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Eastern Washington University Football

Eastern Washington moves forward with process to replace departing athletic director

Eastern Washington University president Mary Cullinan, center, roots for the Eagles against Idaho, Friday, Jan 12, 2018 at Reese Court in Cheney, Wash. Next week she is expected to announce plans to form a search committee and name an interim replacement for departing athletic director Bill Chaves. (Dan Pelle / The Spokesman-Review)
By Jim Allen jima@spokesman.com

Eastern Washington is taking the first steps toward finding a new athletic director.

Beginning Friday afternoon, university president Mary Cullinan plans to meet with athletic department personnel, presumably to outline plans following Bill Chaves’ impending move to the University of North Dakota.

Sometime next week, Cullinan is expected to publicly announce formation of a search committee and an interim athletic director.

Following Chaves’ selection on Saturday by UND, Cullinan said that she will be working with Chaves immediately to implement a transition plan as the university begins the process of finding a new athletic director.

On Tuesday, EWU spokesman Dave Meany said that Cullinan expects to appoint a broad-based search committee that will include faculty, staff, students and others in the community.

Chaves’ official departure date is March 1, but he may leave before that date because of accrued vacation time.

“Need to finish out Eastern in a first-class way,” Chaves posted earlier this week on Twitter.