Feb. 25, 2004

Seattle - Washington interim athletic director Dick Thompson announced today that he has retained the services of The Compliance Group to guide the Husky compliance department on an interim basis. Jane Mullens, a member of The Compliance Group's staff, will act as Washington's compliance director.

At the same time Thompson announced plans to hire a senior associate athletic director to supervise Washington's compliance department. The position will report directly to the athletic director and oversee the compliance department staff. In the past, the assistant athletic director for compliance reported to the Faculty Athletic Representative and the Senior Associate Athletic Director for Sports Programs and Student Services.

"The services of The Compliance Group will be a tremendous asset while we go about reorganizing the compliance department and filling the open positions," Thompson said. "Barbara Hedges retained The Compliance Group last fall to perform an audit of the department so they already have a working relationship with our staff. Jane Mullens has an extensive background in athletic administration, specifically compliance. We feel fortunate that she was available to oversee the department on a temporary basis, and at the same time, start to implement some of the recommendations The Compliance Group will present in their final report."

Prior to working for The Compliance Group, Mullens served as senior woman administrator, assistant athletics director for compliance, and compliance coordinator during her tenure at Maryland from 1996 to 2002. She was the compliance coordinator at Miami from 1994 to 1996. A Tacoma native, Mullens received a Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science from Western Washington University and a Master's of Science in Education/Sport Management from the University of Miami.

"I think the best possible management model for compliance is to elevate the director's position to that of a senior associate director," Thompson said. "That is not a universal approach, but with a department as large as the one at Washington, it is appropriate. Having the position report to the athletic director will certainly strengthen our department's overall commitment to the various and important areas that fall under compliance."

Washington is currently in the process of hiring two assistant compliance directors. Those positions became vacant earlier in the year when Merlene Aitken accepted a position at Kansas as the Jayhawks Compliance Coordinator. Jennifer Henderson left Washington to become the associate commissioner/general counsel for the Sun Belt Conference. Dana Richardson, Washington's compliance director since 1998, resigned earlier this month.

The Compliance Group provides an array of compliance and other services to intercollegiate athletics departments and conference offices. Founded by Chuck Smrt, a 17-year employee of the NCAA Enforcement Staff who coordinated the overall processing of major infractions cases, The Compliance Group provides these services utilizing Mr. Smrt, TCG staff, and alliances with nationally recognized experts and companies. The company is headquartered in Lenexa, Kansas.