Total Campus Report - Efficient & valuable curated higher ed developments delivered once per week. |
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Publication Update: Total Campus Report will be taking a break until January 8, 2023. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! |
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NCAA Selects Next President |
SBJ & The Athletic broke the news Thursday morning of the NCAA selecting Massachusetts Governor Baker to succeed President Emmert in the role starting March 1, 2023. Baker, a former MBB student-athlete at Harvard, has served two terms as governor and is credited with bringing bipartisan leadership to the commonwealth. Baker: "The NCAA is confronting complex and significant challenges, but I am excited to get to work as the awesome opportunity college athletics provides to so many students is more than worth the challenge. And for the fans that faithfully fill stadiums, stands and gyms from coast to coast, I am eager to ensure the competitions we all love to follow are there for generations to come.” (link)
+ More from Baker during his intro presser thanks to Sports Illustrated’s Dellenger: “I think it’s worth doing. Yeah, it’s big and complicated, but so have been a lot of things I’ve done in my life. [...] I've always believed sports have tremendous power to bring people together. We are in a bit of a pivotal period for the NCAA. [...] I think the transfer portal is one element of a whole series of elements that needs to be part of the conversation going forward.” (link)
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Insights & Reactions…
+ Knight Commission CEO Perko via the AP’s Russo on a key challenge for Baker: “The NCAA receives zero dollars from the CFP, but it remains liable for the legal and health costs of FBS football. The explosion of revenues, just for FBS football, is at the heart of much of the controversy about the future of all of college sports.” (link)
+ SI’s Dellenger: “The NCAA targeted several former governors in the search. The organization wanted someone politically connected and got it.” (link)
+ The Athletic’s Auerbach: “This hire — and finalist pool — certainly signals the priorities of the NCAA's highest governing body right now. Success in other sectors a plus. Political experience key. The position goes to someone who had not previously worked in college sports (like recent P5 commish hires).” (link) + D1.ticker/Fox Sports’ Fischer: “Charlie Baker turns 67 next year and replaces a 69 year old retiring Mark Emmert. Does not portend to be a long term hire by the Board of Governors, but one chiefly focused on one issue only: getting that antitrust exemption.” (link)
+ The Athletic’s O’Neil: “This is the NCAA’s idea of out-of-the-box thinking. As transformations go, opting for a politician over a university president is like splitting the last hair on a bald man’s scalp. [...] He hits all of the W columns, and no, that’s not wins. He’s White, well-educated and wealthy, thanks to his job running a healthcare company. (He’s also about to get wealthier. His government job paid just $185,000; Emmert made $2.99 million.) [...] The NCAA chose him for one reason: not to transform the NCAA, but to protect it.” (link)
+ Extra Points purveyor Brown: “We're about to enter what should be an especially polarized legislative environment. Will Baker be able to make friends with lawmakers that he could afford to ignore while he was Governor? Could he replicate his governing coalition to ignore extremist types? Is such a thing even possible now? [...] It's still a complicated and quirky industry, but it's clear that the skill sets have shifted. Baker has a lot of experience in delegating and getting up to speed on new industries. How big of a deal will it be that he's never led a university or an athletic department before? Will he be swallowed up by the proverbial system, or will he have the 'juice' to push through any changes?” (link)
+ ESPN’s Thamel and Connelly on Baker’s position, with Thamel noting: “I think the first problem that Charlie Baker is going to have is you don't have control of football and football controls everything. … Also, Charlie Baker, welcome to your job, you have the single worst television contract in the history of college athletics – the NCAA basketball television contract which runs through 2032.” Connelly: “This job matters a lot and could matter and if Charlie Baker can come in and not just basically beg Congress to save all the things that NCAA is doing wrong, right now, if they're going to actually create a path moving forward … It would be amazing if the NCAA actually just sort of with whatever power it had actually stepped in and tried to provide leadership and a vision.” (link)
+ U.S. Representative Trahan (D-MA), a former Georgetown Volleyball student-athlete: “Governor Baker has been an extremely effective leader in Massachusetts, having steered our Commonwealth through some of the most difficult moments in recent history. The NCAA is at an inflection point where athletes and the millions of fans who root them on have largely lost faith in it as an organization. The association desperately needs a proven leader who personally understands the unique needs of the nearly 500,000 college athletes it serves and who is prepared to do what’s necessary to right the ship.” More from Sportico’s McCann & Caron. (link)
+ Interestingly, per Morning Consult, Baker is America’s most popular governor. (link) |
Here’s the full transcript from yesterday’s intro presser with new NCAA President Baker. Notably: “I’ve always just believed that sports have this tremendous power to bring people together. You just see it over and over again, the way in which athletics can transcend so many other divisions. I really do believe that we are at a bit of a pivotal period for the NCAA, and I really do think that the enthusiasm, the life and professional experiences I've had, the people I've gotten to know, the relationships I have can be a big part of helping all the folks involved in the NCAA, wherever they fit in that very significant organization, benefit from what we can put together going forward if we work together. [...] I think one of the things the job is, is it's an exercise in listening. My father always used to say to me that you will learn a lot more listening than you will talking. I think in my career, both in the public and private sector, one of the things I've done very well is listen. [...] For me, when people talk about the transitional period and the number of different things that are going on at this point in time, the question becomes how do you figure out a way to build a platform and get the support for that platform given where everybody sits and stands that can work going forward to serve the very different elements of the very large NCAA constituency, so that jewel, that opportunity that young people have to be part of a team, to learn about themselves and to build a foundation which in many cases will frame the rest of their lives can happen. That to me is the jewel.” (link)
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Charlie’s Challenges…
+ Sports Illustrated’s Forde: “For now, let’s grant Baker the benefit of the doubt and assume he will have some legitimate influence and stature. If that’s the case, four of the six most powerful people in college athletics will have arrived within the past three years—and from completely outside the space. … Now, the NCAA is going straight politician. The last career campus administrators in the group are Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey and Atlantic Coast Conference commish Jim Phillips. The pivot away from that profile, which had proliferated for decades, indicates how badly the previous generation screwed things up by being stubborn, tone deaf, greedy and myopic. It also indicates the shifting needs of the constituents. The conferences want deal-makers who can market them to media companies for the highest possible dollar. The NCAA wants someone who can convince politicians to produce legislation that keeps the association viable and out of its current barrage of lawsuits.” (link)
+ The Athletic’s Staples: “If you are relying on the federal government to produce the framework of the rules your business will run by, you’re not doing it right, but that’s what they think they have to do instead of just actually figuring out a solution on their own. … It’s clear what they want to do is have a voice in Washington D.C. and do this politically, instead of just coming up with common sense solutions for how to get their arms around this. It doesn’t mean it is impossible to figure this stuff out, but just thinking ‘Oh we’ll hire a politician and he’ll get Congress to save us,’ it’s not smart.” (link)
The Athletic’s Auerbach joins Connect/D1.ticker’s Fischer to discuss the appointment of new NCAA President Baker. Auerbach, who alongside SBJ broke the news: “I think they expected more of a response when they told me the name, but some people had gotten in my ear recently about politicians connected to Massachusetts and had pointed out that Baker was not running for reelection, so it was definitely a surprise, but it wasn’t totally out of the blue like some of these past hires, like the Big 12, Big Ten or Pac-12 hires. [...] But what I have been told about the finalists pool and others involved, this was not an outlier hire. [...] It really points to what the NCAA believes it needs right now to ensure its future looks somewhat like its past or at least the important tent pole items continue to exist.” On what feedback Auerbach has heard from industry sources: “A lot of people think it’s a good hire. There’s a lot of optimism around it. [...] The idea of having someone with a bipartisan background, even though dealing with this Congress is going to be a different thing, but I think people like the idea of someone who is going to be able to build bridges.” Lots more background on the search & what it means for membership. All on Connect. (link)
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By an 11-5 vote, UCLA is officially headed to the Big Ten. However, the Bruins will have to deliver an annual subsidy of $2M to $10M to Cal, implement a series of mitigation protocols to ensure student-athlete health & wellness, as well as academic focus measures, that cumulatively will cost a couple of million a year given the additional travel associated with its new league. UCLA AD Jarmond: “We’ve always been guided by what is best for our 25 teams and more than 700 student-athletes, and the Big Ten offers exciting new competitive opportunities on a bigger national media platform for our student-athletes to compete and showcase their talent.” (link); From Big Ten Commissioner Warren: “The Big Ten Conference is grateful to the University of California Board of Regents for respecting the decision of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to join our conference in 2024. The landscape of collegiate athletics is evolving, and the Big Ten Conference is in a position of stability and strength with unmatched opportunities, exposure and resources for our member institutions and student-athletes. With the collective goals to prioritize the health and well-being of our student-athletes and forward our academic and athletic mission under the umbrella of higher education, we will continue our methodical integration process of UCLA and USC into the Big Ten Conference.” (link); JohnCanzano.com’s namesake: “San Diego State becomes even more important. But I anticipate there could be at least one other expansion partner seriously considered. UNLV? SMU? Boise State? Gonzaga in multiple sports? Some other prospective member currently in a Power Five Conference?” (link)
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Presidents & Chancellors in the News |
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Based on community feedback, Oregon will look for a president that is relatable, has a track record of recruiting and retaining students, faculty and staff of color, is inclusive and has a student lens, believes in shared governance and can communicate a vision in a way that excites the campus and external community. (link) |
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Sports Illustrated's Johnson details what an HC search looks like from an AD’s perspective and notes that search firms can serve a number of purposes. “Sometimes it can just be for the logistics of setting up interviews to keep the process extremely close to the vest. Some other commonly cited reasons to hire a search firm have to do with plausible deniability, confidentiality and to cover your bases on a background check.” Anachel CEO Cecil tells Johnson HCs “are de facto CEOs. Good athletic directors and even general managers understand the importance of having a coach who understands, and is prepared to be that public-facing CEO. It is more than the X’s and O’s. The X’s and O’s are why they’re in the room, however, staying in the room can be impacted overnight by a reputational fumble of their public persona. Progressive ADs or GMs want to do everything that they can to make sure that that their football CEO is not only representing their billion-dollar business but their constituents, which are thousands of student-athletes, [players], alumni, donors, boosters, legislators, and supporters who where their logo across the globe. The business has changed.” Lots more. (link); The Athletic’s Ubben writes on why more (and longer) guaranteed football head coaching contracts are going to hit the market. An unnamed AD: “When something like this happens a few times in college sports, it’s only going to be more and more accepted and the outlier eventually becomes the norm.” Another: “You can say you won’t make a deal like that, but in the new market, not making a deal like that is the difference between getting a coach and not getting him.” Ubben: “Drawing that line and hiring a coach who doesn’t measure up to the success that other big-time candidates surely would have had (imaginary success, it’s worth reminding) is a gamble that could cost an athletic director his or her job. Do the big contract? Write the big check? An athletic director can more easily point to the market rate or the pressure from boosters and pass the blame if it doesn’t work.” (link)
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USC named Texas Vice President for Development Rabenold as senior vice president for university advancement and alumni relations. (link) |
USC named Dallas College Police Department Chief of Police Hill as assistant vice president/chief at the Department of Public Safety. (link) |
Stanford named two founding faculty co-directors for its new Institute on Race: School of Humanities and Sciences Professor Jiménez and Graduate School of Business Professor Lowery. (link) |
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The National Science Foundation released its updated data tables on Higher Education Research and Development for FY21. In its list of all higher education institutions based on total R&D expenditures, Washington leads the Pac-12, ranking No. 5 nationally with $1.49B, followed by UCLA at No. 6 with $1.45B and Stanford at No. 9 with $1.27B. Full list in Table 5. (link)
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The Arizona Board of Regents approved policy revisions reflecting the passage of Proposition 308, giving qualifying Arizona students, including Dreamers, the opportunity to receive in-state tuition at Arizona public universities. With the approval of policy revisions, all Arizona students who qualify for a Pell Grant will be eligible for the Arizona Promise Program scholarship. Additionally, the Board heard details of the 2022 Cost Study Report, with key findings indicating that it cost universities $18,885 on average to educate a full-time equivalent student in FY21, while the tuition range at Arizona public universities was $11,618-12,265. (link)
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The Arizona Board of Regents approved a five-year, $16.3M contract extension for FB HC Fisch, which includes additional financial resources for Fisch's staff. Per ESPN’s Rittenberg, the deal runs through 2027. (link) |
Oregon State FB HC Smith gets a new deal, six-years and $30.6M, which is a bump of $6.5M from the previous contract. This one runs through the 2028 season, starts at $4.85M in 2023 with annual $100K increases to $5.35M in the final year. AC salary pool also increases, from $4.25M to $4.85M. Buyout is $3M if he leaves in 2023, decreasing by $500K each year. If he is fired without cause, the Beavers owe him 65% of the remaining deal. (link)
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The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority unanimously approved a one-year, $1.4M sponsorship agreement extension to bring the Pac-12 football championship game back to Allegiant Stadium in 2023. The LVCVA expects $100K of in-kind contributions from the resort industry to help offset some of the cost. The 2021 event saw 45K+ in attendance and had an estimated economic impact of $63.7M on Southern Nevada. The 2022 game drew 62K+ fans, though the full impact has not yet been calculated. (link)
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Stanford President Tessier-Lavigne established a committee to consider the role of fossil fuel funding in academic research following a listening tour conducted by inaugural Doerr School of Sustainability Dean Majumdar. The group will assess current funding from fossil fuel companies and how other institutions approach such partnerships to form recommendations for Stanford’s future engagement and approach. Tessier-Lavigne: “Transitioning to a sustainable global energy system is among the greatest challenges facing the world today. We must consider how to balance the value of broad engagement in this work with legitimate concerns about the ethical standards of our partners.” (link)
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Utah’s endowment, valued at $1.3B, returned -7.2% for the most recent fiscal year, falling below the target benchmark return of -4.6%. The three, five and ten years ended June 30 returned an annualized 6.6%, 6% and 6.3%, respectively, while private real assets and private equity were the top performing asset classes in the endowment pool. (link) |
Utah Governor Cox advocated for a tuition freeze and increased state funding for public colleges and universities while announcing his budget recommendations, proposing that the Legislature appropriates half of the 25% of compensation increases borne by the colleges and universities to fund 87.5% of the costs. (link) |
In his proposed budget, Washington Governor Inslee allocated $10M to support the Washington State Institute for Northwest Energy Futures. The funds would go towards the hiring of five scientists, including a director, and five graduate students at WSU Tri-Cities as well as the hiring of three faculty and three graduate students on the Pullman campus. (link)
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The UC System ratified new five-year contracts for Postdoctoral Scholars and Academic Researchers, which will be effective through September 30, 2027, and includes multiyear pay increases, improved job security, transit benefits and enhanced family leave. By ratifying the contracts, striking workers in the affected units are obligated to return to work while graduate student workers will continue their work stoppages while their negotiations continue. (link, link)
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Oregon reports a record-high 5,348 freshmen enrolled and total enrollment up to 23,202. (link) |
The Oregon Board of Trustees approved a proposed Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design to be administered by the Department of Landscape Architecture in the College of Design. (link) |
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