Yale University athletic director Vicky Chun has removed the office of Senior Associate Athletic Director for Student Services.
The position had been held by Brian Tompkins, hired by Yale Athletics in 1996 as men's soccer coach before taking the administrative post in 2014. While serving in the latter role, Tompkins was also the sports administrator for cross country, squash, track & field and sailing. He retired from coaching as the second-winningest men's soccer coach in school history.
“I am writing to let you know that due to an administrative reorganization within Yale Athletics, my position as Sr. Associate Director for Student Services has been eliminated, and therefore I will not be at Yale this fall,” Tompkins wrote in an email to board members of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee obtained by the Yale Daily News. “The new plan for student services will be revealed in due course, but in the meantime, please refer all SAAC-related business to Jason Strong.”
Strong told the News he will serve as a liaison to the SAAC this year, as he did last year. He highlighted many of the initiatives the group plans to sponsor — a welcome-back BBQ, study breaks, an end-of-year banquet and community service projects for student-athletes — but was unable to comment on any personnel changes, including Tompkins’ release.
Chun likewise has not offered an explanation for the shake-up. Arriving last year from Colgate, where she served in various capacities including volleyball coach and AD beginning in 1994, Chun so far has lured two Colgate administrators to her Yale staff as deputy directors — Anne-Marie Guglieri and Mary Berdo.
Employed by Yale for more than 20 years, Tompkins is the latest long-tenured official to leave the athletic department. He follows Henry Harutunian, who coached Yale fencing for 49 years before being fired amid controversy in April.
