Canzano: Meet the new guy... again and again and again

Pac-12 CEO Group gets a new board member.

Oregon has had four presidents in the last year. (Photo: Serena Morones)

John Karl Scholz officially started his new job at the president of the University of Oregon on July 1. That makes him the newest member of the Pac-12 CEO Group.

In fact, I’m told by a UO source that Scholz’s first duty was to start the job early and attend the conference’s board meeting on June 30. During that event, the remaining nine Pac-12 presidents and chancellors opened the fire hydrant and got the new guy up to speed.

Media rights negotiations.

Expansion decisions.

All that.

Scholz is the fourth representative from Oregon who has appeared in the board meetings in the last year. It’s difficult enough to sort through big decisions and foster solidarity amid a shifting college sports landscape. The fact that the UO seat has been a revolving door is less than ideal.

Michael Schill left to become president at Northwestern University just six weeks after USC and UCLA announced they were leaving for the Big Ten. Schill was a trusted, respected and experienced member of the CEO Group. He has a rich background in law and spoke publicly a few times for the board during the pandemic.

When Larry Scott was fired, Schill was on the Pac-12’s three-member executive board which made him one of the point people on the hire of George Kliavkoff.

Then, Schill left.

Patrick Phillips, a provost who is an academic expert in ecology and evolution, was appointed interim president at Oregon. Seven months later, when it became clear that UO’s Board of Trustees weren’t going to give him the permanent post, Phillips resigned. Jamie Moffitt, UO’s chief financial officer, was appointed as the new interim president. Then came the hire of Scholz.

Got all that?

The quartet of UO presidents became a sideshow, but I don’t think for a moment that Oregon’s position shifted much during the last year. The Ducks hired a high-profile consulting firm and charged it with conducting an assessment of its options. It quickly determined that access to the College Football Playoff mattered more to the Ducks than just about anything.

Booster Phil Knight is the great equalizer, after all. Having top-notch facilities, the branding power of Nike, and the wealthiest donor collective in the conference positions Oregon to matter regularly in a 12-team postseason. That the Ducks don’t have to deal with Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State to get there is an advantage.

As UO athletic director Rob Mullens told me in a 1-on-1 interview: “If you win your league you’re in.”

For that reason, Oregon remains on board with the Pac-12.

John Karl Scholz and his wife, Melissa.

Who is Scholz?

He came to Eugene from Wisconsin, where he was celebrated economist and provost. He grew up in Nebraska and got his undergraduate degree at Carleton College. He earned his doctorate from Stanford. Scholz’s wife, Melissa, is an attorney who specializes in non-profit law. They have three daughters, one of whom is currently a PhD student at Oregon.

Scholz has only been on the job a few days. He’s the new guy. Again, the fourth president who has represented Oregon in Pac-12 CEO Group board meetings over the last 12 months. The hope here is that he evolves into a steadying voice in the room. That he brings some fresh ideas and passion. Also, that he helps mend the rift between the academic and athletic sides of the university.

That’s probably a column for another day.

I can tell you this, though. The other members of the Pac-12 CEO Group are just hoping he sticks around. They’re weary with having to introduce themselves.

---

If you are not a paid subscriber, please consider subscribing so you get full access to all my posts:

This is an independent reader-supported project with both free and paid subscriptions. Those who opt for the paid edition are providing vital assistance to bolster my independent coverage and have full access to all of my posts.