Timeline:
- Dec. 31st: Jim Weaver will retire
- Jan. 1st: Senior Assoc. AD Sharon McCloskey will become interim AD
- Feb. 1st: VT hopes to appoint new AD by this date
Principals involved:
- Jim Weaver: retiring AD
- Sharon McCloskey: will be interim AD effective Jan. 1st
- Ray Smoot: will direct search for replacement
- Charles Steger: current school president; will probably still be president when new AD is hired
- New school president (currently unknown): will be consulted on the hire, if hired/appointed in time
More Details:
Weaver's retirement is effective Dec. 31, 2013. His contract runs through Dec. 2015, but he is stepping down early due to health issues.
VT President Charles Steger did not force Weaver to step down. Weaver made up his mind "about a month ago," when notified that he would need surgery on both hips soon.
Senior Assoc. AD Sharon McCloskey will be interim AD starting Jan. 1, until a new AD is hired. McCloskey was also interim AD between Dave Braine's departure and Weaver's arrival on 1997.
Ray Smoot, former chief executive officer of the Virginia Tech Foundation, will chair a national search for the next athletics director. Weaver will assist in the search (edit: will answer questions if asked, but will not be part of the search committee).
Steger hopes to complete the search by Feb. 1st. He said he will "consult with" the new school president when choosing an AD (implies that an announcement will be made about the new president before then; the Roanoke Times said Steger will consult with "him" -- implying perhaps that the new president will not be a woman).
Tom Gabbard or Frank Beamer will not succeed Weaver.
Sources:
Virginia Tech Athletic Director Jim Weaver to leave post -- hokiesports.com, Nov. 12, 2013 Health problems push Virginia Tech Athletic Director Jim Weaver to retire -- Roanoke Times, Nov. 13, 2012 Tech AD Jim Weaver to step down at year's end -- Richmond Times-Dispatch, Nov. 13, 2013