University of Missouri Athletic Director Search Faces Possible Conflict of Interest
University of Missouri leaders started a national search for a new athletic director by hiring a search firm with connections to the wife of MU Men’s Basketball Coach Dennis Gates.
Don Heider, Ethics Center executive director, argued there could be a potential conflict of interest even if Jocelyn Gates was not a part of the search.
“If somebody is unhappy with something the new athletic director does, especially in regards to the men’s basketball program, they’re going to point to this as an issue," said Heider. "When you hire somebody as important as an athletic director, you want them to come in and have a great start. To have this cloud on the horizon is not what I consider to be a great start,” and suggested that MU officials should appoint someone outside of the University on the search committee as an observer as a safeguard.
Don Heider, executive director, quoted by CBS KRCG 13.