Martin: UM should hire AD with 'extensive athletic experience'

(Photo: AP)A college athletic department is big business.

Take Michigan, which has an operating budget of $151 million for 31 sports and more than 900 student-athletes.

So, it's important to find the right person to lead such a department. That's why Michigan president Mark Schlissel has hired a search firm and organized a search committee to hire an athletic director who can manage the budget, raise funds, lead a staff of 350 and work with coaches and student-athletes to develop top national programs — all under the umbrella of promoting academics first.

And during these times of sports as big business, it might make sense to go with a business-minded leader. That surely has been the case…