University Daily Kansan
Wednesday, August 22, 1979
5B
Howlett begins athletic job with state tour
By ELLEN IWAMOTO
Sports Writer
Assistant Athletic Director Phyllis Howlett had barely settled in ner office in Parrott Athletic Center in early June when she began traveling around the state.
"I've been spending a lot of time out in the state meeting present group groups," she said. "It's been a while since the athletic department was done with that, and the people were very appreciative."
Howlett was hired in April to replace former assistant athletic director Jerry Waugh. Waugh resigned in March to join the Alvamar Corporation in Lawrence.
"being new to the state of Kansas, the trips gave me an excellent opportunity to learn more about where places are on the map," she said. "So when coaches talk about various places, I'll have a headache."
THE VISTES WITH athletic department administrators and coaches were made in conjunction with the University of Kansas Alumni Association.
Howlett said that the traveling took a lot of time and energy, but that it was fun and well worth it.
board for the athletic program was really exciting," she said. "You come back home feeling that you are supported and that you have a chance to watch and watching what goes on here."
Before coming to KU, Howlett spent five years as assistant men's athletic director at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
She said she thought her job experience at Drake had been an "awfully good training program" that provided her with a solid background in athletic administration.
"IT WAS A SMALL department in a a
difficult athletic district, and I had to do everything.
I said 'I had the good fortune to have been involved in fund raising, promotions, ticket
buying.'"
Howlett said the basic rules and agreements of KU's athletic department merger had been completed when she arrived.
The merger, effective day 1, was made to comply with part of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare's Title IQ guidelines. Those guidelines require equal athletic opportunities for men and women at institutions that receive federal funding.
athletic departments right after she left and a number of departments around the country had merged within the past two years.
"I think what's happened is a realization on the part of the institutions' administrations that separate but equally works," she said. "The way to insure that institutions have concluded, is by one set of rules and one administrative force."
WHEN ATLETHIC DEPARTMENTS began merging. Howlett said, she had her reservations about combining men's and women's athletics.
"I thought you've got to keep them separate because their goals are different," she said. "But I totally disagree with that." The woman well intended, is not equal, ever.
She said the merger had had little effect on her responsibilities.
"I knew before I came back I would have non-revenue sports across the board, so essentially what has changed" he said.
Working with non-revenue sports such as tennis, golf, cross country and swimming is frustrating. Howlett said, because there is never enough money for them.
"YOU'RE ASKING COACHES to go out and produce without a whole lot of inducements," she said. "Your salaries are very high, and travel budgets aren't very high."
Howlett, who was picked from a field of 27 male candidates, said that she was interested in the total athletic program.
"But we're fortunate because we have some coaches who are capable and can make their dollars stretch about as far as they can." This explains the success we've had in that area.
She said she would not be pushing for changes in the department.
"I would be foolish to come to a program like this, which is successful, and think that I am going to revolutionize it in some way," she said. "Especially when you're already "winning championships" and have an excellent group of coaches and athletes."
"THAT'S WHAT WE'RE up here for—those athletes," she said. "So I consider what we've done here this summer as all preliminary to the main event."
Howlett said she thought she was "a terrible athlete" herself.
"But I'm smart enough to know how bad I am, so don't inflict it upon a lot of other people," she said. "If I bring skills to the University of Kansas, it's not that of a participant, but that of an administrator. I hope those skills are evident."
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