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Show :mmmt BYU president responds to questions of his role in Cougar sports ByTadWalch Lately, Bateman has been viewed as complex political structure of BYU, is structured like a secular the athletic department. Rondo of higher learning but ruled Fehlberg, who recently announced he would be leaving the school's athletic director post, be confusing. a can by theocracy, To say the least. said he found the gap between his responsibility and his authority to be difficult to Having a university president who is both executive former corporate and current bridge. Bateman sat for a General Authority in The Church of Jesus interview with Latter-daSaints is viewed by some Cougar Nation last week to talk about this Christ of micro-managin- g The 30-minu- te y as further muddying the waters, since members of the church are asked not to be critical of church leaders. perception and other issues regarding the future of BYU athletics in what became a Cougar Nation: People close to the program believe that there was large decrease The Board (of Trustees) wants the prerogative of knowing the people are who work here. When we change a coach, in athletic director duties and authority when Glen Tuckett retired and was replaced by Clayne Jensen, and that it has continued to decline ever since. Would you agree? Merrill Bateman: I don't think so. I don't really feel that way. From my perspective, I see Hale, under the direction Val of Fred Skousen, really being responsible for athletics. The job has to do with leading the coaches. If it's time for a change among the coaches, I see Val as leading that move, finding viable candidates and making the correct suggestion. All personnel decisions in the end to through Salt Lake City. discussion: wide-rangin- g that's a personnel hire. That would be discussed with Salt Lake City. I would have assumed even then, when Glen Tuckett was here, the name of a coach would have been taken to Salt Lake City. So I don't think high-profil- e there's been a major change. CN: The Fresno Bee recent- ran a story ridiculing Rondo Fehlberg for taking credit at his last press conference for ly hiring Steve Cleveland. The perception is that you or someone above Rondo made that hire. Is that accurate? MB: No. |