DMN blurb Hank Dickenson takes name out of AD

[OldTimer]

UNT's Dickenson takes name out of AD search

11:18 PM CDT on Friday, June 30, 2006

DENTON – North Texas senior associate athletic director Hank Dickenson withdrew his name from consideration for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi's opening for an athletic director Friday.

Dickenson, who is entering his 12th year at UNT, was the first of four candidates to interview for the position at TAMUCC in June.

Brett Vito

[drex]

Very interesting. More than meets the eye?

[MeanGreen61]

Isles' short list for AD gets shorter

North Texas' Dickenson no longer pursuing job

By Lee Goddard Caller-Times

July 1, 2006

The list for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi's new athletic director just got trimmed as candidate Hank Dickenson withdrew from contention Friday morning.

Dickenson cited a few reasons in deciding to remain as a senior associate athletic director at North Texas, including support from his colleagues in Denton and the time it has taken for A&M-Corpus Christi to make a final decision.

"I think it was a culmination of factors," Dickenson said. "The bottom line is I've been here a long time, and there have been a lot of people lobbying to keep me here. I'm in a good situation here with great people."

That leaves Baylor associate athletic director Bill Chaves, Troy (Ala.) senior associate athletic director Scott Farmer and Cincinnati associate athletic director Brian Teter as the remaining candidates to have interviewed.

Dickenson said he informed search committee chair Ann DeGaish on Friday morning of his decision to withdraw. He had nothing but praise for DeGaish and the search committee.

But Dickenson expressed some frustration with something the search committee does not control - the time it has taken to make a decision.

Dickenson was the first candidate to interview, starting the process June 5. Farmer was the final candidate brought to town, leaving June 20.

The position has been vacant since Dan Viola abruptly stepped down in late February. The announcement of four finalists occurred May 26.

"They're taking a long time in this process, and I can appreciate taking the time to make a good decision," Dickenson said. "The timelines continued to get pushed back. At some point, with football season coming up, I knew I had to make a decision at a cut-off point.

"Last night I did some soul-searching with my wife, and came to the decision."

President Flavius Killebrew, who essentially has the final decision in the hiring, said he was a bit surprised that a candidate withdrew, but it wasn't completely unexpected. Saying he did not yet know Dickenson's reasons for pulling out, Killebrew cited the timeline as a difficulty some candidates might have.

"People at this position sometimes get nervous when the timeline doesn't run to plan," Killebrew said. "Yeah, I wasn't expecting him to withdraw, but I'm not totally surprised, either."

As for the timeframe, Killebrew was out of town at the beginning of the week, and has spent time in Austin on university business over the past two days. He said he was sorry Dickenson withdrew, but that the school still had "three viable candidates."

For Dickenson, time was of the essence for a few reasons. With football season approaching, this is one of his busiest times of the year in terms of strategic planning. And, as is the case with other candidates, there are children and new school districts to consider.

From a professional standpoint, the longer the search continues, the less time a new athletic director has to come in and make an immediate mark.

"The longer it goes, the tougher it will be for a person in the Corpus job to make an impact in year one," Dickenson said. "I think that's the most critical year for a new athletic director - year one.

"I never knew where I stood. I never knew if I was in the top two or bottom two. I thought at least it would have been cut down to two (candidates) by now."

Instead, it's now down to three.

Contact Lee Goddard at 886-3613 or goddardl@ caller.com

[TeachinTodd]

I hope that Hank made the best decision for him and his family, but I for one am glad he is still around.

[FirefightnRick]

If you think that's been a long time? ULL has been without an AD since last summer, which isn't good for us either I'm afraid.

Rick

[good_ken]

If you think that's been a long time? ULL has been without an AD since last summer, which isn't good for us either I'm afraid.

We've been without a Chancellor for sometime now.

[pogWo4life]

good for Hank, he will still be around

[UNTLifer]

If you think that's been a long time?  ULL has been without an AD since last summer, which isn't good for us either I'm afraid.

Rick

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Why do you say this?

[3XNTGRAD]

We've been without a Chancellor for sometime now. 

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Was this sarcasm? Or were you referring to President Pohl's resignation (which takes effect at the end of the summer, although he announced it last year)?

[DallasGreen]

Was this sarcasm?  Or were you referring to President Pohl's resignation (which takes effect at the end of the summer, although he announced it last year)?

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So by the end of the summer we'll be without a Chancellor and a President. We do have one helluva Politician running the show however. He may yet in the next ten years get UNT-D up to 1K FTE students which has been his #1 agenda all along much to the detriment of the other 30K who make up the UNT System.

[Stan R]

So by the end of the summer we'll be without a Chancellor and a President. We do have one helluva Politician running the show however. He may yet in the next ten years get UNT-D up to 1K FTE students which has been his #1 agenda all along much to the detriment of the other 30K who make up the UNT System.

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ouch. From all indications this looks to be painfully true.

[Zeke]

So by the end of the summer we'll be without a Chancellor and a President. We do have one helluva Politician running the show however. He may yet in the next ten years get UNT-D up to 1K FTE students which has been his #1 agenda all along much to the detriment of the other 30K who make up the UNT System.

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Reminds me of the branding ceremony when Jackson said to the crowd something to the effect of, " I am wearing grey today (instead of green) because I am representing the whole North Texas system" I wonder how many students from that portion of the North Texas system made it to the ceremony that day?

[UNTLifer]

Reminds me of the branding ceremony when Jackson said to the crowd something to the effect of, " I am wearing grey today (instead of green) because I am representing the whole North Texas system"  I wonder how many students from that portion of the North Texas system made it to the ceremony that day?

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Jackson must go.

[FirefightnRick]

Why do you say this?

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........you don't want to know.

Rick