Big challenges await new athletic director

Now that John Shafer has been hired as the athletic director for Southeast Missouri State, the challenge of rebuilding the department begins in earnest.

Or at least it will Feb. 1, when Shafer begins his duties at Southeast.

He will come to a school where the high-profile programs have been struggling, one of them is the subject of a current NCAA investigation and there are concerns from athletes, coaches and fans about resources and facilities.

On top of that, throw in the dark cloud of a financial crisis that could lead to a reduction in what the university can do in funding athletics.

"Not many things are going to catch him off guard," said Cindy Gannon, associate AD serving as the interim AD. "He's weathered a lot of storms and built foundations for successful programs."

Shafer has earned mostly positive reviews for his stints as an athletic director, leading several building and renovation projects from 1998 to 2002 at Ole Miss and lifting Eastern Kentucky's programs to Ohio Valley Conference All-Sports trophies for men and women in 2003-04.

Is he about to enter a tougher situation?

"Given the overall economic situation we're in," said board of regents member Jim Limbaugh, "with anticipated cuts in state funding that in itself creates a challenge, that's one of the reasons you want to hire a guy like John Shafer. He brings a lot of experience in fundraising, and you will notice he has raised funds in a lot of economic cycles. He's been through all sorts of battles, through good and bad."

Limbaugh, who was encouraged by the quality of applicants that took part in the process, said Shafer is the right man for the mission, which will require making more Southeast supporters open their checkbooks.

"We have to require athletics to be more self-reliant, and one way to do that is expand the donor base," Limbaugh said. "He will reach out to constituent groups -- I would say St. Louis is untapped as a donor base. He'll be a great addition to the university environment, and it's a high-profile position in our community and our region."

Southeast volleyball coach Renata Nowacki, who was a student-athlete at Ole Miss when Shafer was AD there, believes he will be successful.

"It's going to be extremely easy for him to sell the program," Nowacki said. "He speaks honestly and from the heart."

Shafer is expected to be helped along by an associate AD for external relations, a position recommended last spring in a review of the department conducted by Carr Sports Associates, which also coordinated the AD search for Southeast.

University officials said recently that the new AD would have input in that hire.

Gannon, listed as associate AD for internal relations and senior women's administrator, said she is prepared to assist the department in any role.

"I'm sure John will have his ideas of structuring the department," Gannon said. "I am dedicated to Southeast Missouri State. I'll be committed to the direction John wants to put us in and put my best foot forward to help the department reach its goals."

Gannon said there will be challenges ahead, but that it will be the same situation for just about every OVC institution, which are all public schools.

"There are a lot of state-funding challenges that universities are looking at," she said. "It's going to take an effort on everyone's part at the university to get through these times.

"There's no question Southeast is the best school in the league, and it has the potential to be the best athletic program in the OVC."