Director of Athletics - one sheet - 23.pdf

Founded in 1862 on the banks of the Missouri River in Vermillion, South Dakota, the University of South Dakota is the state’s flagship institution and its designated liberal arts university. USD is home to the state’s only medical and law schools as well as the state’s first and longest-standing College of Fine Arts. It also houses the Beacom School of Business, School of Education, College of Arts & Sciences, School of Health Sciences and the state’s largest Graduate School.

In 2022, the university also launched USD – Sioux Falls, a campus located 60 miles away in South Dakota’s largest city. This campus offers associate to doctoral degrees in academic areas such as business, education and health sciences. For more than 150 years, USD has produced the state’s leaders, thinkers, politicians, judges, medical professionals, entrepreneurs and more.

USD is a NCAA Division I university (FCS Football) and is a member of the Summit League and Missouri Valley Football Conferences. USD participates in 18 men’s and women’s sports and currently has approximately 430 student-athletes.

USD is home to numerous Summit League title-winning teams, and many of USD’s athletes have competed across state, national and global stages. Recent successes include a historic NCAA Sweet 16 appearance by the women’s basketball team, an Olympic silver medal, and national recognition for “Play of the Year” by Sports Illustrated.

USD’s athletic facilities are some of the most impressive spaces in the region, offering a true Division I atmosphere. Over the past 10 years, a number of athletic facilities priorities have been advanced, including the construction of the $73 million Sanford Coyote Sports Center, the $26.3 million DakotaDome renovation, the $31.25 million expansion to the USD Wellness Center, the Lillibridge Track Complex and Gottsleben Field, and the First Bank & Trust Soccer Field, among others. Over the past decade, attendance at athletic events has increased significantly, with ticket sales growing by more than 510%.

USD’s athletic programs have also maintained a strong history of academic success, with each team maintaining a cumulative GPA of

3.0 or higher in 2022. USD has had 58 Academic All-Americans in its program history, with 34 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships.

With an enrollment just shy of 10,000 students and employing more than 430 faculty members, USD has a strong commitment to student outcomes and success. A student-faculty ratio of 15:1 gives students valuable one-on-one time with high quality faculty, and with over 200 student organizations and clubs, there are plenty of opportunities for students to build their non-academic transcripts through leadership and service.

USD boasts over 200 undergraduate programs and 84 graduate programs. The university is also designated as a “Doctoral University, Higher Research Activity,” by the Carnegie Classification, awarding graduate degrees through 20 Ph.D. and 37 master’s programs, along with professional degrees in medicine and law.

The 274-acre main campus in Vermillion – home to state-of-the-art facilities and a vibrant arts scene – has undergone $300 million in upgrades over the last decade and has been named one of the most beautiful campuses in the nation.

The university aligns its programs, research and infrastructure with its mission to contribute to the state’s economic future and enhance citizen participation and public service. As the largest employer in Vermillion, USD plays a critical role as an economic driver in the state, contributing an estimated $786 million in annual economic impact to South Dakota from a state investment of $56.6 million.

USD belongs to a system of six universities governed by a nine-member Board of Regents. Member institutions are expected to collaborate, share resources, increase efficiency and cost savings, limit program redundancy among universities and make it easier for students to access programs and transfer easily throughout the system.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA:

AN OVERVIEW

MISSION: The University of South Dakota offers undergraduate, graduate and professional programs within the South Dakota System of Higher Education. As the oldest university in the state, the University of South Dakota serves as the flagship and the only public liberal arts university in the state.

200+

UNDERGRADUATE

PROGRAMS

430+

STUDENT

ATHLETES

430+

FACULTY

MEMBERS

15:1

STUDENT-FACULTY

RATIO

GRADUATE

PROGRAMS

~10,000

ENROLLED

STUDENTS

SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

SUBMISSION PROCESS

SEARCH

The position of Director of Athletics reports to the President of USD and is a member of the university’s executive committee. The previous Director of Athletics, David Herbster, resigned from the position August 14, 2023. Corey Jenkins, Senior Associate AD for Facilities & Operations, is serving as the Interim Director of Athletics.

MRJ Advisors LLC is a consulting firm specializing in higher education and intercollegiate athletics led by Mike Alden. MRJ has worked with USD since April 4, 2023, and is a Special Advisor to President Sheila K. Gestring. A full review of the department has been conducted by MRJ; MRJ provides regular support to the President, Interim AD and department on program operations. MRJ will serve in an advisory role to President Gestring, the search advisory committee and the search firm.

All proposals must be completed and received in the USD Purchasing Office by October 13, 2023.

Please send responses via email to Chris Phillips at Chris.Phillips@usd.edu.

USD plans to select a search firm by October 20, 2023. The successful firm selected must be prepared to conduct a nationwide search and demonstrate successful search/placements at comparable NCAA Division I athletic programs. USD has not yet determined the start date for the search or the requested conclusion of the process.

Those dates will be a start date between October 15 through January 15 with the process desirable of 4-6 weeks from the launch. The successful firm must be able to demonstrate responsiveness within this general outline.

Contract Negotiation: October 20, 2023