Parker Named Advisor To CSU President
Originally appeared in Coloradan
Written by CSU beat writer Kevin Lytle
Joe Parker is out as the athletic director at Colorado State.
CSU President Amy Parsons announced the move Monday afternoon, saying Parker "will step back from his role" and "become a special advisor to the President's Office."
Parsons announced John Weber, formally the executive director of the Green and Gold Guard, will step in as the interim athletic director. CSU did not name a timeline for hiring a permanent athletic director.
CSU had large success in many Olympic sports during Parker's tenure but consistently struggled in football, which is the driver of all the recent realignment in college sports. The Rams went 40-63 in football under three different head coaches during Parker's tenure.
Parker was hired in March 2015.
He signed a five-year extension in 2022 to carry through 2027. He receives a base salary of $439,192 annually through the extension, according to the contract. CSU's online salary database lists his annual salary at $474,986. It's unclear how Parker's move to an advisory role will impact his compensation.
Parker came to CSU after serving as the deputy athletics director at Texas Tech (Big 12) since 2011. He also has served as senior associate athletic director at the University of Michigan (Big 10), the University of Oklahoma (Big 12), Washington State University (Pac-12) and the University of Texas (Big 12).
Here is a look at some of the notable events during Parker's time at CSU:
CSU's on-campus football stadium opened for its first game in 2017, with a sellout opening-day win over Oregon State.
In April 2018, CSU and Public Service Credit Union signed a $37.7 million naming rights deal for the new stadium, which became Canvas Stadium following a rebrand by the credit union.
CSU won 24 Mountain West titles under Parker, second-most among any program in the league.
Former men's basketball coach Larry Eustachy was forced out in 2018 and CSU agreed to pay him $750,000 as part of the separation agreement. Eustachy was twice investigated by the school for his treatment of players before he left in what was called a "resignation" by the school.
Niko Medved was hired as the new men's basketball coach in 2018, and the program has steadily improved, leading to an NCAA Tournament berth in 2022 and David Roddy being a first-round NBA pick in 2022. Medved received an extension after that season and the Rams are a likely NCAA Tournament team in 2024.
Football coach Mike Bobo was given a three-year extension following the 2017 regular season. CSU went 3-9 the following season, then 4-8 in 2019. Bobo was fired with a $1.825 million settlement following the 2019 season.
CSU hired former Boston College coach Steve Addazio in December 2019, less than two weeks after he was let go at BC. In summer 2020, CSU athletes and staffers reported violations of COVID protocols within the football program. There were also allegations of racial insensitivity within the athletic department and football program. CSU went 1-3 in Addazio's first season, shortened by COVID-19. The Rams went 3-9 in 2021, and Addazio was ejected in the final game in the last of several viral moments during the season. He was then fired shortly after the season ended. CSU's buyout to Addazio was $3 million but reduced by his salary as an assistant at Texas A&M.
Jay Norvell was hired in December 2021 as the new football coach, as he was poached from conference foe Nevada.
CSU remodeled locker rooms at Moby Arena for the men's and women's basketball teams, a $7 million renovation.
CSU upgraded the softball field ahead of last season. The soccer complex is also undergoing changes with the field expected to be ready to play in fall of 2024.
Several sports have also changed coaches in recent years: volleyball, soccer, cross country, men's golf, women's golf and women's tennis.
Below are details per the extension Parker signed in 2022. It's unclear if any of the termination clauses below would apply to Parker's move into an advisory role.
Base salary: $439,192
Termination without cause by CSU: Parker would be owed $750,000 if fired between Jan. 1, 2024, and Dec. 31, 2024. He would be owed $500,000 if fired between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2025. He would be owed $250,000 if fired between Jan. 1, 2026, and Dec. 31, 2026.
Termination by Parker: If Parker breaks the contract, he would owe CSU $100,000 if it occurs between Jan. 1, 2024, and Dec. 31, 2026. The amount owed would be $75,000 if he leaves between Jan. 1, 2027, and Dec. 31, 2027.
What Parsons said about Parker
In her email to the CSU community, Parsons wrote:
"Joe has been instrumental to all our athletics programs’ success during his tenure. Under his leadership, the Rams have won 24 Mountain West Conference championships and established record-setting achievement in the classroom. Our facilities are now among the nation’s elite, our fundraising continues to grow, and we are recognized as a rising national athletics powerhouse. Joe is a leader at the conference and national levels in several areas of critical importance, including student-athlete success, fair competition and NCAA compliance. We thank Joe, Jen and their family for their commitment to the CSU community."