EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State University interim President John Engler has selected Bill Beekman to become the school's new athletic director.
The selection will need the approval of the Board of Trustees, who will meet Tuesday, July 17.
Beekman has served as interim athletic director since February.
"As I spoke with our coaches and consulted with trustees about a possible search, I heard from virtually everyone that they love the job Bill is doing,” Engler said. “I’m very confident Bill will excel. He is a person of integrity, attentive, a great listener, someone who really knows the university and he has a calming influence."
Beekman will be responsible for oversight of the university's 25 varsity sports teams as well as the care of more than 800 Spartan student athletes. The position provides leadership in the areas of sports management, game operations, financial administration, personnel, fundraising, corporate interaction, facility management, marketing and communication.
“Leading the proud tradition of Spartan athletics is a great honor,” Beekman said. “Since I stepped in as interim athletic director, my focus has been the health, safety and education of our student athletes. My job, and the job of our department, is to give them the tools and support they need to be successful on the field, successful in the classroom and, most importantly, successful in life after they leave MSU. Spartan athletics has a championship history, and we will continue to chase those championship dreams, doing so with integrity and always striving to improve in every area.”
Engler goes against word
In February when Beekman was named interim AD, Engler said a nationwide search would begin for a permanent athletic director and that no internal candidates will be considered in the search process.
Beekman served as vice president and secretary of the Board since 2008. His duties included administrative responsibilities for board meetings, university ordinances, policies and courtesies, the university said in a statement. Previously, he served as executive director of the MSU Alumni Association.
Longtime university president Lou Anna K. Simon resigned from her position earlier this year amid fallout from the Larry Nassar scandal. Then athletic director Mark Hollis resigned.