DiStanislao to Leave MU

[Tatum74]

Marquette Tribune‏@mutribune18m
BREAKING: Executive Vice President Mary DiStanislao announced yesterday to her staff that she will leave her position

Is there a purge going on at MU?

[Nukem2]

You could see that one coming....

[IWB]

Was told she was a childhood friend of Pilarz.

[Gato78]

Total purge of Pilarz.

[BLT]

She basically had Mike Broeker's spot at Penn, promoted to Executive VP at MU as second in command and in charge of the strategic vision and fundraising. No offense to Mike, but that would be quite a jump and he would be much better prepared since he had been at MU. Calling Greg Kliebhan...?

[TheSultan]

She basically had Mike Broeker's spot at Penn, promoted to Executive VP at MU as second in command and in charge of the strategic vision and fundraising. No offense to Mike, but that would be quite a jump and he would be much better prepared since he had been at MU. Calling Greg Kliebhan...?


She had a little more of a diverse background then just that. She had worked in other areas of the University as well.

But I am sure that what SP wanted was a trusted aide and crafted a job around what they thought were her talents. Did she have a negative reputation on campus? I never heard anything about her.

I would guess that she wanted nothing to do with the University after SP left. He's the reason she came here.

[BLT]

She had a little more of a diverse background then just that. She had worked in other areas of the University as well.

But I am sure that what SP wanted was a trusted aide and crafted a job around what they thought were her talents. Did she have a negative reputation on campus? I never heard anything about her.

I would guess that she wanted nothing to do with the University after SP left. He's the reason she came here.

Can read her bio here. It reads: Big jump

http://www.thedp.com/article/2012/02/associate_athletic_director_mary_distanislao_movin g_on

[TheSultan]

Can read her bio here. It reads: Big jump

http://www.thedp.com/article/2012/02/associate_athletic_director_mary_distanislao_movin g_on


Not arguing it wasn't, but her background was more diverse and deeper than Broeker's.

[MU_Iceman]

Is Larry next?? Broeker for AD. he's the obvious choice, and would make a happy Buzz.

[WarriorOMalley82]

She was pretty much universally disliked by the people in the administration that were left over from Father Wild's time. Sultan I thought you seemed to have contacts in the administration because of your consistent support, but I am sorry the people I have talked to are not just athletic people these are VP's and top donor alumni that I have talked to in person, and to a person I heard dissatisfaction when talking about DiStanislao. I am not trying to get into another Pilarz and Larry Williams bashing but there are VERY high levels of dissatisfaction. BTW I would be extremely surprised if Larry Williams does not accept another job before the start of next school year, and possibly before that. He will not be fired but I believe from what I have heard that he is looking.

[BLT]

MacKinnon is gone too? Clean sweep...

[TedBaxter]

http://www.marquette.edu/leadership/university-leadership.php

Out of this group, who was hired by Pilarz besides Larry Williams?

[IWB]

I don't know them all, but recognize many who have been at MU a long time.

[TedBaxter]

I went into the bios and there were two others besides Larry Williams who were hired during this regime.

This is probably the best thing that could have happened to the university. I've been in the working world where new people want to come in and change things, but they don't take the time to understand the culture, the people or what is working and they typically don't last long.

[Goose85]

By the time next school years starts, I think Broeker and Buzz Williams will be the only constant. I think Larry Williams will be the AD at a school that has football.

[TheSultan]

She was pretty much universally disliked by the people in the administration that were left over from Father Wild's time. Sultan I thought you seemed to have contacts in the administration because of your consistent support, but I am sorry the people I have talked to are not just athletic people these are VP's and top donor alumni that I have talked to in person, and to a person I heard dissatisfaction when talking about DiStanislao. I am not trying to get into another Pilarz and Larry Williams bashing but there are VERY high levels of dissatisfaction. BTW I would be extremely surprised if Larry Williams does not accept another job before the start of next school year, and possibly before that. He will not be fired but I believe from what I have heard that he is looking.


Well, a couple of the people I knew there weren't all that high up. I knew nothing about her, but I appreciate the explanation.

I have no doubt that LW is polishing up his resume. I think he would be a fool not to.

[Litehouse]

By the time next school years starts, I think Broeker and Buzz Williams will be the only constant. I think Larry Williams will be the AD at a school that has football.

I hear Texas is looking for a new AD.

[Goose85]

I hear Texas is looking for a new AD.

Now he would be a perfect fit at Texas for MU basketball fans.

[MU_Iceman]

UW-Whitewater's AD just left recently. Aren't they still looking for an AD?? They have football...VERY good football. That is more the level becoming LW.

[TulsaWarrior]

I would support any and all efforts to land Larry Williams the Texas AD position.

[MU88]

I heard Oliver Luck is the top candidate at Texas. I doubt he would have Buzz at the top of his list.

There will be some openings at football schools, so Williams will have opportunities, if he wants them. I don't think Tulane would be interested, though. :)

[warriorfan4life]

I expect Larry to move on, but likely to a non-football school. Even though he is an ex-football player, he has been quoted as being skeptical about the long-term viability of the sport (a take that I agree with him about).

[WarriorOMalley82]

I expect Larry to move on, but likely to a non-football school. Even though he is an ex-football player, he has been quoted as being skeptical about the long-term viability of the sport (a take that I agree with him about).

I actually have heard that he is looking and talking to football schools.

[warriorfan4life]

I actually have heard that he is looking and talking to football schools.

So much for that thought. If he thought Buzz was an issue, just wait till he meets football head coaches. I'd also love to see the reaction of football fans about some of the quotes I referred to in the previous post.

[TheSultan]

So much for that thought. If he thought Buzz was an issue, just wait till he meets football head coaches. I'd also love to see the reaction of football fans about some of the quotes I referred to in the previous post.


It really depends on where he goes. Someone mentioned Tulane not being a possibility, but a school like Tulane would probably be a good fit.

[MU_Iceman]

It really depends on where he goes. Someone mentioned Tulane not being a possibility, but a school like Tulane would probably be a good fit.


Whitewater would be better. Although as a Warhawks fan, I don't really want Larry's egomaniacal ways infiltrating that program.

[kneelb4zerg]

https://twitter.com/muathletics/status/388824224238170112

Not sure if this was meant to be funny, but it made me laugh.

[eastly]

Me, too. Larry looks sort of lost and lonely, standing there like a wallflower.

[AbovetheRim]

https://twitter.com/muathletics/status/388824224238170112

Not sure if this was meant to be funny, but it made me laugh.

Doesn't that picture say it all? Can't you just enivsion him looking at his watch, thinking, how long do I have to be here to make it look good. Oh, wait. I was next to him watching (no pun intended) that very thing happen. I wanted to snap a picture but my wife, who is privy to this board, stopped me from doing so. Talk about a guy caught in no man's land. I wish I could empathize with him. Karma?

[2012Warrior]

He was looking at his phone during the Otule part. I hate to quote ESPN but C'mon man. That was the highlight of madness. Even if you have something against Buzz (might be going too far) at least give your full attention to a kid who has given everything to your program for six years.

Edit: because typing on a phone at night doesn't seem to work the greatest.

[MUBasketball]

Just blows my mind. Broeker was all over the place mingling with everybody, Larry looked completely disinterested. Maybe just trying to stay out of spotlight similar to Cords? (Trying to see it from his perspective and cut him some slack...trying)

[warriorfan4life]

Just blows my mind. Broeker was all over the place mingling with everybody, Larry looked completely disinterested. Maybe just trying to stay out of spotlight similar to Cords? (Trying to see it from his perspective and cut him some slack...trying)

I think the former will be our AD in fairly short order.

[unclejohn]

but I am going to give Larry a little bit of the benefit of the doubt. I do not think he is solely responsible with any tension with Buzz, as some speculate, and I think he might have done a far better job than some of you suspect.

I do not know what his situation is right now. Some here and elsewhere have suggested that his days might be numbered. If the guy who hired him, and who was his rabbi, as it were, just left, he might well be looking elsewhere. If that is the case, one could hardly blame him for avoiding the spotlight right now. Personally, he has never struck me as being arrogant or stand-offish. I met him in the press room shortly after he was hired, and he smiled, shook my hand, and said, "Hi, I'm Larry." Not exactly a guy who refuses to meet with or talk to people. He is not the back-slapping type, but I have usually seen him as polite and friendly.

For all the criticism he and Pilarz have taken around here, it appears that they were fairly active in the decision of the C-7 to split off and become the NBE. To anybody who watched their press conference, and watched Larry cheering for Butler to knock off Ix4 on national TV that day, it was clear that he was a lot more than a spectator in the process. I do not doubt he had a fair amount to do with how the conference wound up. If that was all he did during his tenure, that wouldn't be so bad.

Personnel decisions are tricky things. It appears that Larry was Pilarz' boy, and carried out his orders. That might make it difficult for him to get along now with Buzz and whoever the next president is, and it would not be unusual for the next president to want his own team in place. But I think many people view the guy as the devil, and I think that is unfair.

[Phantom Warrior]

UJ,

I have no idea what has gone on behind the scenes. However, I do know that LW definitely threw Buzz under the bus a couple of times publicly when there was no need for it, almost as if he were going out of his way to chastise Buzz.

The West Virginia two-step comes to mind immediately. LW's public comments were ridiculous and served no purpose other than to put Buzz in a bad light.

He also rubbed me the wrong way when his first public comments after getting the job included his statement that he hoped to make Buzz a better coach. I know one or two posters have tried to justify those remarks, but I think they were way, way out of line.

Over my professional career I worked for a few principals and head of schools (headmasters) who came into the position new. It would be like one of them coming into a faculty meeting for the first time and saying, "I hope I can help make (so and so) a better department chair person."

Then there was Buzz's suspension. I have no problem with his being suspended for a game, meaning you can't be on the sideline engaged in coaching. But to keep him from any contact with his players or coaches for 48 hours? Please! That was overkill and served no constructive purpose other than to "put Buzz in his place." (My quotation marks.) In fact, coming at the very start of the conference season, not having the head coach work with his players or coaches is detrimental to the development of the team.

The impression LW gave in these - and a few other instances - was "I'm the boss, and I'm going to keep you in line."

LW deserved the scorn and animosity expressed on this board by numerous posters. He earned it. I wish him a speedy journey out of town.

[TulsaWarrior]

I have been pretty negative about Father Pilarz and Larry Williams. It was not personal but a sense that their actions were damaging Marquette -- perhaps in a permanent way. Fundraising was down -- that helps drive resources for academics and the general health of the school. The emerging public split between Coach Buzz and the AD was becoming a national story. As an outsider it appeared Pilarz was a bad fit for Marquette and the new AD was stuck with a boss whose intentions were good but didn't know how to manage people. The AD needed a mentor who could help him make the transition. Both men are clearly extremely bright but as top administrators lack people and management skills. Working in higher ed I have seen more than my share of that -- administrators who have a long list of degrees but no real management/people skills. Perhaps Pilarz realized that he was much better suited to teach? There are different skills needed for that role and in my opinion a higher calling than being an administrator. Larry Williams still can be a top notch AD with the right mentoring and a ability to grow. The question is can he and others he has supervised make a new beginning?

[Gato78]

I recently spoke at length and quite candidly with two Jesuits--one was really dishing. There is no question that the issue with Fr. P. was his approach to fund raising. I also got the very strong impression that there wasn't a strong bond between Fr. P. and the "Wisconsin Province" Jesuits. They are men of faith and love, mind you, and I am sure they would have preferred to see Fr. P. successful. They will not personally criticize him. However, the professional criticism was that one needs to "work the room" and enjoy meeting and talking to people and that Fr. P. did not enjoy this. I say this because this is exactly what seems to be lacking with Larry. I am certain the Jesuits have taken notice.

[TheSultan]

he was looking at his phobe duribg the Otule part.I hate to quote espn but C'mon man. that was the highlight of madness. even if you have sonething against Buzz (might be going too far) at least give your full attention to a kid who has given everything to your program for six years


It seems fairly evident that this wasn't the job that LW thought he was signing up for. Good guy, but a bad fit.