La Tech AD Resigns

[FirefightnRick]

http://m.espn.go.com/ncf/story?storyId=9429071&src=desktop

Van de Velde did not immediately go into detail about the reasons for his decision. His resignation, effective Monday, comes at the end of an academic year in which the Bulldogs' football team missed out on a bowl game despite a nine-win season, and then lost coach Sonny Dykes, who left to coach California.

The Bulldogs were left out of college football's post season after Van De Velde declined to quickly accept an invitation from the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, holding out for other opportunities that never materialized.

Dykes left soon after Van De Velde said publicly he would not get into a bidding war to keep the coach and suggested that Cal consider another candidate.

Accountability.

Rick

Edited June 28, 2013 by FirefightnRick

[Harry]

RUSTON, La. – Bruce Van De Velde, Louisiana Tech University’s athletics director since 2010, has announced he will step down from his position, effective July 1.

Van De Velde, who joined the Louisiana Tech athletics department in 2008 as deputy director of athletics and chief operating officer, and was promoted to athletics director in March 2010, will remain with the university in a non-administrative, support capacity through the term of his current contract, which ends in February 2014. Mary Kay Hungate, deputy athletics director and senior woman administrator, will serve as the interim athletics director until a replacement for Van De Velde is named.

“My experience at Louisiana Tech has been both rewarding and challenging,” said Van De Velde. “I am proud of my contributions to the competitive and academic success of our student-athletes and coaches, and to have enhanced a culture of honesty, integrity, competitive and academic excellence within the athletic department.”

During Van De Velde’s tenure as athletics director, Louisiana Tech has enjoyed success both athletically and academically. He led the hiring of head football coach Sonny Dykes in 2010 and head men’s basketball coach Mike White in 2011, both of who coached their respective teams to top 25 national rankings this past season and selections as WAC Coach of the Year. Most recently, he hired new head football coach Skip Holtz, who replaced Dykes following his departure last December.

Van De Velde has also led a program that has had no major NCAA rules infractions during his tenure as AD and achieved a student-athlete graduate success rate of 76 percent in 2012 – the highest in Louisiana Tech history and one of the top graduation rates in the nation. All 16 men’s and women’s programs are currently penalty free with several having achieved their highest APR scores within the past few years.

“We appreciate all that Bruce has done for Louisiana Tech and the success that our programs have had under his leadership,” said Louisiana Tech President Dan Reneau. “His contributions as Athletics Director have been valuable and he has enhanced many aspects of our intercollegiate athletics program. We are pleased that Bruce has agreed to remain with Louisiana Tech and continue assisting us in the advancement of our institution.”

From a facilities standpoint, Van De Velde led improvements to the soccer, baseball and softball complexes, and helped to initiate the Quest for Excellence campaign to raise private funds for the construction of a multi-purpose facility at the south end of Joe Aillet Stadium. The facility will provide student-athletes and coaches as well as members of the campus community with access to athletic training and wellness facilities, and office, conference and hospitality space.

Reneau said that Louisiana Tech will immediately begin the process of forming a search committee, led by incoming Louisiana Tech President Les Guice, to find the best possible candidates to assume leadership of the athletics department.

“We will conduct this search with a focus on identifying candidates that share our vision and philosophies regarding intercollegiate athletics, its responsibility to our student-athletes and supporters, and its overall role within the university,” said Guice. “Our committee will be thorough yet timely in the vetting of candidates to ensure the momentum that Louisiana Tech Athletics has built over the past several years is not diminished.”

Louisiana Tech and its 16 men’s and women’s teams are currently preparing for their inaugural season in Conference USA. The new conference affiliation will provide Louisiana Tech with greatly enhanced national television coverage and new opportunities to establish regional rivalries

read more: http://www.latechbbb.com/forum/showthread.php?121305-It-s-Official&s=08f38b62f31f1f62f59ef8fac793e655

[Harry]

As pointed out on the BullDawg Bark and Bytes Board -- three C-USA AD's have been forced to resign (USM, Rice and La. Tech)

[UNTFan23]

http://m.espn.go.com/ncf/story?storyId=9429071&src=desktop

Accountability.

Rick

La Tech chose to opt for a better bowl because they didn't want to play in the Independence Bowl against La-Monroe. The problem is a better invite didn't happen. If there is one thing La Tech is guilty of it's letting their ego get in the way of playing in the post season.

Edited June 28, 2013 by UNTFan23

[mdmeangreen]

Wow, another CUSA school looking for an AD. Unreal.

[UNT90]

http://m.espn.go.com/ncf/story?storyId=9429071&src=desktop

Accountability.

Rick

+10000

[techdawg88]

this was expected since Tech will have a new president, Les Guice, that starts on Monday and he probably wants to bring in his own AD

[UNT90]

this was expected since Tech will have a new president, Les Guice, that starts on Monday and he probably wants to bring in his own AD

UNT will have a new president by the end of the year...

[UNTLifer]

UNT will have a new president by the end of the year...

Maybe you will get your wish and they'll fire everyone. Maybe you can assist in hiring everyone.

[UNT90]

Maybe you will get your wish and they'll fire everyone. Maybe you can assist in hiring everyone.

Not my wish. Not my wish at all.

[emmitt01]

Wow, another CUSA school looking for an AD. Unreal.

Could we make it 4? Nah, budget trumps ambition.

[JesseMartin]

Yeah, you'd think the BOR might have wanted to avoid any conflict there. But before hiring a new Prez, they gave Rick a huge contract extension. I still think he's great for UNT, but you have to see how an involved, pro-athletics President with a vision different than Rick's might be a bit put off by that. I guess maybe they wanted RV to have more autonomy? Hmm. Food for thought.

[FirefightnRick]

this was expected since Tech will have a new president, Les Guice, that starts on Monday and he probably wants to bring in his own AD

I'm starting to like these people from La Tech more and more every year.

They don't dick around. They DEMAND success and ACCOUNTABILITY.

I'm glad we are in conference with them for sure because they RAISE THE BAR for us all.

Rick

Edited June 30, 2013 by FirefightnRick

[UNTFan23]

I'm starting to like these people from La Tech more and more every year.

They don't dick around. They DEMAND success and ACCOUNTABILITY.

I'm glad we are in conference with them for sure because they RAISE THE BAR for us all.

Rick

Are you willing to pay at the gate for such accountability? If we want to run a top shelf program we should have top shelf prices.

[cdizzle86]

Are you willing to pay at the gate for such accountability? If we want to run a top shelf program we should have top shelf prices.

I'd be more than willing to pay more for tickets.

[UNT90]

Are you willing to pay at the gate for such accountability? If we want to run a top shelf program we should have top shelf prices.

Supply and demand.

[Dawg06]

Happy C-USA Day, Mean Green! Both of our fan bases have waited a long time for this moment going back to when UTEP stole that final C-USA spot about 8-9 years ago.

As a La Tech fan, I am honored to share a conference with North Texas and all the other members. (But I can't speak for HogDawg. lol)

I also want to mention that the GMG admin do a great job with this site.

Cheers

[Harry]

Right back at you, we are very pleased to be a conference mate of the Dawgs. I think we will have a good rivalry with you guys. Good to see you here and look forward to tailgating in Ruston.

[emmitt01]

Are you willing to pay at the gate for such accountability? If we want to run a top shelf program we should have top shelf prices.

I see where you're trying to go with this argument but it ignores one key thing...the "service providers" aren't on a top shelf level. If you go to McDonald's and it is manned by McDonald's level employees there is no problem. If, on the other hand, you go to a 5* restaurant and see that same fry cook in the kitchen you can't be asked, realistically, to pay those "top shelf" prices for the food. Half of what makes the food worth the high price is the ingredients...the other half is the preparation and the service. Apogee is a top shelf ingredient. The Super Pit is a top shelf ingredient. We simply have too few top shelf chefs and servers.

Edited July 1, 2013 by emmitt01

[FirefightnRick]

I see where you're trying to go with this argument but it ignores one key thing...the "service providers" aren't on a top shelf level. If you go to McDonald's and it is manned by McDonald's level employees there is no problem. If, on the other hand, you go to a 5* restaurant and see that same fry cook in the kitchen you can't be asked, realistically, to pay those "top shelf" prices for the food. Half of what makes the food worth the high price is the ingredients...the other half is the preparation and the service. Apogee is a top shelf ingredient. The Super Pit is a top shelf ingredient. We simply have too few top shelf chefs and servers.

Good analogy.

Rick

[UNTFan23]

I see where you're trying to go with this argument but it ignores one key thing...the "service providers" aren't on a top shelf level. If you go to McDonald's and it is manned by McDonald's level employees there is no problem. If, on the other hand, you go to a 5* restaurant and see that same fry cook in the kitchen you can't be asked, realistically, to pay those "top shelf" prices for the food. Half of what makes the food worth the high price is the ingredients...the other half is the preparation and the service. Apogee is a top shelf ingredient. The Super Pit is a top shelf ingredient. We simply have too few top shelf chefs and servers.

I thought this thread was about getting top shelf "service providers" thus the need for top shelf prices or did I miss something?

[KRAM1]

I thought this thread was about getting top shelf "service providers" thus the need for top shelf prices or did I miss something?

No, you did not...others obviously did.

[emmitt01]

I thought this thread was about getting top shelf "service providers" thus the need for top shelf prices or did I miss something?

If your question was whether I would pay higher food prices if they were to replace all of the restaurant staff then my answer is "yes" and you were spot on.

[MeanGreenTexan]

If your question was whether I would pay higher food prices if they were to replace all of the restaurant staff then my answer is "yes" and you were spot on.

Beware of the "under new management" signs though. Sometimes, it doesn't mean a good change and the product is even worse than before.

What do they say about the devil you know?