Tom Mitchell’s new job still involves getting people to donate money, only now the task will be a little harder.

Mitchell will temporarily replace Tom Montiegel, former vice president for Development and University Relations. Montiegel resigned in April to head up fundraising for the Evans Scholars program.

Mitchell began his new position May 11.

A nationwide search will begin in about six to eight months to find a replacement for Montiegel. Mitchell said he will decide then whether he wants to run for the job on a permanent basis.

NIU President John La Tourette said NIU is required by its regulations to have a nationwide search.

Mitchell was in charge of raising funds for athletics before being moved to his new position.

La Tourette said he split Montiegel’s old duties because he did not have enough time to raise outside funding for the university.

Mitchell has an assistant, Michael Malone, who will head the NIU Office of Public Information, printing and publications and Northern Public Radio.

La Tourette said it is “important to relieve (Mitchell) of internal responsibility.

“It’s not easy to raise outside funding,” he said.

La Tourette said Malone will be more involved with public relations.

Mitchell said La Tourette’s rearrangement of the vice presidential duties “was a stroke of genius on (La Tourette’s) part.”

“He reevaluated the structure and put us in a position of strength,” he said.

Mitchell said the primary focus of his job is “identification and the solicitation of major gifts in support of the priorities at NIU.”

In the future, he said he will focus on continued involvement of support with the Hoffman Estates center, work with the College of Business, work on the centennial campaign and work for the advancement of the athletics facilities.

Mitchell still is involved with fundraising for athletics.

He said gifts for NIU “will be at an all-time high.” He also said that private support will take the place (of government money) if universities’ money is cut.”

La Tourette said if the splitting of the duties is successful, he will keep the system.

The search for the new vice president will begin in late summer or early fall.