The University of Hawaii expects to select an athletic director by Dec. 6, according to its agreement for services contract with the Parker Executive Search firm.

Under terms of its contract with the Atlanta-based firm, obtained by the Star-Advertiser late Friday under the state’s open records law, UH will pay $60,000, plus up to $7,200 in expenses for the firm’s assistance in helping to select a successor to Jim Donovan as its athletic director.

Donovan was removed as AD on July 11 and later reassigned to a position in the Manoa chancellor’s office. UH vice president Rockne Freitas has served as acting athletic director since July 11.

The Parker firm is charged with helping to whittle down and vet the more than 100 applicants for the position. It also has been tasked with helping to "identify, encourage and actively recruit applicants, nominees and referrals and contact all potential candidates …" for the position, according to the seven-page contract.

UH earlier said it had planned to have a successor named by Nov. 1. But on Friday the university cited, "delays in the procurement process, particularly in the tax clearance requirements," as being "beyond UH’s control" and a major reason for the later date.­