V.P. named interim athletics director

By NATHAN HATHAWAY

Paul Oliaro, Fresno State vice president for student affairs, was named interim athletic director Monday.

Oliaro steps into the role vacated by Scott Johnson, who announced Friday he will be retiring when his contract expires in June.

Oliaro said just hours after the announcement of his appointment was made that he had already begun considering his vision for the department during his tenure.

He said some of the primary things he will focus on in his time as athletic director are caring for the student-athletes, examining the budget and working in conjunction with the athletic staff to acclimate himself to the needs of the department.

“The first priority is to make sure we’re paying attention to and supporting our student-athletes,” Oliaro said. “Any kind of transition like this has an effect on everybody, but especially the student-athletes. And I’m sure the coaches are giving them the support they need in order to be able to continue to perform on the field and on the court, as well as perform in the classroom, but it’s still got to be reminded, that that’s what we’re all about as an athletic department.”

Oliaro takes over an athletic department in considerable turmoil. Women’s basketball coach Stacy Johnson-Klein remains on paid administrative leave while the university investigates possible serious violations of university policy and two secondary NCAA violations.

The men’s basketball program has become the focus of negative news as the NCAA released the results of its new rating system and the team ranks near the bottom of major Division I programs.

“You try to deal with those things one at a time,” Oliaro said. “There’s a team of people who are already working on the issues related to the women’s basketball program, and hopefully those will be brought to closure very soon. But there are a lot of other things, routine things, that are going on in the department that are very positive.”

Oliaro has served as chairman of the athletic corporation board of directors and as a trustee of the Bulldog Foundation during his time as vice president of student affairs, a position he was appointed to in 2002.

Before coming to Fresno State, Oliaro served as vice president at West Chester University in Pennsylvania, where his duties included oversight of the school’s Division II athletic program. The athletic director at West Chester reported directly to Oliaro.

“It gave me some understanding of some of the challenges athletic directors face,” Oliaro said.

“Division II athletics is not as complicated as Division I athletics. It isn’t as high profile. But it certainly gave me some sense of how demanding the job is, and I know this one will be just as demanding.”

Oliaro said he will not be a candidate for the permanent position, which he said the university hopes to have filled “as soon as possible.”

“I will be ready to come back to my role as vice president of student affairs. I like my job. I enjoy my job. I enjoy the opportunity to work with students. I certainly respect and appreciate the staff [in student affairs]. And once a new athletic director is hired, I will come back over to my vp role,” Oliaro said. “I will not be a candidate (for the permanent position). I said I would do this on an interim basis. As I said, I like my job. And I think the athletic program deserves someone who has athletic administration experience and is an athletic administration professional.”

Oliaro said, while he is looking forward to the challenge of the new job, he knows it will not be easy.

“With visibility comes responsibility, but I think that goes with the territory. All high-profile jobs on this campus are a challenge, and this is certainly no exception,” he said. “Clearly this is going to make for some interesting weeks ahead.”