There are "deep wounds at Oregon State" regarding its relationship with the Univ. of Oregon, and OSU President Jayathi Murthy "didn’t mince words about the current fracture between the two schools" after Oregon’s decision to leave the Pac-12 for the Big Ten, according to Nick Daschel of the Portland OREGONIAN. Murthy said the damage "is pretty big" following the decision. Below are excerpts from her interview. Responses have been edited for clarity and brevity.
On OSU's relationship with Oregon:
Murthy: It’s not a small thing that happened. We basically pulled apart a 100-year-old conference. I won’t minimize the impact on OSU. We’re both state institutions, and that one institution could affect another in this extreme way is, is not easy to absorb. ... We’re all sort of trying to recalibrate where we stand. We’ve got important research and other projects together. I want those things to continue. Our faculty are closely connected. But I also can’t minimize the impact of this decision on us. It’s a big impact.
On how much Oregon's move has 'damaged' OSU's reputation:
Murthy: I don’t think it’s damaged our reputation. We’ve got a strong athletics program. We’ve got a strong academic program. In fact, if anything, the reactions have been one of outrage and defense of OSU.
On if OSU and Washington State can rebuild the Pac-12 alone:
Murthy: (Athletic director) Scott Barnes and I are looking at every little piece as carefully as we can. Who are potential partners, what the financials are going to be? Is there a TV media deal? What kind of deal is possible? As you know, Oliver Luck is a consultant and we’re looking for other partners and we’re talking to other folks as well. I have no illusions that it’s going to be easy.
On Oliver Luck's role at OSU:
Murthy: He’s advising us on the structure of conference realignment, what potential pathways are possible for us. What difficulties we might encounter in these pathways.
On who else has hired Luck:
Murthy: Right now, it’s OSU and Washington State. Depending on where Cal and Stanford decide where they’re going, we would sort that out at that point.
On how much responsibility falls to Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff:
Murthy: If you look at it very broadly, essentially, the driver has been the Big Ten and the SEC and their media payouts. When our media rights came up for negotiation, it made us sitting ducks, as it were. Then there’s big media companies fighting with tech over the past few months. It’s difficult for me to assign blame. All these things have a role. [Kliavkoff] is focused on running the Pac-12 and all the managerial, the internal decisions that have to be made. Right now there are no media negotiations that he can influence.
On how involved presidents should be with college athletics:
Murthy: I feel I should be very involved in athletics. I run, what 11 different colleges, and athletics is in some sense, another responsibility of the same order (Portland OREGONIAN, 8/26).
