MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[augiedad]

Also interesting that two current Big Ten coaches are references for two IWU candidates: Bo Ryan (John Tharp) and Bruce Weber (Jay Price).

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Neither of those assistants' profiles mention anything about Master's degrees.  It seems hard to believe that a big time d3 school would hire a coach without one.  That seems like a really d1 thing to do.

[augiedad]

The IWU posting says Masters is preferred:

http://ncaa.thetask.com/market/jobs/basketball/index.php

Illinois Wesleyan University is seeking applicants for the position of men's Head Basketball Coach. Illinois Wesleyan competes in the CCIW conference. This is a full-time non-tenure faculty position reporting to the Athletic Director. This position will manage all aspects of a successful NCAA Div.III men's basketball program. This job includes minimal physical education teaching. Qualified candidates should possess a bachelor's degree, with a master's degree preferred. Candidates should have an athletics philosophy compatible with a Div III liberal arts university with selective academic standards and a demonstrated commitment to diversity. Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications. Interested applicants send cover letter, resume, and reference list (including phone numbers) to Dennie Bridges, Athletic Director, Illinois Wesleyan University, P.O Box 2900, Bloomington, IL 61702-2900 -- e-mail dbridges@iwu.edu – Fax 309 556-3484. The search will continue until the position is filled. Illinois Wesleyan is an equal opportunity employer.[/i]

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Yeah, but I still can't see them hiring someone without one, especially with all they have to choose from.

[Pat Coleman]

Unless the person they really want does not have a master's.

[carlweathers]

Pat is absoutely right.  In most places the "master's preferred" is used to easily eliminate most candidates unless they are super high profile candidates.

[Warren Thompson]

I'm likely missing something. Why ought a coaching candidate have a master's? Is he/she ideally to possess an advanced degree in, say, basketballogy?

Shouldn't a candidate's bona fides ("union card") be based on something a bit more substantial?

[iwumichigander]

I'm likely missing something. Why ought a coaching candidate have a master's? Is he/she ideally to possess an advanced degree in, say, basketballogy?

Because in Division III, the coaching candidate will most likely have college level teaching assignments in addition to coaching duties. 

IWU's has 171 Full-time Faculty(instructional and library) and (93% hold doctorates or appropriate terminal degree). - source IWU website.  An IWU coaching candidate needs to compete on both academic qualifications and coaching qualifications just to be considered.  I would also note, as the job posting states, the coach position is a full-time non-tenure faculty position .

[David Collinge]

Yes, but the job posting also states that the job includes minimum physical education teaching. (emphasis added.)

I know little of academia, but in the business world "masters degree preferred" is usually a pay grade issue; it just means that they can slot you in a lower pay grade if you don't have a master's degree.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Yes, but the job posting also states that the job includes minimum physical education teaching. (emphasis added.)

I know little of academia, but in the business world "masters degree preferred" is usually a pay grade issue; it just means that they can slot you in a lower pay grade if you don't have a master's degree.

It's the same way in all of academia that I've had experience with, though I suspect the 'pay grade' in this case will come down to how much they want him as coach, not educational credentials!

At least when I was at IWU (late 60s), some PE classes were the misc. sports hodge-podge (ala hs PE), but they also offered single sport classes - since one of those was basketball, they may not be too worried about a master's to figure he'd be qualified!  (And, in fact, while I was there Bridges did find a guy for the JV rotation in his PE class!)

[Warren Thompson]

OK but if the coaching position is also a "non-tenure [track] faculty position," then why the need for a graduate degree?

(On the other hand, I fear I understand all too well this stipulation: it has to do with the very artificial notion that no one can teach [coach?] in higher education sans a graduate piece of paper -- forget about expertise, knowledge, and skills. Altogether, a sad, damnable misapprehension.)

[Mr. Ypsi]

Warren,

Since they only said "masters degree preferred", it obviously isn't 'needed'.  But this, too, is pretty typical of academia.  For purely academic courses, the minimum even to be a part-time adjunct is a masters.  They will sometimes make an exception for 'applied' courses (technology, business, music or art, criminal justice, etc.) if you have a BA (BS) and the needed real-world experience, though you may take a hit in the wallet (depending on how much they need your real-world experience!).

For the basketball coach, I suspect that last sentence is the key!

[dansand]

Augie has announced the second member of this year's recruiting class.

Kyle Waller is a 6-4 guard from DeKalb who averaged 18 points and 6 rebounds and was a unanimous All-Upstate Eight selection. He's a skinny kid and is supposed to be an outstanding shooter, but I'll refrain from saying that "Augie has found their next Kirk Anderson." 

Waller's dad, Brad, was a huge scorer (33 ppg in '79-80) and all-stater at Glenbard East, before starring at Northern Illinois.

[True Basketball Fan]

Also interesting that two current Big Ten coaches are references for two IWU candidates: Bo Ryan (John Tharp) and Bruce Weber (Jay Price).

I don't know if this has been brought up earlier, but I wonder how many of the candidates have Dennie Bridges as a reference?

[Gregory Sager]

OK but if the coaching position is also a "non-tenure [track] faculty position," then why the need for a graduate degree?

(On the other hand, I fear I understand all too well this stipulation: it has to do with the very artificial notion that no one can teach [coach?] in higher education sans a graduate piece of paper -- forget about expertise, knowledge, and skills. Altogether, a sad, damnable misapprehension.)

Anyone who ever doubted that Warren was one of the good guys in the zany world of academia should read this post. Kudos to you, honored sir!

Augie has announced the second member of this year's recruiting class.

Kyle Waller is a 6-4 guard from DeKalb who averaged 18 points and 6 rebounds and was a unanimous All-Upstate Eight selection. He's a skinny kid and is supposed to be an outstanding shooter, but I'll refrain from saying that "Augie has found their next Kirk Anderson." 

Good, 'cause I can thus refrain from saying, "Has somebody been dosing the milk for your morning cereal with LSD, Dan?"