Editorial: Give Kaler a break on Maturi decision

With a promise of less bureaucracy and a faster pace of innovation, University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler appeared determined to shake up the status quo when he arrived on campus in July of last year.

Those who thought the state's treasured research university had grown slow-footed and administratively bloated welcomed the new businesslike focus on efficiency, productivity and quality. No surprise, then, that Kaler's recent decision to retain Athletic Director Joel Maturi as a "special assistant" to the president for one year -- with a salary and benefits package of about $468,000 for a fundraising and teaching position -- caused a minor uproar.

Critics argue that the decision smacks of institutional arrogance. How could Kaler possibly sign off on such a deal, especially in these tight times when tuition keeps rising and state funds are scarce? Speculation on how the agreement came about quickly turned conspiratorial. Maturi must have raised a stink about not receiving a contract extension, some critics said, while others claimed Kaler was simply trying to take care of a new buddy with a maroon-and-gold parachute.

The critics -- including opportunistic legislators -- should cut Kaler some slack. On closer examination, the decision makes perfect sense for a budget-challenged athletic department. It's also consistent with the president's stated belief that academic and athletic excellence go hand-in-hand, and that the U in general needs to "pick up the pace."

Although Maturi's hiring of Tim Brewster to run the football program was a disaster -- and many expected more from basketball coach Tubby Smith by now -- the AD is a skilled fundraiser whose top accomplishment at the U was TCF Bank Stadium, a first-class campus football facility that serves as a foundation for coach Jerry Kill's rebuilding efforts. He also deserves credit for his support for nonrevenue sports and women's athletics at the U.

Kaler has emphasized that Maturi, who helped raise $160 million in private money for athletics in his 10 years as AD, will focus on fundraising during the one-year stint. It takes rainmaking skills and connections to pry money from wealthy alumni and friends of the university -- Maturi helped raise $9 million for athletic scholarships in fiscal 2011 alone -- and by keeping the AD on board, the U can at least attempt to keep pace in the Big Ten's sports arms race while it searches for his replacement.

The list of athletic department needs and wants is long and pricey: a new baseball stadium, a practice facility for the basketball program, and renovation of Williams Arena, to name a few. Are any of these necessary? Not if the U wants to raise the white flag and be a perennial bottom-feeder in the Big Ten.

To cover the cost of Maturi's position, Kaler will tap a discretionary fund that U presidents have used for a decade. The fund is supported by the University of Minnesota Foundation, the university's private fundraising arm, and not from tuition revenue or taxpayer dollars. These kinds of discretionary funds are common in higher education across the country. Former U President Robert Bruininks spent almost $2 million during his last three years in office on a variety of projects, from therapeutic horseback riding for disabled children to a study on the U's impact on the state's economy.

Kaler's use of the discretionary fund for the Maturi position is unusual only because he is choosing to use so much of it on one project. However, it's likely that the return on investment with Maturi will be significantly higher than that of an economic impact study. That's likely why Kaler gambled on the PR hit he surely knew he would take over this decision.

Kaler could have avoided the second-guessing by plodding along with a lame-duck athletic director as he searched for a replacement. But he wouldn't have been true to his commitment to build a first-rate athletic department. Instead, he chose to use Maturi's skills to provide fundraising momentum and leadership continuity.