Mum is the word at Marshall University concerning the selection process of a new athletic director.

Or the naming of an interim director, for that matter. Less than a week from the end of Bob Marcum's seven-year stint at the helm of Thundering Herd athletics, MU president Stephen J. Kopp has yet to name an interim director - whether it be Jeff O'Malley, Marcum's chief of staff, or somebody else.

"Soon," said Bill Bissett, Kopp's chief of staff, on when that announcement will come.

With Marcum's last day coming Tuesday, "soon" probably needs to be the timetable. For athletic department personnel still in suspense - apparently, that includes everyone - it probably couldn't come soon enough.

That's one issue, but it's short-term. The larger issue is who will replace Marcum on a permanent basis, becoming the Herd's sixth athletic director in the post-1970 era.

Answers to that may be just as slow to surface. In May, the president's office announced the hiring of Eastman & Beaudine Inc., a Plano, Texas-based executive search firm that specializes in college athletics.

Early this month, MU appointed a 10-member search committee to work with Eastman & Beaudine. The two bodies have reportedly met since.

Bissett said the time frame for the hiring process is put at 6-to-8 weeks, but that isn't set in stone. "That needs to be driven by hiring the best possible person," he said.

Applicants are being steered to Eastman & Beaudine for their initial communication about the position. Don't expect much out of the firm, whose college executive testimonial page includes the word "confidentiality" four times.

Bob Beaudine, the company's president and CEO, boasts of having placed 33 athletic directors and 25 head coaches in football and basketball. An e-mail in May requesting a list of those drew no response.

It appears Marshall officials also plan to keep the process under wraps. Bissett reminds that this is a "personnel matter."

"There needs to be a degree of confidentiality," he said. "But also to make sure we can get the best athletic director possible for Marshall University."

Reach Doug Smock at 304-348-5130 or dougsm...@wvgazette.com.

Mum is the word at Marshall University concerning the selection process of a new athletic director.

Or the naming of an interim director, for that matter. Less than a week from the end of Bob Marcum's seven-year stint at the helm of Thundering Herd athletics, MU president Stephen J. Kopp has yet to name an interim director - whether it be Jeff O'Malley, Marcum's chief of staff, or somebody else.

"Soon," said Bill Bissett, Kopp's chief of staff, on when that announcement will come.

With Marcum's last day coming Tuesday, "soon" probably needs to be the timetable. For athletic department personnel still in suspense - apparently, that includes everyone - it probably couldn't come soon enough.

That's one issue, but it's short-term. The larger issue is who will replace Marcum on a permanent basis, becoming the Herd's sixth athletic director in the post-1970 era.

Answers to that may be just as slow to surface. In May, the president's office announced the hiring of Eastman & Beaudine Inc., a Plano, Texas-based executive search firm that specializes in college athletics.

Early this month, MU appointed a 10-member search committee to work with Eastman & Beaudine. The two bodies have reportedly met since.

Bissett said the time frame for the hiring process is put at 6-to-8 weeks, but that isn't set in stone. "That needs to be driven by hiring the best possible person," he said.

Applicants are being steered to Eastman & Beaudine for their initial communication about the position. Don't expect much out of the firm, whose college executive testimonial page includes the word "confidentiality" four times.

Bob Beaudine, the company's president and CEO, boasts of having placed 33 athletic directors and 25 head coaches in football and basketball. An e-mail in May requesting a list of those drew no response.

It appears Marshall officials also plan to keep the process under wraps. Bissett reminds that this is a "personnel matter."

"There needs to be a degree of confidentiality," he said. "But also to make sure we can get the best athletic director possible for Marshall University."

Reach Doug Smock at 304-348-5130 or dougsm...@wvgazette.com.