COLLEGE STATION, Texas — On Jan. 16, Ross Bjork, the previous director of athletics for Texas A&M, took the same position at Ohio State.
Shortly after the announcement, former head football coach R.C. Slocum was announced as interim director of athletics while the university evaluated their options as to who they would target. Now, the members of the search committee have been named.
The committee will be chaired by David "Dave" Dunlap '83, former student and previous chair of the 12th Man Foundation Board of Trustees.
The full list of committee members includes:
- R.C. Slocum, interim director of athletics
- Joe Fields, deputy athletics director for administration and student-athlete experience
- Jim Schlossnagle, head baseball coach
- Joni Taylor, head women's basketball coach
- Chris Cooper '89, previous chair of the 12th Man Foundation Board of Trustees
- Paul Batista, J.D., associate professor of kinesiology and sport management, and faculty athletics representative
- Susan Ballabina, Ph. D., Office of the President chief of staff
"It's an honor to serve Texas A&M in any way that I can, and I'm filled with pride by the opportunity to lead this search committee," Dunlap said. "President Welsh has pulled together an incredible group of individuals who will recommend dynamic, highly qualified prospects who will serve our university, coaches and student-athletes with integrity, respect and a relentless drive for excellence. I'm eager to get to work."
The committee will be aided by Turnkey, a firm that specializes in finding talent in the sports and entertainment industries, in the initial process of recruiting and screening potential candidates.
"Texas A&M is a world-class university with a strong commitment to athletics excellence and the greatest fans in the world," said General (Ret.) Mark A. Welsh III, Texas A&M University president. "We're committed to maintaining the momentum of our athletics programs and selecting the next director of athletics is a critical part of that effort. I'm grateful to the committee members for volunteering their time for this important task and am confident that, with the help of the search firm, the committee will identify candidates who align with our core values and who are dedicated to the continued success of our student-athletes and outstanding athletic programs."
While the search for the next athletic director candidate is currently underway, the timeline of when a hire is expected to be made is projected to last four to six weeks.