With the announcement of Bob Ducatte’s retirement as athletics director, Rensselaer is presented with several challenges regarding its athletic programs.
The Rensselaer Plan defines several things that are to take place in athletics in the next three to five years. These include the promise of new athletic facilities and ensuring that all of our intercollegiate teams have full-time paid coaches.
While these plans are attractive, much more can be done with our athletic programs. The number and scope of new athletic facilities mandated by The Rensselaer Plan, coupled with the selection of our next athletic director, will say a great deal about the current administration’s interest in tapping the potential of our athletics programs to enhance both student life and the reputation of RPI.
Among the schools against which we compete for students, Carnegie Mellon, MIT, and St. Lawrence have all recently undertaken large projects in athletics. If we are to be compared to these schools and compete for top students, then these upgrades to our athletic programs are crucial.
But before this process begins, we must choose the leadership that will realize the full potential of our athletic programs. It makes little sense to leave the incoming athletics director out of the planning of the facilities that he or she will have to work with during his or her tenure.
Time is of the essence. When Bob Ducatte retires on June 30, the process needs to move forward with due haste. Since no interim athletics director will be named, starting the interviewing process after the summer will cut the number of applicants and force students to give input on an already crippled process. While student input is important, provisions can be made to facilitate student input while interviews go on over the summer months.
The department of athletics needs leadership and the momentum lost while time is taken to make this decision will only hinder any future developments.
