Somewhere in the stack of 50 applications lies Sacramento State?s new athletic director, waiting to be looked at and weighed by the selection advisory committee. Somewhere on Vice President of Financial Affairs Ed Del Biaggio?s is the list of committee members in which he is the chairman of.

For now, the committee?s greatest test isn?t filling the vacancy left by former athletic director Debby Colberg, but meeting with each other and establishing a common objective.

Del Biaggio, who during a phone interview last week was still unclear as to who exactly was on the committee, believes one meeting is all the committee will need to get acquainted with the task and one another.

“That?s a good question. I haven?t got a list. I know there is faculty on it,” said Del Biaggio, as he thumbed around in search of names. “But by the end of Friday?s meeting, we?ll all be on board heading on into the right direction to make a recommendation.”

With the pressure of a May deadline bearing down on the committee, the athletic department can?t afford any less according to Del Biaggio.

“We?re on a tight time frame,” said Del Biaggio. “It is self-imposed by the president.”

President Donald Gerth recently bumped the proposed announcement of the new athletic director up a month from June to May, hoping to introduce Colberg?s successor to the campus while school was still in session.

Though the selection committee has met just once, Del Biaggio and Colberg, feel that the committee is in a comfortable position heading into the stretch run, especially after the first two legs of the operation ? advertising and consulting.

“We?re advertising the position in the Chronicles of Higher Education, NCAA News and the University web page,” said Colberg, who asked not to be on the selection committee, “and than start looking at resumes, narrowing it down to 8.”

Del Biaggio believes the outside consulting the University has sought has also left the committee in a favorable position, considering that former Notre Dame Athletic Director Gene Corrigan was amongst those examining the campus and the athletic department.

Corrigan boasts a lengthy and successful resume, which includes the hiring of Lou Holtz at Notre Dame. Corrigan, however, did have a hand in the George O?Leary fiasco. O?Leary was hired and released after five days as the Fighting Irish?s head coach.

“We?ve been consulting broadly,” said Del Biaggio. “The outside consultants come in and make recommendations.”

The selection advisory committee, as appointed by Gerth, is comprised of: Mieke Boynton, student-athlete; Greg Grant, community member; Vivian Miller, special assistant to vice president of student affairs; Scott Modell, assistant professor of kinesiology; Elroy Littlefield, executive director of CSUS Foundation; Bill Macriss; associate director of athletic community; Joan Neide, professor of health sciences and Del Biaggio.