My take on Kaverman's interest in Ferris State

This week’s news regarding SEMO director of athletics Don Kaverman seeking a lesser job — along with significantly lesser pay — at a lower-division school was interesting to say the least.

Kaverman is one of three finalists for the position of associate athletics director at Ferris State University. Ferris State, located in Big Rapids, Mich., competes in NCAA Division II for all sports except men’s ice hockey, which fields a Division I program.

Kaverman and the other finalists took part in on-campus interviews and public forums this week. The school is expected to name its new associate athletics director in the next several days.

So, why would somebody who runs the athletic department of a Division I university want to leave for a position as the No. 2 man of a Division II program?

From my perspective, there can only be three logical explanations.

1) Kaverman wants to go back home. He grew up near Big Rapids, Mich., and was coordinator of sports medicine at Ferris State from 1980 to 1986.

2) Kaverman wants to get the heck out of SEMO because he’s tired of being Ken Dobbins’ personal puppet.

It’s no secret that Dobbins, SEMO’s president, basically calls every shot at the university, even those relating to athletics. That has to be frustrating for Kaverman, in his 10th year at SEMO.

I don’t say this to disparage Kaverman, because I honestly like him, but the running joke among certain people in the athletic department is that Kaverman can’t even use the restroom — the actual words are a bit harsher and less G-rated — without Dobbins’ permission.

3) Kaverman doesn’t think his contract will be renewed when it expires in June.

The athletic department under Kaverman’s watch has certainly taken some hits recently, including the NCAA report addressing major rules violations within SEMO’s women’s basketball program that included the dreaded “institutional lack of control” tag.

Kaverman wants the Ferris State job for one, two or all three of the above scenarios. He should find out if he gets it pretty soon.