On Oct. 9, the Daily Emerald news and podcast desks sat down with the University of Oregon president John Karl Scholz on his 100th day in office.
Topics of the interview ranged from UO’s move to the Big Ten conference to the university’s alleged Title IX violations.
When asked about what went well and what could have been improved on, Scholz said that he “wouldn’t change anything.”
Big Ten
Regarding the university’s move to the Big Ten, Scholz said that athletics can be a “wonderful front door” for the university. During his interviews for president, he said that there were discussions about the future of athletics at UO. He said that he talked about how prospective students often find themselves drawn to the athletic program, and that while they stay passionate about the athletic program, they find other parts of the university appealing.
Scholz said that greater travel for student-athletes was a potential downside of the conference change, but that only 55% of athletes would see an increase in their travel. He said the university would look at minimizing the effect of the travel by having out-of-conference competitions closer to home.
Sex discrimination lawsuit
The UO is currently set to face a sex discrimination lawsuit from both the women’s club rowing and beach volleyball teams. When Scholz was asked how the university will move forward to provide equal opportunities to female athletes at the university, Scholz said the UO Office of Investigations and Civil Rights Compliance is undergoing a review of the university.
Scholz said that the university “has been in compliance, and will continue to be in compliance” with the requirements of Title IX.
The rowing and beach volleyball teams claim UO is violating Title IX in various capacities, including a lack of equitable financial aid. During its entire 10-year existence, the beach volleyball team has never received any financial aid.
During the 2021-22 school year, UO spent around $40 million less on women’s sports than it did on men’s sports.
Scholz said he did not know about the figures or the accuracy of them, and that the decision of where money for athletics goes is “a granularity that presidents don’t get into.”
GTFF and UO Student Workers Union
UO’s Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation union has been bargaining for higher salaries. Their bargaining cycle for the 23-24 school year began on Mar. 17.
With affordable housing decreasing, graduate educators are advocating for livable wages.
Scholz said that UO has to negotiate with a number of on-campus groups being represented by unions, and GTFF is “next in the queue.” He said that the established process between union representatives and campus is being followed.
Student workers are also advocating for more livable wages. The university recently increased wages for dining hall workers, but that change has not been reflected across all on-campus work.
“We aspire to support all employees at the University of Oregon,” Scholz said. “Paying particular attention to our least well represented, but at the same time we are subject to where we manage budget constraints.”
He said he hoped that both undergraduate and graduate students will participate in the effort to organize and that the university respects that process.
Lack of representation in faculty
According to UO’s Office of Institutional Research in 2022, employees at the university were 66.5% white. All other ethnicities accounted for only 10% or less of all employees.
“[UO] will continue to be aggressive in hiring staff or faculty to enhance representation,” Scholz said. “That is in service of a higher aspiration, and that is trying to develop a deep sense of belonging on campus where every student, faculty and staff colleague can find somewhere they truly belong.”
He said that units like individual schools, colleges and departments at the university are often those that recruit employees, not himself directly.
Mission
Scholz said that, because he comes from a background of experience in higher education, most of his goals are associated with student success. This includes improving four- and six-year graduation rates and preparing students for careers.
“I think we can use this wonderful reputation for innovation and entrepreneurship and success of athletics to elevate the whole university,” he said.
Scholz said that these goals aren’t meant to be constrictive, but rather a point to figure out strategies and tactics to move forward on various ideas.
“[We] want to have as much alignment as we can across students, staff and faculty in where we want to go,” Scholz said. “And then try to move as rapidly as we can toward being even better than we are now.”
Alicia Santiago contributed to this report.
