kind of extension would you give him?

Look, we all know 3-9 is not going to cut it on an annualized basis.

But I need to meet Scott Shafer the man. Get a sense of his beliefs, his passions, his approach. His plan to get Syracuse University Football as high in the rankings as they are in the graduation rate, which has been excellent.

We all know of the economic impact football has at for any P5 school. What we have to look at is, do we have the proper support in place to help Scott succeed? Does he have all the nutrients needed for a strong program to grow? It seems that while there have been recent progress to help grow football - ACC, indoor facility - we are in the lower threshold in many economic areas to support the program OTHER than absorbing the cost of a valued scholarship for 85 young men to receive a wonderful, private education at Syracuse.

As such, I am not comfortable saying Scott needs X amount of wins in 2015. I want to understand the program, the man, talk to alumni and see what great things can be accomplished on and off the field this season.

Will you honor Mike Hopkins' contract to be the next HC?

If I am the Athletic Director at any school, I would need the ability to make the decision on the coaches.

What sport would you eliminate and what sport would you add?

I don't think the discussion on what to eliminate and what to add is the way I look at Athletics. I believe in looking at the totality of the department, it's relationship and role to the Syracuse University community, understand the financial realities across the board...and then eventually perhaps get to a sport-by-sport, by gender, assessment. Do that now without doing the prior is, to me, jumping the gun.

To what extent should our athletes receive stipends or additional monetary benefits - should we match say, Ohio State dollar for dollar?

I am old school. I believe the ability to get an incredible education at a great school for free along with the academic offerings like tutoring and the opportunity to play sports at the highest level is worth a lot.

That said, I walked into Manny's earlier and saw various student-athlete jerseys for sale. Who does that benefit? Does the student-athlete benefit from a 9pm EST Monday night game on the road at Georgia Tech?

I know most of the P5 athletic directors and we all look around and say "Where does it end? How is the cost at a Tennessee 4.5x more than a Syracuse or a Boston College?" So while the reality is I would not pay student-athletes, the issue is indeed bigger than Syracuse University and we need to stay admit the conversation with the peers. Being old school in spirit, but progressive to not lose ground on the reality is one of the most challenging issues any athletic director faces.

Well done MAD.

Very insightful.

 

[OrangePA]

Bigger point is if SU actually takes the time to ask a potential AD in a formal interview about "uniforms"...then every quality candidate will look at this search committee like they are nuts and go running from this job. And SU will be stuck scraping the bottom of the barrel for an AD.

For the love of god the "uniforms" are not a pressing issue for SU Athletics these days. They just got new ones for crying out loud, case is closed.

I have to say Stern, I'm a bit disappointed in you.

You're one who has loudly railed against the athletic department for its poor interactions with fans - at least with respect to football tickets.

Heck you even gave up your tickets because you didn't like the way you were treated by the department.

So, I would think that you would want answers to a number of questions from a prospective AD. And I would think that you would have a number of opinions as to how the department could be improved.

And yet, instead of addressing those kinds of issues, you take on a couple of questions that I threw out as possible questions that might be asked?

Very disappointing.

 

[orangenirvana]

Question:Would you have convened the meeting that Dr. Gross convened regarding Fab Melo?

Answer: Hell yes. A good athletic director should feel that one of his/her responsibilities is to provide each athlete with as many opportunities as he/she can within the rules in order to retain eligibility. Gross' idea to convene a meeting was exactly what he should have done.

Question: Would you have agreed to petition the professor to allow for a grade change one year following the completion of the class, even if it were permitted under University academic rules?

Answer: Of course I would.

Question: Would you retain Herman Frazier and Renee Baumgartner?

Answer: I don't know.

Question: Would you retain Sue Edson?

Answer: *shrug*

Question: What changes, if any, would you make to the Carrier Dome?

Answer: Complete overhaul and renovation to make it appropriate for the current day. The Dome currently has a growing reputation of being outdated and "dumpy." That needs to change.

From a public/fan standpoint, a retractable roof isn't necessary but wider and more attractive concession areas are a must. Adding restaurants, sports bars, arcade/play areas would be cool. Replace the benches in the stands with individual (orange) seats with backs. This will obviously reduce the seat count but going from 50,000 to 40-42,000 would be fine.

From a student-athlete standpoint, evaluating the locker rooms and playing field and investing in necessary improvements should be an annual occurrence.

Question: What the Athletic Department's most pressing infrastructure needs at this point?

Answer: Haven't done enough research to thoroughly answer this question but improving the overall level of organization and communication within the department must be stressed. And renovating the Dome has to be near the top. Striving to find creative ways to reach out to current and prospective boosters for donations is of the utmost importance.

Question: Would you retain the present Athletic Department Compliance Director?

Answer: Dunno

Question: Would you return the name "Orangemen" to the men's teams and "Orangewomen" to the women's teams?

Answer: Yes to the former, uncertain about the latter.

I'm a huge proponent of the Orangemen nickname returning. But I'm not sure it's necessary to separate the men's and women's team nicknames. 'Man' refers to all of humanity. For example in today's world a growing number of women in sales are referred to as salesmen. Women in Hollywood used to be called actresses, but now refer to themselves as actors just like men. Why the need for differentiation?

Would the women student athletes be opposed to having the nickname 'Orangemen?' If so then I would be fine with returning to Orangewomen if that's really necessary. Or maybe the women's teams to be referred to as the Orange, the men's teams Orangemen.

Question: Would you continue with the Oregon-like uniform approach in football?

Answer: To be honest, I don't have a problem with it. I just want to stress the color ORANGE in our teams' uniforms. If there are 12 different uniforms for 12 games, so be it. The kids seem to like it, it's exciting for them and generates discussion. I just want more orange and much less blue.

Question: What must Scott Shafer do in 2015 to retain his job? What kind of extension would you give him?

Answer: We must see improvement from the offense and a much more competitive team overall. Don't really want to put a number on it, although five or six wins would be indicative of progress. More than that would warrant a humble extension.

Question: Will you honor Mike Hopkins' contract to be the next HC?

Answer: Without a doubt. Until then I'll do anything it takes to prevent him from leaving.

Question: What sport would you eliminate and what sport would you add?

Answer: I wouldn't be afraid of dropping any number of sports that are a drag on the athletic department and university from a financial perspective.

Question: To what extent should our athletes receive stipends or additional monetary benefits - should we match say, Ohio State dollar for dollar?

Answer: I believe strongly that student athletes should not only be able to hold jobs during their collegiate careers, benefit from their likeness and return to school after being drafted but also receive financial benefits from the schools directly if the sport they participate in generates an amount that warrants it. The world has changed and we've reached a point with a certain number of sports where the athletes are employees of the universities they represent and they should be treated as such.

We can't match a university like Ohio State "dollar for dollar" when it comes to football, that wouldn't be possible.

 

[Alsacs]

Question:Would you have convened the meeting that Dr. Gross convened regarding Fab Melo?

Answer: Hell yes. A good athletic director should feel that one of his/her responsibilities is to provide each athlete with as many opportunities as he/she can within the rules in order to retain eligibility. Gross' idea to convene a meeting was exactly what he should have done.

Question: Would you have agreed to petition the professor to allow for a grade change one year following the completion of the class, even if it were permitted under University academic rules?

Answer: Of course I would.

Question: Would you retain Herman Frazier and Renee Baumgartner?

Answer: I don't know.

Question: Would you retain Sue Edson?

Answer: *shrug*

Question: What changes, if any, would you make to the Carrier Dome?

Answer: Complete overhaul and renovation to make it appropriate for the current day. The Dome currently has a growing reputation of being outdated and "dumpy." That needs to change.

From a public/fan standpoint, a retractable roof isn't necessary but wider and more attractive concession areas are a must. Adding restaurants, sports bars, arcade/play areas would be cool. Replace the benches in the stands with individual (orange) seats with backs. This will obviously reduce the seat count but going from 50,000 to 40-42,000 would be fine.

From a student-athlete standpoint, evaluating the locker rooms and playing field and investing in necessary improvements should be an annual occurrence.

Question: What the Athletic Department's most pressing infrastructure needs at this point?

Answer: Haven't done enough research to thoroughly answer this question but improving the overall level of organization and communication within the department must be stressed. And renovating the Dome has to be near the top. Striving to find creative ways to reach out to current and prospective boosters for donations is of the utmost importance.

Question: Would you retain the present Athletic Department Compliance Director?

Answer: Dunno

Question: Would you return the name "Orangemen" to the men's teams and "Orangewomen" to the women's teams?

Answer: Yes to the former, uncertain about the latter.

I'm a huge proponent of the Orangemen nickname returning. But I'm not sure it's necessary to separate the men's and women's team nicknames. 'Man' refers to all of humanity. For example in today's world a growing number of women in sales are referred to as salesmen. Women in Hollywood used to be called actresses, but now refer to themselves as actors just like men. Why the need for differentiation?

Would the women student athletes be opposed to having the nickname 'Orangemen?' If so then I would be fine with returning to Orangewomen if that's really necessary. Or maybe the women's teams to be referred to as the Orange, the men's teams Orangemen.

Question: Would you continue with the Oregon-like uniform approach in football?

Answer: To be honest, I don't have a problem with it. I just want to stress the color ORANGE in our teams' uniforms. If there are 12 different uniforms for 12 games, so be it. The kids seem to like it, it's exciting for them and generates discussion. I just want more orange and much less blue.

Question: What must Scott Shafer do in 2015 to retain his job? What kind of extension would you give him?

Answer: We must see improvement from the offense and a much more competitive team overall. Don't really want to put a number on it, although five or six wins would be indicative of progress. More than that would warrant a humble extension.

Question: Will you honor Mike Hopkins' contract to be the next HC?

Answer: Without a doubt. Until then I'll do anything it takes to prevent him from leaving.

Question: What sport would you eliminate and what sport would you add?

Answer: I wouldn't be afraid of dropping any number of sports that are a drag on the athletic department and university from a financial perspective.

Question: To what extent should our athletes receive stipends or additional monetary benefits - should we match say, Ohio State dollar for dollar?

Answer: I believe strongly that student athletes should not only be able to hold jobs during their collegiate careers, benefit from their likeness and return to school after being drafted but also receive financial benefits from the schools directly if the sport they participate in generates an amount that warrants it. The world has changed and we've reached a point with a certain number of sports where the athletes are employees of the universities they represent and they should be treated as such.

We can't match a university like Ohio State "dollar for dollar" when it comes to football, that wouldn't be possible.

Good answers you should be a candidate.

 

[orangenirvana]

Good answers you should be a candidate.

I would weep (with sadness) and pray for all of our poor SU fan souls if that were ever the case.

 

[Millhouse]

I guess you must conduct a number of hiring interviews.

What questions do you believe a prospective AD in this situation would be asked by the search committee?

Please give us a list of questions and please provide the answers that you would give or that you would like to see given to those questions.

if i were the interviewer, i would ask much more open ended questions. someone can answer yes no to lots of questions but you don't know how important that question is to them. i'd ask the candidate what the major challenges they expect to encounter in the role and how their experience will help them. find out if they know what SU's facing without leading them into it. ask them how they think college athletics will change in the future and how they've dealt with uncertainty in the past. if i had to get to the point where i had to ask them such specific questions about this or that person or uniform, i probably wouldn't hire the person anyway.

if i were being interviewed like this, I would probably take over the interview and just start answering the open ended questions I should've asked.

 

[OrangePA]

if i were the interviewer, i would ask much more open ended questions. someone can answer yes no to lots of questions but you don't know how important that question is to them. i'd ask the candidate what the major challenges they expect to encounter in the role and how their experience will help them. find out if they know what SU's facing without leading them into it. ask them how they think college athletics will change in the future and how they've dealt with uncertainty in the past. if i had to get to the point where i had to ask them such specific questions about this or that person or uniform, i probably wouldn't hire the person anyway.

if i were being interviewed like this, I would probably take over the interview and just start answering the open ended questions I should've asked.

Actually I have interviewed candidates for a number of years.

There are various techniques that can be used during the interview.

Some questions will be open-ended.

Some will be in the form of hypotheticals.

Some will be strictly informational or biographical.

And some will be yes/no questions that will address specific issues.

The issues that the next AD will have to address will involve academic oversight, compliance, athletic marketing, which does include the uniform issue - an issue that every major college program has been addressing over the past few years, coaching, fund raising, television, PR, including alumni relations and community relations, and general marketing of the department.

The next AD will have to decide whether he or she wishes to bring in his/her own administrative staff. As Chancellor or as a member of the Board of Trustees I may want the present staff to remain intact. So, I would need to address the candidate's views on that subject in determining whether there is a fit.

So, yes, general questions like "where do you see yourself in five years?" or "what do you see as our culture?" or "what major challenges do you see on the horizon?" are nice, but normally not particularly insightful or helpful. Those kinds of questions normally prompt BS answers.

Anyway, thanks for playing Millhouse.

 

[TheCusian]

Actually I have interviewed candidates for a number of years.

There are various techniques that can be used during the interview.

Some questions will be open-ended.

Some will be in the form of hypotheticals.

Some will be strictly informational or biographical.

And some will be yes/no questions that will address specific issues.

The issues that the next AD will have to address will involve academic oversight, compliance, athletic marketing, which does include the uniform issue - an issue that every major college program has been addressing over the past few years, coaching, fund raising, television, PR, including alumni relations and community relations, and general marketing of the department.

The next AD will have to decide whether he or she wishes to bring in his/her own administrative staff. As Chancellor or as a member of the Board of Trustees I may want the present staff to remain intact. So, I would need to address the candidate's views on that subject in determining whether there is a fit.

So, yes, general questions like "where do you see yourself in five years?" or "what do you see as our culture?" or "what major challenges do you see on the horizon?" are nice, but normally not particularly insightful or helpful. Those kinds of questions normally prompt BS answers.

Anyway, thanks for playing Millhouse.

No - he's right. Your questions are too specific and are questions the common fan wants answers to. They will be broader and allow the candidate to get there on their own. If they do their homework they will know what's important to the BoT, Chancellor, Syracuse athletes, and us.

 

[SU2NASA]

It's not close to the same.

Does my neighbor care about what I wear to work? If the answer is no, perfect. If the answer is yes, it still doesn't change anything because it's whether or not I like what I'm wearing. All he does is see me leave my driveway every day.

First off, your neighbor can think you dress like an idiot. More appropriately, your coworkers, employees, boss, and customer can all think you dress terribly and unprofessionally.

You can wear it all you want, but people will still judge you.

And I judge that our football team looks like a clown show.

 

[PhatOrange]

I will play.

Would you have convened the meeting that Dr. Gross convened regarding Fab Melo?

Not knowing all the facts, if the options related to Mr. Melo's academic issue were in accordance to those of any student at Syracuse University, I would indeed convene that meeting. Different schools have different bylaws. In my opinion, while student athletes face numerous additional responsibilities than perhaps the typical enrollee, they are not above being a student first.

Would you have agreed to petition the professor to allow for a grade change one year following the completion of the class, even if it were permitted under University academic rules?

I would need to consult the student handbook and speak to the provost on what rules and bylaws are in place for any and all students at Syracuse University.

Would you retain Herman Frazier and Renee Baumgartner?

Understanding the demands of the position as related to by the Chancellor, the Board of Directors and the trustees, my job is to get a thorough understanding of the landscape, the health and the current operations. I do not see my job as one of "cleaning house" but rather, maintain and promote the excellence of Syracuse University's reputation, brand and experience to alumni, current students and future ones.

Part of that process would be to get to know each and every person. Mr. Frazier and Ms. Baumgartner made career and personal decisions to commit to Syracuse University and we owe them the respect of their accomplishments to assess them thoroughly. I make no guarantees on anything I have not thoroughly assessed with my own eyes and ears.

However, Mr. OrangePA, if the question is to insinuate that they should or should not be retained, I would greatly respect the biases of the current administration as I factor in whether or not I may be the right fit for you an this great school.

Would you retain Sue Edson?

See answer above.

What changes, if any, would you make to the Carrier Dome?

The Dome is a unique facility. It is, quite literally, historic in it being the first branded stadium deal and it is rare that a college facility become so synonymous with the college programs that take place in it.

To properly respond to that, I would need to see the operating costs, budgeting, revenue generated and the overall P&L to identify the opportunities and areas to consider further. At (SCHOOL X), I lead the (fundraise/building of, etc. of relatable experience.)

I also need to consult with the Chancellor to properly understand the vision for the University and long-term opportunities that may lie to best determine any changes.

What the Athletic Department's most pressing infrastructure needs at this point?

I do not know the answer to that.

What I can say is that, historically, the University has an excellent reputation. As a private institution, there are numerous advantages and disadvantages that coincide, so any pressing infrastructure change must be assessed versus the needs of the overall University.

But I would offer this. The most pressing need for the department is leadership. Our "friends" in Indianapolis ushered sizable sanctions across multiple programs. The Hall of Fame men's basketball coach was singled out and pointed to. And based on what I read in those 90+ pages, while there was some thing that made me wince - and are things that absolutely are wrong - the allegations that Syracuse University men's basketball program was out of control are simply false.

And yet the media does not study the true facts. The media reports, perhaps sensationalizes, the punishments. Very few people read for the truth, and if they did, perhaps they would find more questions than answers. As I see it, the most pressing issue has nothing to do with infrastructure, but of leadership and the restoration of confidence and pride that Athletics at Syracuse University
Would you retain the present Athletic Department Compliance Director?

Would you return the name "Orangemen" to the men's teams and "Orangewomen" to the women's teams?

**k yes.

Would you continue with the Oregon-like uniform approach in football?

We are Syracuse University. We need to be and act like Syracuse University, so I don't care what Oregon does. We need to commit to a uniform approach to how we go about outfitting our teams on the field. And while I am old school person at heart, we also live in a world where the Cleveland Browns - the Browns! - perhaps the most traditional member of the most conservative organization on earth came out with nine uniform combinations.

No one should be a chameleon, so doing what everyone else is doing is foolish. But so is doing what you've always done before without being open to change.

What must Scott Shafer do in 2015 to retain his job? What kind of extension would you give him?

Look, we all know 3-9 is not going to cut it on an annualized basis.

But I need to meet Scott Shafer the man. Get a sense of his beliefs, his passions, his approach. His plan to get Syracuse University Football as high in the rankings as they are in the graduation rate, which has been excellent.

We all know of the economic impact football has at for any P5 school. What we have to look at is, do we have the proper support in place to help Scott succeed? Does he have all the nutrients needed for a strong program to grow? It seems that while there have been recent progress to help grow football - ACC, indoor facility - we are in the lower threshold in many economic areas to support the program OTHER than absorbing the cost of a valued scholarship for 85 young men to receive a wonderful, private education at Syracuse.

As such, I am not comfortable saying Scott needs X amount of wins in 2015. I want to understand the program, the man, talk to alumni and see what great things can be accomplished on and off the field this season.

Will you honor Mike Hopkins' contract to be the next HC?

If I am the Athletic Director at any school, I would need the ability to make the decision on the coaches.

What sport would you eliminate and what sport would you add?

I don't think the discussion on what to eliminate and what to add is the way I look at Athletics. I believe in looking at the totality of the department, it's relationship and role to the Syracuse University community, understand the financial realities across the board...and then eventually perhaps get to a sport-by-sport, by gender, assessment. Do that now without doing the prior is, to me, jumping the gun.

To what extent should our athletes receive stipends or additional monetary benefits - should we match say, Ohio State dollar for dollar?

I am old school. I believe the ability to get an incredible education at a great school for free along with the academic offerings like tutoring and the opportunity to play sports at the highest level is worth a lot.

That said, I walked into Manny's earlier and saw various student-athlete jerseys for sale. Who does that benefit? Does the student-athlete benefit from a 9pm EST Monday night game on the road at Georgia Tech?

I know most of the P5 athletic directors and we all look around and say "Where does it end? How is the cost at a Tennessee 4.5x more than a Syracuse or a Boston College?" So while the reality is I would not pay student-athletes, the issue is indeed bigger than Syracuse University and we need to stay admit the conversation with the peers. Being old school in spirit, but progressive to not lose ground on the reality is one of the most challenging issues any athletic director faces.

Congratulations Mad, you're the new Syracuse AD.

 

[Stern]

No - he's right. Your questions are too specific and are questions the common fan wants answers to. They will be broader and allow the candidate to get there on their own. If they do their homework they will know what's important to the BoT, Chancellor, Syracuse athletes, and us.

Thank you! Someone gets it!!

 

[MadNY3]

Congratulations Mad, you're the new Syracuse AD.

This board would hate me in seconds. All games would be moved to the Meadowlands.

 

[Stern]

if i had to get to the point where i had to ask them such specific questions about this or that person or uniform, i probably wouldn't hire the person anyway.

Exactly!!

 

[SUFan44]

Actually I have interviewed candidates for a number of years.

There are various techniques that can be used during the interview.

Some questions will be open-ended.

Some will be in the form of hypotheticals.

Some will be strictly informational or biographical.

And some will be yes/no questions that will address specific issues.

The issues that the next AD will have to address will involve academic oversight, compliance, athletic marketing, which does include the uniform issue - an issue that every major college program has been addressing over the past few years, coaching, fund raising, television, PR, including alumni relations and community relations, and general marketing of the department.

The next AD will have to decide whether he or she wishes to bring in his/her own administrative staff. As Chancellor or as a member of the Board of Trustees I may want the present staff to remain intact. So, I would need to address the candidate's views on that subject in determining whether there is a fit.

So, yes, general questions like "where do you see yourself in five years?" or "what do you see as our culture?" or "what major challenges do you see on the horizon?" are nice, but normally not particularly insightful or helpful. Those kinds of questions normally prompt BS answers.

Anyway, thanks for playing Millhouse.

And some questions will be one-sentence paragraphs that make posts much longer than they need to be.

Thank you for playing.

 

[Millhouse]

Actually I have interviewed candidates for a number of years.

There are various techniques that can be used during the interview.

Some questions will be open-ended.

Some will be in the form of hypotheticals.

Some will be strictly informational or biographical.

And some will be yes/no questions that will address specific issues.

The issues that the next AD will have to address will involve academic oversight, compliance, athletic marketing, which does include the uniform issue - an issue that every major college program has been addressing over the past few years, coaching, fund raising, television, PR, including alumni relations and community relations, and general marketing of the department.

The next AD will have to decide whether he or she wishes to bring in his/her own administrative staff. As Chancellor or as a member of the Board of Trustees I may want the present staff to remain intact. So, I would need to address the candidate's views on that subject in determining whether there is a fit.

So, yes, general questions like "where do you see yourself in five years?" or "what do you see as our culture?" or "what major challenges do you see on the horizon?" are nice, but normally not particularly insightful or helpful. Those kinds of questions normally prompt BS answers.

Anyway, thanks for playing Millhouse.

i think where do you see yourself in 5 years or what are your weaknesses are BS

finding out of the person has actually researched the job without asking leading questions are not BS.

 

[OrangePA]

i think where do you see yourself in 5 years or what are your weaknesses are BS

finding out of the person has actually researched the job without asking leading questions are not BS.

This is getting silly.

The point of the OP was to elicit from posters what position on various issues they would like the new AD to take.

It was not a referendum on proper interview technique.

Wow.

But, I guess that's what you would like to discuss.

So, here goes.

Asking a question that calls for a yes or no response - part of any proper interview - is not a "leading question."

"Do you favor pursuing a new BB Arena?" Is not "leading"

Once the yes or no answer is given the candidate is generally afforded the opportunity to expand on his answer - obviously.

I have no doubt that the candidate is from the outset given a chance to make a presentation outlining his or her vision for the department - his assessment of the department and so forth.

A good interview is free flowing with full interaction with ideas and thoughts moving back and forth.

It is also a social exercise designed to begin the establishment of a business relationship.

 

[Millhouse]

This is getting silly.

The point of the OP was to elicit from posters what position on various issues they would like the new AD to take.

It was not a referendum on proper interview technique.

Wow.

But, I guess that's what you would like to discuss.

So, here goes.

Asking a question that calls for a yes or no response - part of any proper interview - is not a "leading question."

"Do you favor pursuing a new BB Arena?" Is not "leading"

Once the yes or no answer is given the candidate is generally afforded the opportunity to expand on his answer - obviously.

I have no doubt that the candidate is from the outset given a chance to make a presentation outlining his or her vision for the department - his assessment of the department and so forth.

A good interview is free flowing with full interaction with ideas and thoughts moving back and forth.

It is also a social exercise designed to begin the establishment of a business relationship.

i'd love to know what they're looking for from the AD. is it someone to fix football? someone to clean up gross's financial and organizational mess? someone to babysit the basketball program?

hopefully the AD is asked about whatever that cup is called that gross cared about - the one gets judged on sports that nobody cares about.

 

[Scooch]

This is getting silly. The point of the OP was to elicit from posters what position on various issues they would like the new AD to take. It was not a referendum on proper interview technique.

Not for nothing, but then you probably should have constructed your original post entirely differently, as my initial thought (like others) is that those were questions you expected to be asked of the AD candidates. And IMHO only 3 or 4 of your questions would elicit useful responses from a candidate.

I've done a lot of interviewing and hiring. Asking potential managers about whether they'd retain staff they've never met, or how they'd have handled a controversial situation that they have no direct knowledge of, would be poor form.

 

[OrangePA]

Not for nothing, but then you probably should have constructed your original post entirely differently, as my initial thought (like others) is that those were questions you expected to be asked of the AD candidates. And IMHO only 3 or 4 of your questions would elicit useful responses from a candidate.

I've done a lot of interviewing and hiring. Asking potential managers about whether they'd retain staff they've never met, or how they'd have handled a controversial situation that they have no direct knowledge of, would be poor form.

Yes, you clearly misunderstood.

 

[OrangePA]

And some questions will be one-sentence paragraphs that make posts much longer than they need to be.

Thank you for playing.

I have to say it.

You're right.

I tried to spur some discussion.

But it didn't work.

The entire thread turned out to be much longer than it needed to be - it was a pointless exercise.

Sorry.

 

[OrangePA]

i'd love to know what they're looking for from the AD. is it someone to fix football? someone to clean up gross's financial and organizational mess? someone to babysit the basketball program?

hopefully the AD is asked about whatever that cup is called that gross cared about - the one gets judged on sports that nobody cares about.

You mean like "should SU Athletics actively pursue the Cup?"

Or would that be an improper leading question?

 

[Millhouse]

You mean like "should SU Athletics actively pursue the Cup?"

Or would that be an improper leading question?

sorry, what sports would you add and eliminate is a leading question.

 

[OrangePA]

sorry, what sports would you add and eliminate is a leading question.

Well actually asking what sport you would add or eliminate is not a leading question.

Why?

Because it is a hypothetical question that does not suggest an answer.

I know you're brilliant, but apparently are not a trial lawyer.

Stick with the punting on fourth down stuff.