The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Western State Colorado University executive vice president and chief operating officer Brad Baca has announced the university’s new athletic director is Jason Carmichael.
Carmichael has been the associate athletic director at WSCU for the past year and a half and held the interim athletic director role since late May 2014. Carmichael officially began his tenure as AD on September 2.
“I am extremely excited to have Jason serve in this important capacity. In his short time at Western, he has brought an unparalleled level of passion, energy and ingenuity to Mountaineer Athletics,” Baca said. “I very much look forward to working with Jason and have all the confidence that he will be not only an excellent AD but also an extraordinary campus and community leader.”
Since coming to Western in early 2013, Carmichael has been the chief compliance officer for approximately 370 Mountaineer student-athletes and 13 intercollegiate athletic programs. Along with being directly responsible for most internal operations of the Western Athletics Department, Carmichael’s duties also included significant involvement in personnel issues, hiring, and student-athlete discipline issues, and he has been the liaison to many cross-campus departments. As the interim AD at Western, Carmichael further proved his leadership capabilities by chairing search committees for new coaches, launching the annual Mountaineer Athletic Association fund campaign, and initializing new fundraising programs and techniques for WSCU athletics.
Carmichael’s model for success in WSCU athletics begins with fundraising. Through a combination of current fundraising strategies and new, more targeted messaging, Carmichael looks to improve upon the Mountaineers’ fundraising successes. Building relationships in the Gunnison valley and the Front Range will be an initial priority for him.
“I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to meet more individuals and groups who are excited about the Crimson and Slate,” Carmichael said. “It will be critical for our future success to continue developing the relationships with those alums and former athletes who have a passion for Mountaineer Athletics and begin identifying and developing new relationships and partnerships. I would be remise if I also didn’t take the opportunity to give thanks to President Salsbury, Brad Baca and members of the leadership team for having the trust in me to do this.”
As athletic director, Carmichael will look to lead the Mountaineers into a new era of success while maintaining Western’s great traditions, on and off the playing surfaces.
“Basically a fifth of the population on this campus are student-athletes, it’s an important group to our university, so being entrusted with that and moving forward is a unique blessing that I don’t take for granted.” Carmichael added.
Prior to his move to Western, Carmichael spent four years at Mid-South Community College (MSCC) in West Memphis, Ark. Most recently he served as the dean of students and athletic director, overseeing all athletic operations, budget and personnel decisions.
At MSCC Carmichael initiated and executed the transition of the athletic department from Division III to Division II status within the National Junior College Athletic Association. He also facilitated a new student conduct reporting process on campus and facilitated the implementation and utilization of a Suspension Appeals Committee and the accompanying modified process for MSCC students to apply for readmission after being classified as being on academic suspension.
Carmichael also served as the regional director for women’s sports in Region 2 of the NJCAA. As the regional director, he provided guidance and oversight into athletic matters for the 14 NJCAA institutions in Arkansas and Oklahoma. His duties also required him to serve as a liaison between Region 2 institutions and the national office of the NJCAA, helping to assure student-athlete and institutional integrity as it relates to matters of eligibility and compliance.
Before joining MSCC he was the head men’s basketball coach and athletic director at Central Baptist College, overseeing eligibility and personnel and assuring financial integrity through managing the department’s budget.
