Arkansas men’s and women’s athletic departments to merge
The University of Arkansas announced Thursday that it is combining the men’s and women’s athletic departments for the first time in school history.
As a result of the changes, UA women’s athletic director Bev Lewis will now become the associate vice chancellor for intercollegiate athletics and executive associate athletic director. She will remain the top administrator for the women’s department and will also oversee certain areas of the men’s programs.
The restructuring of the program comes only 46 days before Jeff Long, who has been given the title of vice chancellor for intercollegiate athletics, takes over as athletic director Jan. 1, the same day the changes will go into effect. Frank Broyles, who served 50 years as a coach and administrator, announced earlier this year he is stepping down as the school’s athletic director Dec. 31.
Here is what UA Chancellor John A. White said about the merging of the athletic departments:
“When Coach Broyles informed me of his retirement, I stepped back, looked at our overall athletics program, and asked, ‘If we were starting from scratch, what changes should we make to the program, and how can we take it to the next level?’ We believe merging the two departments will allow our student-athletes, men and women, to inspire and learn from each other and benefit from what is best about both programs. We also believe unification will streamline budgeting and optimize administrative processes.
“Simply put, the total program is stronger than the sum of its parts. Not only does merging the two departments make good business sense, but more importantly, we believe it is the best model to serve our student-athletes in the 21st century. We will bring together the absolute best of both departments into one unit – a unit that will be stronger, more efficient and better prepared to face the needs and challenges of this new century.”
Tennessee is now the only school in the Southeastern Conference and Division I that maintains separate athletic departments based on gender.
Analysis: This is a major departure from the way things used to be done at Arkansas. For a long time, the men’s athletic department acted as a separate entity under Broyles. Think of it as the equivalent of the Quebec province in Canada.
White is trying to change the old system by bringing the sports programs under the umbrella of the university like the individual colleges that currently make up the academic side. By making Long a vice chancellor and Lewis an associate vice chancellor, White is ensuring that the top administrators in the athletic department are included in the same hierarchy as the provosts and deans. This was probably White’s vision ever since he took over as chancellor in 1997. With Broyles out of the picture, he finally has been able to carry it out in such a way that it doesn’t look like a complete power grab.
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