April 19, 2007
Recreational sports-services finalists to visit
CARBONDALE, Ill. – The two finalists for director of recreational sports and services at Southern Illinois University Carbondale will visit the campus between April 23 and May 2.
William P. Ehling and Jeffrey D. Lopez will meet with vice chancellors, members of the deans' council and the chancellor's executive committee. Each will also participate in an open presentation session in Room 111/112 of the Student Heath Center with SIUC students, faculty and staff invited to attend.
Ehling will be on campus April 23-24; his presentation and open forum with the campus community is set for 9-10 a.m. Tuesday, April 24. Lopez will visit SIUC May 1-2 and participate in an open session from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. May 2.
Ehling, of Orlando, Fla., is currently the director of recreation and wellness at University of Central Florida. With an enrollment of 47,000 students, UCF experienced severe 2004 storm damage to its Recreation and Wellness Center but significant repairs, renovations and expansions have been under way under Ehling's direction. Appointed to the post in 2004, Ehling oversees a department with 30 full-time and 300 student staff members and an annual budget exceeding $3 million.
Ehling received his bachelor's degree in recreation in 1979 and his master's in physical education in 1983 from Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C. He previously served as director of campus recreation and intramurals at Georgia Southern University at Statesboro, Ga., from 1989 to 2003.
His career also includes serving as assistant director of campus recreation and intramural program at Appalachian State from 1986 to 1989 and a stint from 1984 to 1986 as intramural sports program director for the Department of Intramural-Recreation at East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C. He was athletic director for Watauga County Parks and Recreation in Boone, N.C., from 1983 to 1984.
Lopez, of Bloomington, has been director of campus recreation services at Illinois State University for the past eight-and-a-half years. He oversees four recreational facilities and seven programming areas with a budget of more than $2 million, while helping manage an additional $2 million in fiscal resources and allocations. His staff includes 11 full-time, six graduate and 200 student employees. He was previously the administrator for the University Golf Course during seven years at the college as well.
Lopez received his bachelor's of science degree in 1979 and his master's of science in 1980 from Indiana State University at Terre Haute, Ind. He also has held a number of administrative positions at Loyola University in Chicago prior to his work at ISU. At Loyola, he served as director of facilities and operations, managing four intercollegiate athletic facilities. Previously, he served as Loyola's director for the Centennial Forum Student Center, and prior to that, as associate director of recreational sports.
The new director of recreational sports and services will replace William P. McMinn, who retired at the end of 2006 after 26 years of service to the University, including the final 13 years as director.
Larry H. Dietz, vice chancellor for student affairs, said he hopes to announce the new director in May.