Iowa State’s athletic director resigned today (Monday), but he hasn’t lined up a new job. Bruce Van De Velde’s resignation will take effect at the end of the year or when ISU names a new athletic director — whichever comes first. ISU president Gregory Geoffroy did not renew Van De Velde’s contact earlier this summer after Van De Velde had held the job five and a half years but Van De Velde became an “exempt professional and scientific employee” which means he could be fired by ISU’s president at any time. Van De Velde’s most controversial decision was suspending ISU basketball coach Larry Eustache and recommending that university officials fire the school’s men’s basketball coach after published photographs showed coach Larry Eustache partying with college co-eds after a basketball game in Missouri back in 2003. Van De Velde also shut down the men’s basebal and men’s swimming and diving programs in budget-cutting moves. Van De Velde touted his accomplishments during a news conference in Ames on Monday morning. “The turn-around of the department is complete,” he said. “I’m proud that under my leadership we have restored integrity, financial strength and academic and competitive excellence to Iowa State’s athletic programs.” Last season, Iowa State’s men’s and women’s basketball teams made it to post-season play and the Cyclone football team won a bowl game last December, making Iowa State one of only eight universities in the nation to reach that milestone in the major sports. Van De Velde is rumored to have interviewed for jobs at Colorado and Indiana, but he refuses to comment on his job search.
