If you want to speak your piece about what qualities UAA should target in hiring a new hockey head coach, the school's supplemental search committee will listen Monday night.
UAA on Thursday announced the supplemental committee has scheduled a meeting for 7 p.m. Monday in Room 307 of the UAA/APU Consortium Library. That part of the meeting -- before the committee goes into executive session to review applicants -- is open to the public.
Bill Spindle, UAA's vice chancellor for administrative services, said supplemental committee chairman John Stalvey, dean of UAA's college of arts and sciences, will give the public an overview of the search process, then open the floor to comments from the public.
"What we're looking for is, 'What qualities are you looking for in a hockey coach that will help (committee members) in their decision?' '' Spindle said.
In executive session, the six-man committee -- the group also includes Seawolves hockey founder and former head coach Brush Christiansen, three former players and a Seawolves supporter -- will review applicants.
The job that became open when the school on March 29 fired Dave Shyiak after eight seasons is open to applicants until 5 p.m. Friday.
An initial search committee of four UAA employees named four finalists, who remain in the running for the job to direct UAA's Division I flagship sport. Those finalists have already visited town for interviews and public forums.
But, in the wake of blow-back from Seawolves hockey alumni and the hockey community over the lack of a hockey person on the original search committee, UAA chancellor Tom Case earlier this month halted the search. The school subsequently appointed the supplemental committee, reopened the job to applicants and tweaked the criteria so that it might attract candidates who did not meet initial requirements.
The supplemental committee was directed to review not only new applicants, but also all initial candidates and determine if any merit being finalists.
Once the supplemental committee reviews all applicants and names any other finalists, all finalists will be invited to visit town for interviews and public forums. UAA said it hopes to announce its entire list of finalists by May 30 and has previously said it hopes to hire a new coach by June 15.
There are currently two openings for head coaches, at UAA and Maine, among 59 Division I teams in the country.
Find Doyle Woody's blog at adn.com/hockeyblog or call him at 257-4335.
By DOYLE WOODY