Tis the season of change at America’s colleges and universities.

Institutions of higher education are hiring new professors and coaches. But the process is different for both.

Academic Hires

A public university is hiring a new director for one of its academic programs.

1–An outside search committee is hired.

2—An on-campus search committee is formed to work with the outside group.

3—There are requests for candidate CVs/resumes.

4—The field is winnowed.

5—Seven semi-finalists are chosen and interviewed in the capital city not near the school.

6—Four finalists are invited to campus for interviews.

7—The on-campus interviews stretch over a month.

8—Interested observers and stakeholders are asked to assess the candidates.

9—Now we’re waiting for university administrators to decide.

10—And the salary will be around $200,000.

Athletic Hires

But when you walk across the street from the campus to the athletic department, you enter a whole different world.

The university fires its head football coach on the same day it begins its academic search.

1—Athletic Director calls his friend.

AD: “Hey, Bubba, how you all doing? We’re lookin’ for a guy to head our football program and I thought of you.”

 COACH:  “Good to hear from you, buddy. How much you all puttin’ on the table for this gig?”

 AD: “About four million plus a couple more if you do good, Bubba. That gonna work for yuh?”

 COACH:   “I think I can keep the kids in shoes for that.  You all need to clear this thing with anyone back there?”

AD:  “Nah,  I’m playin’ golf with the president today and I’ll just let her know.”   

COACH:  “Works for me.  I’ll pack tonight and be there in the mornin’”

 And that’s how we roll at universities today.