www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/college/7331067.htmlCommentary
TSU AD has stamp of a winner
By RICHARD JUSTICE
Copyright 2010 Houston Chronicle
Dec. 8, 2010, 10:34PMTexas Southern's success on the football field reflects a larger feel-good story, and that story includes someone who hasn't made a tackle or called a play this season.
Charles McClelland is the school's 38-year-old athletic director, hired by TSU president Dr. John Rudley 21/2 years ago to clean up a program smothered in scandal and red ink.
As TSU tries to win its first Southwestern Athletic Conference football championship in 42 years on Saturday, there are plenty of other reasons for optimism.
"Dr. Rudley laid out a vision and a philosophy," McClelland said. "He wants to use our athletic program to help build the reputation of our entire university."First, Rudley wanted the basics taken care of. He wanted winning teams on the field, but he also wanted better graduation rates, dorms and student services. In short, he wanted to be able to look parents in the eye and tell them their child would be taken care of if he or she came to TSU.
"Before we even got to the competitive part on the field, there were a lot of things we had to do," McClelland said. "Our student-athletes weren't being advised properly. We were not getting them their books on time. The housing situation wasn't where it was supposed to be. We had a lot of them who couldn't eat because we didn't do the proper paperwork with the dining hall. In order for us to get a healthy, happy student-athlete on the field, we had to take care of all of the issues off the field."
Action plan
There's still work to do, but there has been amazing progress. McClelland brought in a friend in the Mountain West Conference to do an audit and give recommendations. He then hired an NCAA official to implement the recommendations. Since then, tutors and advisers have been hired, and graduation rates are up from 35 to 42 percent. New coaches are in place, dorms have been upgraded, and facilities are being rebuilt.
"We have a plan to have our graduation rate at 70 percent in five years, and we're on track to do that," McClelland said. "At the end of the day, that's how we'll all be judged. We revamped academic enhancement. We purchased two buses and have Internet connectivity on those buses to use the laptops we just purchased. I really think our student-athletes are happy."
And after years of losing on the field, there is winning afoot. TSU's baseball team set a school record for victories. The softball team had its best year in a decade. Women's basketball had its best season in 15 years.
Most important of all, TSU will play Alabama State in Saturday's SWAC Championship Game in Birmingham.
"All of our programs are starting to get to the level we want them," McClelland said.
Change isn't free. TSU students agreed to an athletics fee that added $2.1 million to the budget. Corporate donations rose from $30,000 the year before McClelland arrived to $1.2 million.
McClelland's best day was when Oliver Luck phoned. McClelland had just resigned the athletic director's job at Prairie View and was taking a few days off before starting his gig at Texas Southern.
Stadium godsend
Luck was president of the Dynamo at the time and deep into negotiations to build a downtown stadium. He told McClelland that new facility might be perfect for TSU.
"It was a blessing from God that we could have the use of an $85 million stadium," McClelland said. "Texas Southern will have the best facility in the SWAC and one of the best facilities in this city. It says we are a significant player. It allows us not to be a transient team and not have to pay these exorbitant rental costs. Now I have my own stadium. I don't have to go play Rutgers and Connecticut to bring in money. I can generate more revenue."
McClelland said he stresses two things to his coaches: winning and integrity.
"We have to be good role models," he said. "Sometimes that means showing tough love. Make sure the kids go to classes. Don't allow shortcuts."
Several times during our interview, McClelland returned to the point of his job. That if TSU doesn't win and graduate its kids, nothing else matters.
"We've changed our admission standards," he said. "We're not just going to take anyone. You've got to be of high character and have academics as your No. 1 priority. We're going to be competitive, too. That's also part of why we do this."
richard.justice@chron.com