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.”
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