MORGANTOWN -- West Virginia University and Ed Pastilong announced Wednesday they'll honor the terms of a contract signed two years ago to send the longtime director of athletics into a two-year emeritus position beginning July 1.

University President Jim Clements said a national search for a replacement will begin later this month.

Pastilong, who joined the athletic department in 1976 and has been in his current position since 1989, was at the head of more than $85 million in facility renovations, the school's full-time membership in the Big East and a period in which the budget grew from $20 million to three times that today. He also introduced the Athletic Director's Academic Honor Roll and the athletic endowment fund, which has grown from $1 to $32 million.

"I'm pleased that I'll be sitting not as the director, but still helping in some capacity," Pastilong said. "I am very appreciative to the staff, to the coaches, to the student-athletes and to the fans. That's what makes a strong program and with this group I've just mentioned working together, we've been able to put together an athletic department that's competitive and that the people who follow it have enjoyed. It's been a nice run with a lot of nice people."

On Feb. 11, 2007, then-President Mike Garrison drafted an Employment Letter mapping out Pastilong's future and Pastilong signed it exactly one year later. When Garrison resigned in June 2008, the agreement was called into question. Pastilong was asked often if he'd be interested in revisiting the topic to either delay the emeritus date or removing the condition all together and he almost always answered he'd be open to staying. In December he told MetroNews' Hoppy Kercheval he'd be "receptive to maybe staying on another year, maybe two years, if (Clements) felt that was in the best interest of the athletic department and for WVU."

Privately, camps supporting Pastilong's exit and his staying in place formed and began pushing in opposite directions. Wednesday Clements said the decision was "solely mine as president of the institution" and there were "no outside influences." He said with Pastilong's help, the athletic department was in an ideal position to attract a list of qualified applicants and make the best hire possible.

When asked Wednesday, Pastilong wouldn't say if he wanted to stay on as director or change the emeritus date.

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