bernard
THEE Realist
Jackson State president William Bynum said Thursday he plans to wait at least another two months before naming a replacement for former athletic director Wheeler Brown, but that even when he does, he still intends to be "hands on" with the program.
Bynum removed Brown from his post in December — a decision that was affirmed by the IHL board in February, but Brown has declined his reassignment and is currently going through the school’s internal appeals process.
“Until all that is cleared … and people have made decisions relative to his contract, I’m not going to move,” Bynum said. “I’ll continue to be the acting AD along with my administrative team. My hands are tied until that process runs its course.”
Bynum, who sat down Thursday for an interview with the Clarion Ledger in his 10th month on the job, said he hopes the appeals process will allow him to have a new AD in place by June 1.
In the meantime, Bynum, his special assistant Debra Mays-Jackson and chief diversity officer Thomas Hudson will continue to run the department, with associate athletic director Genese Lavalais serving as a liaison between the president and the coaches.
It’s not a new role for Bynum, who has 28 years of experience working in higher education and said he's run other athletic departments in various roles for the past 18.
“I’m extremely hands-on with athletics,” he said. “Most people don’t realize it, but for the last 18 years, athletics has reported directly to me. For nine years as vice president at Lincoln, four years vice president at Morehouse and four years president at Valley, the athletic department reported directly to me. I know a good AD candidate when I see one, and I know exactly what it takes to run an athletics department.”
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Bynum removed Brown from his post in December — a decision that was affirmed by the IHL board in February, but Brown has declined his reassignment and is currently going through the school’s internal appeals process.
“Until all that is cleared … and people have made decisions relative to his contract, I’m not going to move,” Bynum said. “I’ll continue to be the acting AD along with my administrative team. My hands are tied until that process runs its course.”
Bynum, who sat down Thursday for an interview with the Clarion Ledger in his 10th month on the job, said he hopes the appeals process will allow him to have a new AD in place by June 1.
In the meantime, Bynum, his special assistant Debra Mays-Jackson and chief diversity officer Thomas Hudson will continue to run the department, with associate athletic director Genese Lavalais serving as a liaison between the president and the coaches.
It’s not a new role for Bynum, who has 28 years of experience working in higher education and said he's run other athletic departments in various roles for the past 18.
“I’m extremely hands-on with athletics,” he said. “Most people don’t realize it, but for the last 18 years, athletics has reported directly to me. For nine years as vice president at Lincoln, four years vice president at Morehouse and four years president at Valley, the athletic department reported directly to me. I know a good AD candidate when I see one, and I know exactly what it takes to run an athletics department.”
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