On the same day the University of Wisconsin named Shawn Eichorst as its new athletics director, the Urban League of Greater Madison requested a formal review of the UW's hiring process, citing concerns about whether the search followed established policies.
As reported by Madison ABC affiliate WKOW, Ruben L. Anthony Jr., president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Madison, asked in a letter Wednesday that the university's Office of Human Resources clarify and provide documentation on several aspects of the search. The letter, co-signed by three others, raises questions about whether the process adhered to equal-opportunity standards and required search-and-screen procedures.
Eichorst, who is White, was most recently the deputy AD and chief operating officer at Texas. He previously served as athletics director at Nebraska and Miami. The Wisconsin native worked for the Badgers from 2006 to 2011 as deputy AD under Barry Alvarez. He also holds a law degree from Marquette and is a UW-Whitewater football alum who later served as athletics director there, WKOW's Chad Thompson reported.
Deputy athletics director and chief operating officer Marcus Sedberry, who is Black, had served as Wisconsin's interim athletics director beginning in April 2026, after Chris McIntosh resigned to take a position in the Big Ten Conference office.
Per Thompson, the Urban League is asking for details on the initial screening process, including the criteria used to determine which applicants advanced. They also want information on evaluation and scoring methods, such as rubrics and standardized interview questions provided to the search committee.
"Anthony's letter specifically asks whether UW System Administrative Policy 1275 and UW–Madison search procedures were fully followed," Thompson reported. "The group also wants to know if any conflicts of interest, procedural deviations or irregularities occurred that may have affected the fairness of the recruitment."
UW System Administrative Policy 1275 provides a framework for merit-based hiring across all Universities of Wisconsin campuses. It establishes guidelines for fair, diverse and inclusive recruitment, alongside strict protocols for misconduct reference checks and reviewing personnel files of former state employees before job offers are made.
"Our goal is not to challenge the University's authority, but to ensure that the hiring process reflects the transparency, equity, fairness, compassion, and integrity expected of a public institution," Anthony wrote.
The letter also asks the university to conduct a procedural review to confirm whether the search was conducted in accordance with policy and state law. If a qualified candidate was improperly or prematurely excluded, the group wants information on what corrective or remedial options may be available, according to Thompson.
