UALR has named vice chancellor for university advancement Bob Denman as its interim athletic director and set a Jan. 1 target date to find a permanent replacement for former athletic director Chris Peterson, chancellor Joel E. Anderson announced Friday.
Denman's appointment comes 10 days after Peterson resigned Sept. 2. Though Peterson did not cite a reason for his resignation, a video recording was released by UALR on Sept. 3 that included audio of Peterson commenting on the appearance of a UALR women's soccer player's mother.
Denman, who has been at UALR since 2001 after an 11-year tenure at KARK-TV, will begin serving as interim athletic director while also continuing his advancement position on Monday.
Anderson said in Friday's release that he made the decision after consulting with all of UALR's head coaches.
"Vice Chancellor Denman can do more than keep the ship on a steady course," Anderson said in a school release. "He is already well acquainted with the Department of athletics, its fan base, and its donor base."
Anderson said he has yet to set a course for the permanent athletic director search.
"I am going to consult further with a variety of stakeholders before defining and initiating the process for identifying the next athletics director,"he said. "It is my hope to complete the consultation process by the end of this month and then appoint a search committee to move ahead."
Read Saturday’s Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.