Column: New Utah State administration offers breath of fresh air
In my nearly three years at Utah State University, I’ve had three different university presidents, three different athletic directors, two different football head coaches and two different basketball coaches. Admittedly, some of that turnover came during a two-year gap for religious service, but three different presidents and athletic directors in five years is still well past normal.
During that time, the university has been plagued by poor administration that has led to legislative investigations, U.S. Department of Justice investigations, the firing of coaches for reasons beyond poor athletic performance and just an overall misrepresentation of the reality of the student body and alumni.
In fact, the recent audit presented to the Utah Legislature claimed USU has a “history of weak oversight and controls at the presidential and executive leadership level.”
While the leaders primarily responsible for these issues are no longer at the helm, it is nonetheless concerning as a Utah State student to see this type of abuse of the university. The previous underlying attitude and above-the-law mentality is something that does not resonate with me or with my peers.
USU has since replaced two executive leaders in the form of new Vice President and Director of Athletics Cameron Walker in early October and President Brad L. Mortensen in November.
Though they’ve only been in their roles a short time, they have been a welcome breath of fresh air the university desperately needed from an administrative standpoint. Their genuine, down-to-earth personas are beyond refreshing after such disappointing leaders left in such disappointing fashion.
This was highlighted to me in my recent trip to Las Vegas to cover Utah State Men’s Basketball’s Mountain West Conference tournament run. In Utah State’s semifinal matchup against Nevada, I was glancing around the arena after a foul was called against the Aggies. While doing so, I noticed Walker in the crowd, standing with his arms raised in frustration, as was the throng of other Aggie fans who made the trip. Just a few seats away from him sat Mortensen.
Initially, I was confused, as the university and alumni association had a suite in the arena where those previously in their roles had sat. I then thought of Walker’s pregame address to those at the alumni association tailgate, where, rather than regurgitate some pre-formed speech, he launched into an analysis of Nevada’s basketball team and how he thought if Utah State established themselves in the paint early, they’d have a good chance at winning.
There was no pandering — no talking down or speaking with an air of superiority. In that tailgate, Walker presented himself as equal with everyone else in that room: an Aggie basketball fan, excited to watch his team play and nervous at the prospect of losing. He then took his seat with the rest of the fans to cheer on the Aggies, next to the university president, who was donning a USU hoodie and jeans.
Utah State athletic director Cam Walker looks on during the Aggies championship win over San Diego State in the Mountain West Tournament on Saturday in Las Vegas. (Mark Greenwood/The Utah Statesman)
In a recent town hall with USU Student Media and Mortensen, I asked him about this perplexing image.
“I am just a huge sports fan generally, and it’s a lot more fun to watch the game in the crowd than in the suite,” Mortensen said. “You can focus on the game more in the crowd than in the suites. Oftentimes, people in the suites just want to talk.”
Both Walker and Mortensen returned to those same seats for the tournament’s Saturday championship game — though Mortensen made a pit-stop at the HURD to give high fives and pick up a pair of latex gloves. That is a far cry from trying to sell a portion of the student tickets behind their back to try to squeeze out a few more dollars.
Utah State’s student and alumni population has a very similar mix of Utah, Idaho and Wyoming locals with strong values and cultural similarities. Even those who don’t fit that mold frequently come to Logan because they want to be a part of that environment. Those who feel Logan doesn’t have good enough restaurants or high-quality wine don’t typically come to Cache Valley or at least stick around very long.
Mortensen, a USU alumnus himself, and Walker, a rural Idaho native, embody what it means to be an Aggie much more than previous administrators who were publicly slammed for indulging in lavish office remodels, business trips and dinners and even using university funds to travel to and interview for a new job.
This extends beyond the administrative level. The previous head football coach was very publicly fired with cause due to systemic issues within the program that even led to a DOJ investigation. Now, the head football coach can be found roping with the USU Rodeo Club and inviting them to ride out on horseback in front of the team before home games.
What is more representative of an ag school than that?
Utah State has seen extreme turnover in university administration and athletic coaches in the last five to 10 years. Part of the issue is the hiring of coaches and administrators with no local or regional ties and whose values do not align with those of the campus community. The latest iteration of coaches and leaders brings a refreshing realism to campus that we haven’t seen in a while.
That doesn’t mean they’ll be here forever and won’t leave for bigger or better jobs. But hopefully, now we’ve seen the impact that leaders have, and next time around, we’ll know what type of character to look for to serve as the faces of the university.