Tulsa AD Dickson Announces Retirement
4/19/2024 12:41:00 PM | Tulsa Hurricane
TULSA, Okla. – After four years as The University of Tulsa's vice president and director of athletics, Rick Dickson announced his retirement Friday. This was Dickson's second term as the school's athletic director, a position he first held from 1990 to 1994.
A Tulsa native, Dickson (BS '77) returned to his alma mater in September 2020 during the pandemic to lead the athletics department on an interim basis. On Aug. 18, 2021, he agreed to a three-year contract to serve as the school's vice president and director of athletics.
"Rick has truly been a servant of this university. Driven by a sense of duty to student-athletes and higher education, he is the best kind of AD – one who answers the call and leads by example," said TU President Brad R. Carson. "He is not afraid of hard work and is generous to a fault. Rick's deep understanding of collegiate athletics and commitment to our university will be sorely missed. We wish him and his family all the best."
Dickson's leadership, business acumen, energy, and fundraising ability has resulted in a career that includes 32 years as a collegiate athletic director. He is committed to providing student-athletes with the tools and support they need to grow academically, athletically and socially.
His prolific career included leading athletic programs at Washington State University (1994-2000) and Tulane University (2000-2015), where Dickson was instrumental in rebuilding the athletic program after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
"With a grateful heart, I am announcing my retirement from a 32-year career that fittingly ends at The University of Tulsa, where it all began," Dickson said. "TU is a special community, sharing a name and history with a vibrant city, which allowed it to compete and showcase one another with the best of the best. Thanks to Presidents Levit and Carson and the TU Board of Trustees for the unexpected invitation to serve our alma mater in a challenging moment."
Upon his return in 2020, Dickson immediately dealt with the COVID-19 crisis and positioning the athletic department for success on the field, in the classroom, and in the community.
Dedicated to the wellbeing of the whole student-athlete, he instituted the first training table to improve nutrition, hired the first full-time mental health specialist devoted solely to student-athletes, and supported the work of the student-athlete advisory committee that plans biannual Mental Health Awareness Week activities in partnership with the American Athletic Conference.
Dickson also initiated the Pathway to Sports Academy for students with aspirations of working in the administrative side of athletics and conceptualized the Annual Hall of Fame Weekend, featuring the Blue & Gold Champions Night and Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
Tulsa athletics has seen a renewed energy with fundraising efforts reaching new heights under Dickson's leadership. He made positive strides in re-energizing alumni and the community, while reinventing the Golden Hurricane Champions Fund and initiating the Case Fund for student-athlete academic enhancement, which was a $2 million fund in year one. Tulsa's fundraising total increased by 25% each year under Dickson's guidance, and the Golden Hurricane Champions Fund reached an all-time high of over $2.6 million in 2023 with a $3 million goal in 2024.
Hurricane athletics raised $543,525 with 608 donors on TU Giving Day 2024, an increase from $15,584 and 66 donors on Giving Day 2022.
Dickson oversaw the renovation of the strength and conditioning facility, now the F.A. Dry Sports Performance Center, as well as the Collins Family Hitting Complex and the Thomas Plaza Football Project, along with numerous other facility upgrades.
On the field, Tulsa teams have won 10 conference championships while Hurricane student-athletes have been successful in the classroom with team grade-point averages hitting all-time highs.
Dickson serves on the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce Advisory Board and Tulsa Regional Tourism Board of Directors. He continued his membership on the USTA Collegiate Tennis Committee and Team Gleason Board of Directors, an organization to improve life for people living with ALS.
Dickson attended Tulsa's Bishop Kelley High School and played football for the Golden Hurricane for four years. He and his wife, Brenda (BS '79), have four grown children and six grandchildren.
"This is the community where I was raised and a university where I was developed, educated, married, raised a family, and launched a remarkable career – a career highlighted by dedicated staff, tremendous coaches, loyal supporters, and, most importantly, amazing young men and women who gave us a greater purpose," he said. "Brenda and I are forever grateful."
The University of Tulsa will conduct a national search for Dickson's replacement.