NORMAL — Do not expect Illinois State to announce its new athletics director any time soon.
In fact, interim athletics director Jeri Beggs is likely to stay in the position for several more months.
“The (interim) president (Aondover Tarhule) has agreed to allow me to stay through June 24 as the interim,” Beggs said Monday. “I’m actually wiling to stay as long as they want me to.
"I wasn’t sure if I would like the job or if I would be able to do the job. But I think it’s going great and I’m loving it. So I’m willing to stay as long as they need me.”
Beggs said the job has not been posted and no search committee has been formed to replace former athletics director Kyle Brennan, who resigned in April after media reports of questionable spending practices.
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“There has been some interest in even actually getting to the point where we have a permanent president before we hire an AD,” said Beggs. “So I think we’re pushing the AD search back a little bit time wise. Both of us being interim is a little unusual so I think that would actually work out well.”
Beggs believes Tarhule wants to first complete a financial review of the athletics department.
“Obviously, there was some concerns about the way money was being spent, so he wanted to have an external review of those finances,” Beggs said. “That financial review hasn’t been completed yet.”
According to Beggs, the athletics department is in the process of hiring a deputy director for external operations.
“That job is open right now,” she said.