2008 Woodie Awards
Burke planning ahead
Bob Bajek/Sports Reporter
Issue date: 7/3/08 Section: Sports
New Athletic Director Barbara Burke has been on the job since June 1. Despite the short time Burke's been on Eastern's campus, she is already planning for the future.
For the next four weeks, Burke is scheduled for countless meetings that fill her days. She said this is to make goals before the fall, and eventually implementing a three to five year plan.
One of the short term plans for the fall is trying to grow the fan base of the football and basketball programs to help generate more revenue.
"We've got to get the information out there to (the community)," Burke said.
For the extensive three to five year plan Burke is working on, she is presiding over a departmental evaluation. The evaluation will include the athletic budget, sports teams and facilities.
She is attempting to consult the various departments and coaching staff. Burke has personally met with all the Eastern coaches and had general discussions with them concerning possible concepts for the plan.
"I have meetings with an external and internal staff separately for an hour each per week," Burke said. "We need to be transparent. A five year plan requires other college entities to be involved to make it work."
Burke estimates the soonest the new athletic plan could be completed would be six months from now.
The new athletic director said she is excited with the good opportunity for improvement at Eastern. She said she is hoping to grow and stabilize the athletic programs on campus.
"I'm coming in with a new administration at the institution that has raised the bar high," Burke said. The superior opportunity is one of the reasons Burke decided to apply as Eastern's Athletic Director over North Dakota University. Burke withdrew her application as a NDU finalist in March.
"The process (at Eastern) was much further along," she said. "I felt like it was a stronger opportunity than North Dakota. I didn't want to lose this opportunity."
Before Eastern, Burke was the deputy director of athletics and senior woman's administrator for 10 years at the University of Wyoming.
She also has 14 years of coaching experience with softball and basketball teams at five different colleges. Burke is the ninth athletic director in Eastern's history, and the first woman serving full-time in the position. She is signed for three years at a salary of $140,000 a year.
Bob Bajek can be reached at 581-7944 or at rtbajek@eiu.edu.
For the next four weeks, Burke is scheduled for countless meetings that fill her days. She said this is to make goals before the fall, and eventually implementing a three to five year plan.
One of the short term plans for the fall is trying to grow the fan base of the football and basketball programs to help generate more revenue.
"We've got to get the information out there to (the community)," Burke said.
For the extensive three to five year plan Burke is working on, she is presiding over a departmental evaluation. The evaluation will include the athletic budget, sports teams and facilities.
She is attempting to consult the various departments and coaching staff. Burke has personally met with all the Eastern coaches and had general discussions with them concerning possible concepts for the plan.
"I have meetings with an external and internal staff separately for an hour each per week," Burke said. "We need to be transparent. A five year plan requires other college entities to be involved to make it work."
Burke estimates the soonest the new athletic plan could be completed would be six months from now.
The new athletic director said she is excited with the good opportunity for improvement at Eastern. She said she is hoping to grow and stabilize the athletic programs on campus.
"I'm coming in with a new administration at the institution that has raised the bar high," Burke said. The superior opportunity is one of the reasons Burke decided to apply as Eastern's Athletic Director over North Dakota University. Burke withdrew her application as a NDU finalist in March.
"The process (at Eastern) was much further along," she said. "I felt like it was a stronger opportunity than North Dakota. I didn't want to lose this opportunity."
Before Eastern, Burke was the deputy director of athletics and senior woman's administrator for 10 years at the University of Wyoming.
She also has 14 years of coaching experience with softball and basketball teams at five different colleges. Burke is the ninth athletic director in Eastern's history, and the first woman serving full-time in the position. She is signed for three years at a salary of $140,000 a year.
Bob Bajek can be reached at 581-7944 or at rtbajek@eiu.edu.
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