For the past 10 years, Bob Lofrano has been the athletic director. Prior to that, he was the head baseball coach. Now, as a result of a recommendation from the accreditation office, the AD position is being reopened.
If Lofrano wants to keep his current position, he would need to reapply and go through the hiring process. Lofrano has been at Pierce in one position or another since 1989, but his future at the school is now uncertain.
The athletic director position is not the only one that has been put through this process. According to Vice President of Student Services Earic Dixon-Peters, the accreditation liaison, faculty development and new student programs positions have all gone through this process over the past two years.
“We are operating based on a few things: accreditation findings for hiring practices and fairness of the hiring practices,” Dixon-Peters said. “The fairness is that you open up the position and allow competition and people to apply for the position. This is not an isolated incident.”
Joanna Zimring Towne is the director of New Student Programs. According to Towne, the position was created in Oct. 2014, prior to the accreditation, though she is not sure if it was in response to any sort of recommendation.
According to Dixon-Peters, at the same time there were also HR guidelines in hiring and reassigning faculty positions.
These reassigned positions are positions that are filled internally by current faculty members.
Even though the recommendation was made years ago, Lofrano said he “was just told of that now.”
“It’s a little disappointing, to be honest,” Lofrano said. “Really? I have to apply for the job I’ve had for 10 years? I can get a little hard-headed on that one. Do I understand that process? Yes and no. But if other people are doing it and it’s the same situation, then so be it.”
Despite the disappointment, the irony of the situation is not lost on Lofrano, who didn’t even want the job when it was first offered to him.
“I distinctly remember when they came to me 10 years ago, I said no,” Lofrano said. “I’m not an in-the-office type of guy. I coached my whole life. P.E. teacher, I’m always outside. Now, ironically, 10 years later now it’s like, ‘Oh, you have to apply to be the AD.’ I didn’t even really apply 10 years ago.”
Lofrano originally came to Pierce as an assistant baseball coach. After a year, then head coach Bob Lyons was named athletic director, and Lofrano was promoted to head coach. After Lyons retirement, Lofrano once again followed in his footsteps, taking the AD position.
The Brahmas have had success in Lofrano’s time as athletic director. In the 10 years he has held the position the women’s soccer, women’s volleyball and men’s basketball teams have hung 18 conference championship banners.
In that same time women’s volleyball has also hung 3 more banners as state champions, as well as three runner-up finishes in the state title game.
Even though he may not have initially wanted the job, Lofrano has “thoroughly enjoyed it.” However, whether or not he will reapply for the position is still a question.
“What if I apply for the job and don’t get it?” Lofrano said. “My plan is still evolving, whether to stick around and apply for the job, or to just move on.”