Two days following the departure of former Miami University Athletic Director (AD) Brad Bates, Miami has taken the next step in the search for Bates' replacement, naming Steve Snyder interim athletic director Thursday.
The position is familiar territory for Snyder, who served as Miami's interim athletic director in 2002 prior to the university's hiring of Bates. Then, it took Miami approximately four months to hire Bates as its permanent athletic director.
Snyder has nearly 42 years of experience working at Miami and retired in December 2011 after serving as secretary to the Board of Trustees and as executive assistant to the president. He graduated from Miami in 1973 with a degree in Political Science.
"He just seemed like the perfect candidate," Miami President David Hodge said. "He knew the department, he'd been in the position before and he was willing to move around his family stuff in order to do this. We're just very fortunate that he was available."
Hodge said Snyder was the only person contacted about the position. Hodge introduced Snyder during a noon meeting Thursday between Snyder, Bates and the Miami Athletic Department. Hodge said during Snyder's term as interim athletic director and executive assistant to the president, he worked very closely with the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, which reported through Snyder to Hodge.
"The fact that he had also been the interim before ... is a pretty unusual set of circumstances," Hodge said. "He brings so much maturity, experience and knowledge [to the position]."
Miami's hiring of Snyder is not effective immediately, as the details of his contract are still being determined. He will likely start within the next two weeks, according to the Office of the President. Hodge said Snyder's contract would be month-by-month.
Miami is in the process of determining a search firm and forming a university search committee, which will likely be comprised of 15-20 faculty, students and alumni, according to Hodge. Hodge said the search for Miami's athletic director would mainly be an external search.
Snyder serves on Oxford's City Council and will remain a councilor during his term as interim AD. He also served as Oxford's Mayor from 1983-1985.
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