PRESQUE ISLE – The University of Maine at Presque Isle has reassigned administrative duties in its athletics department as part of campus efforts to balance the budget for the 2010-2011 fiscal year.
Dean of Students Christine Corsello has assumed leadership of the university’s athletics department and the major duties of athletics director. She replaces Bill Casavant, who had held the position since 2008. As such, Corsello will exercise all leadership roles in the athletics department and represent the department and UMPI at conference and national association meetings.
“It is not uncommon, especially in these tight economic times, for universities of our size and in our athletic conference to have an athletics director who handles other major responsibilities,” President Don Zillman said. “This very difficult budget year forced us to review all areas of campus and to make some painful, but necessary cuts. These changes in athletics came after months of talks with the athletics department leadership and an in-depth review of all available options. This was the decision we came to that allowed us to preserve all of our sports teams and coaching positions.”
Corsello has 17 years of experience in directing athletics programs while serving as the top officer for student affairs. She has overseen athletics departments while serving as the Dean of Students at two other institutions – the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and Fitchburg State College in Massachusetts. In addition to understanding athletics from the administrative side, Corsello also understands the competitive side, having competed at the NCAA Division I level in college.
“The university would have liked to see athletics continue in this way under Bill’s direction and Chris’ supervision, but budget constraints did not allow for that,” Zillman added.
