The three top contenders to replace the most powerful higher education official in the state began a tour of the Oregon University System campuses Tuesday with a visit to the University of Oregon.
The finalists, Peter S. Hoff, Warren H. Fox and Richard S. Jarvis , are vying to become the next chancellor of the Oregon University System, replacing Chancellor Joe Cox.
Each candidate has his own itinerary, which includes visiting all seven universities in the system this week. They made appearances to speak with members of the press at the University Knight Law Center Tuesday morning.
A State Board of Higher Education selection committee plans to make a decision by the end of May.

Warren H. Fox
Part of Warren H. Fox’s job as executive director of the California Postsecondary Education Commission is heading a statewide agency responsible for making budget and policy decisions for California’s colleges and universities.
One of his priorities as OUS chancellor would be to keep higher education accessible. “California and Oregon are still good bargains when it comes to tuition levels,” Fox said.
As the leader of the seven OUS schools, he said he would emphasize partnerships with presidents of the universities, as well as build stronger relationships with community colleges.
“There’s so much to do in higher education, we need to be partners,” said Fox, who before moving to California was the vice chancellor for academic affairs in the University and Community College System of Nevada.

Peter S. Hoff

Peter S. Hoff has been the president of the University of Maine since 1997, and taking the job as chancellor would require him to switch perspectives.
“The chancellor job, more than anything else, is to rally support,” Hoff said, noting that a president’s job is to advocate for his or her individual school but not necessarily the system as a whole.
A priority for Hoff as chancellor would be striking a balance between access to education and quality of education.
“In order to have a truly enlightened society you’ve got to have a strong education system. I’m very optimistic about Oregon’s potential,” he said.
“A university system as a whole has to provide access to those who can benefit from higher education,” said Hoff, who acted as senior vice chancellor of the California State University System from 1993 to 1997.

Richard S. Jarvis

Richard Jarvis was the first and only chancellor of an online university system, the United States Open University, which will stop operating after its current semester.
Though the university system was not financially viable, Jarvis said he picked up valuable lessons about what students want and need.
“I really learned to focus on students,” Jarvis said. “Much of the future of higher education will be hybrid” with online courses.
Prior to Jarvis’ experience with the online university, he served five years as chancellor of the University and Community College System of Nevada.
He said one of the pleasures of being a chancellor is working with people on all levels of education — “some of whom want to pick your pockets,” he said.
Jarvis said he was attracted to the job because Oregon institutions have a solid reputation “among the chancellor group” and because he loves the West.