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Livengood: we can do better

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat

Wildcat: Are you satisfied with the graduation rate of student-athletes at 56 percent right now?

Livengood: Well, that's inaccurate. It's not 56 percent, it's 62 percent. I saw that in the paper the other day, and I don't know where that came from. Institutional Research does all of the graduation rates and they have to be sent in and they have to be certified, so athletics doesn't do it at all. The graduation rate that was just posted here this past summer for the class that entered in '92-'93, the graduation rate for student-athletes was 62 percent, which is up from 54 percent last year, which is a pretty good hike. I'm pleased with the direction we're going. Am I happy that that's where it's at? No, we want it to be a lot higher than that, but we're certainly headed in the right direction. That puts us right now about third in the Pac-10, which puts us in the upper echelon, so we're continuing to climb. Our football program is at 69 percent, which is second or third in the Pac-10 as well, so we're heading in the right direction and I like that. But, we obviously have set our goals much higher for this year.

W: Does the UA have any programs right now to improve that number?

L: Oh yeah, we have a lot of them. We have a tremendous academic support unit - we've got wonderful staff working on that. We have a coaching staff that's committed to that. Realize the NCAA figures graduation rates a little different than some people would. It's a six year average. Thus, for example, the most recent was the student-athletes that entered in '92-'93. If you don't graduate in six years - if you transfer somewhere else - you're not counted. You're counted as having started, so that lowers the rate.

Our rates will continue to grow because it's important to our staff and for the coaches, and we've got a great support staff. And, what you're going to find is that since '92-'93 we've become much more active in that area, so seemingly each year, unless we have a blip for some reason - just a year where we don't achieve - our graduation rates should continue to climb. Sometimes not more than two or three percent, but that's a pretty healthy climb from last year, that eight percent. Our expectation would be it will continue to climb, so yes, I'm very pleased with the direction and with the academic support we're supplying right now.

W: There have been a lot of complaints about students not having a student's section at basketball games. I know that the athletic department has a commitment to UA alumni, but is there something that can be done to make more of a home-court advantage?

L: That's a really tough question and I think it's a question that needs to be asked continually. We work with the student body officers each year on that. Quite honestly, in the six years I've been here, we've addressed that very slowly, but we've slowly moved students down. It's really hard because it's kind-of a double-edged sword right there. We have alums who have had those seats for a long time so it's really not fair to move them out of there.

At the same time, we'd like to move the students closer. That's going to happen over time. It's probably going to take a lot longer than you being a student here and me being an athletic director here, but over time, our goal is, and I made that commitment six years ago, that as we had seats open up, we would start moving students into those areas. I would like to see students closer to the floor. I don't want it to create an atmosphere - I don't want to say like Duke because I'm not being critical - but I don't want to create an atmosphere where we have a security problem, because a lot of schools have gone the bad way... and found now they've had to change that. We had tremendous problems at Oregon last year where (students) had to move and clear out three or four rows to give a buffer... because it got out of hand. I think our students are very active.

My biggest thing right now is trying to create a way where we can get more students in the arena. That's just hard to do because it's one of those things that's very cyclical. Right now, while (you are) here, (you are) going to be here four, five, or maybe six years. Let's say you're here six years. For those six years, that becomes very important as an undergrad - getting in McKale and seeing basketball games... Well guess what, the next year after you get out, all of a sudden now, you're attitude is going to change. After that, you become an alum. You can no longer get student seats. So it changes with every class going through... It's a harder dynamic than just saying 'Lets clear out a section or let's open up 100 seats.'

W: How hard was it to follow in the footsteps of Cedric Dempsey, one of the greatest athletic directors in the country?

L: You know, it was hard. Cedric is a dear friend and he was a great A.D. here. He did a great job here, but I never looked at it that way. If I had to come here and this was my first A.D. job, that probably would have been very threatening... but I had been an A.D. at two other schools and I had a lot of confidence. I didn't have all the answers... but I had a lot of confidence and I felt that I knew what I was doing so I never ever thought about it that way.

I've been asked that question a lot of times by different people, not necessarily media people, but I've been asked that a lot. I never thought of it in that way. I thought of it in the way that I want to honor all of the things that Ced did, but at the same time we want to get better... because he would want that too. And the next person who comes after me, I would want them to want to get better. I didn't come here with the idea of saying, 'You know what, if I can just keep it at the same level Ced did...and keep it on auto-pilot...' No, we want to get better.

W: Last year you received the award from the National Association of Collegiate Directors as the athletic director of the year. Was that a reflection on you, the university, or both?

L: I think yes. All the above. It was the first time the award had been established. It was established to... follow in the footsteps of the coach of the year award... It's especially rewarding in the sense that your colleagues pick it. It's not done by media or anything like that, so it's actually colleagues who have a sense of what the job is all about.

W: Were the colleagues other A.D.'s around the country?

L: Other A.D.'s, presidents, faculty members and so on, so people who really understand... It really is an honor for me, the university, our department - it's for everybody. You don't get those kinds of things if your program is not going really good... The university believes in athletics... In the athletic department we've got coaches busting their tail and student-athletes working hard, so the answer is yes, it really is everybody.

W: In your six years here, is there one moment that stands out as the highlight of your tenure?

L: The moment most people would say probably is basketball in Indianapolis (Men's 1996-97 NCAA Basketball Championship), but I don't think so. That was a great moment and I loved it, but I think the moments I enjoy the most...tend to be at our senior student-athlete banquet at the end of April each year. It allows me to focus more on why we are here and it's just a neat, neat time. We take one night and honor all of our seniors in every sport. To me, that's the most fun. That's the essence of why we're here. It's a way of saying thank you to our seniors... I enjoy the championships - the championships are great in every sport we have - but I think (the banquet) brings it all together.

W: How long do you see yourself staying here? Do you have any timeline?

L: Boy, that's a tough one. I have not been asked that - ever. I don't see myself anywhere else. I love Arizona, I love Tucson and I love the UA. If we're doing well and certainly the university is happy and the president, I just signed a five-year contract last year, so I'm very happy and love the direction of Pete Likins... At some point, there is a little bit of me that has aspirations along the pro lines - a general manager-type of position.

W: Any sport in particular?

L: Probably football. Football or basketball. But that's just a little part of me. Right now I couldn't be happier. Like I said, I love what the University of Arizona represents, I love talking with recruits and parents and talking about this great university and what kind of education their son or daughter could get, and then following it up and talking about our athletic program. I love being able to talk to the parents of prospective student-athletes that we're not just a football power or a basketball power, but of all 19 sports, 17 of 19 last year were in NCAA championship play. This is a great place to be.