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Rutgers athletic director Julie Hermann said she'll soon announce her plans for the future of the department.

(William Perlman/The Star-Ledger)

CHERRY HILL — Julie Hermann recently finished her first year as Rutgers' athletic director.

While Hermann's tenure has been marred by a string of controversies, she's set to unveil a number of plans as Rutgers prepares to join the Big Ten on July 1.

"We know we have a ton of work to do," Hermann told fans at a stop on the 'R Big Tour' on Thursday night. "We have to lay this brick-by-brick. It's going to take the entire village. In about a month, we're going to start sending out a ton of information so you will know, first and foremost, what I've been up to for a year and what we're getting ready."

Hermann said one her top priorities is improving the fan experience at games.

"What I can promise you, one of the things we're working on most, is when you come see us at ball games, starting with High Point Solutions Stadium, you have a world-class, Disney World experience," Hermann said. "That's important to us."

Hermann, who has drawn negative headlines locally and nationally multiple times in the past year, has stressed at each tour stop her plan to increase the content produced on the athletic department's website.

"One thing we can't get our arms around is the fantastic media market we're in, so we're creating our own Rutgers channel so for those of you who love Rutgers can find out," Hermann said. "I love this media market because it took us to the Big Ten. There's no doubt about it. But we know we've got to do a better job, both as a university and as an athletic department, and we couldn't be more excited about that opportunity. What I can tell you is as we build it brick-by-brick, the one thing I promise you is that it doesn't matter how far they pull down on your athletic department, you will find out that we absolutely put our students first."

Hermann believes that Rutgers' treatment of its student-athletes will become a selling point to New Jersey recruits.

"That's one of the ways that we're going to convince New Jersey's finest to stay home because there's not going to be a better, more world-class opportunity, the chance to come to big-time academics, Big Ten athletics, Rutgers University," Hermann said. "That's how we're going to start to secure the borders."

Hermann, who has not been made available for media interviews during the tour, didn't elaborate on any other forthcoming plans. Presumably one project she will announce is the proposed major changes to the athletic facilities, as Gannett New Jersey reported two weeks ago.

Hermann's predecessor, Tim Pernetti, had plans to renovate the Rutgers Athletic Center, which is the home of the men's and women's basketball teams. Pernetti expected the work, which would have included a practice facility and other upgrades, to be completed during 2015 at a cost of approximately $30 million. Pernetti reportedly had raised $15 million for the project, but when he was forced to resign in the wake of the Mike Rice player abuse scandal, a lot of those pledges evaporated.

Hermann is moving in a different direction, according to the report. Hermann's plan calls for an "athletes' village" by High Point Solutions Stadium, with a new headquarters built for football and the addition of the much-needed basketball practice facility. The report estimated the cost of the project at "upwards of $60 million."

Those plans will be the first serious test of Hermann's fundraising ability. Sarah Baumgartner, who was hired by Hermann in December to lead the athletic department's fundraising, addressed fans on Thursday night and asked for support.

With the long-awaited inclusion in the Big Ten less than a month away, Hermann is gearing up.

"We wanted to be big-time and it's here, so we're getting Big Ten ready," Hermann said.