When George Emert announced on May 10 he would be leaving his post as Utah State University president at the end of the year, the news was met with mixed reactions
Some of his critics were happy because they were weary of his overbearing management style, some of his questionable uses of university funds and the way he favored certain departments at the university over others.
One area of campus that is greeting Emert's departure with some apprehension and anxiety is the athletic department. Ever since he arrived in 1992, Emert has paid close attention to athletics, too close in the opinion of some observers, trying to put USU on the map as an athletic power.
As one longtime USU non-athletic department employee said of Emert's resignation, "It's kind of a mixed blessing. Even people who don't like him recognize at least he did good things for athletics. It's hard to deny he wasn't effective."
During Emert's eight-year tenure, the university enjoyed a renaissance of sorts as the football and basketball teams became competitive and at times dominant in their conference. Several minor sports programs were successful in piling up championships in the Big West Conference. The university brought in top-notch coaches such as John L. Smith and Larry Eustachy, who eventually moved on to bigger and better jobs, and new facilities were built and old ones upgraded.
A university president can make a big difference in the success of an athletic program, according to several people involved in USU athletics.
Dave Kragthorpe, who works as director of chapters in alumni relations at USU, is a former athletic director at Utah State and has also been a head football coach at Oregon State and Idaho State. He knows from experience how support from the top can help an athletic department succeed.
"It does make a difference, and in this case George Emert has been good for athletics at Utah State," he said. "You want a president who is athletic-minded, and Emert has been that kind of president."
Kragthorpe felt he didn't receive the necessary support he needed in the mid-1980s when he oversaw the Aggie athletic program.
"I don't want to hammer anybody, but I felt by comparison we didn't have the same kind of support they did under George Emert," he said.
"The great thing about President Emert is that he's been an athletic fan and supporter," said current USU athletic director Rance Pugmire, who was hired by Emert last summer. "It (athletics) wasn't such a focal point before he got here. He put a lot of pressure on people to get things done. He was aggressive with our facilities (more stadium seating, training center, etc.)."
Many faculty members weren't happy with Emert's over-emphasis on athletics, believing they were overlooked in the process. One of the athletic department's chief critics during the past eight years was Will Pitkin, a professor of English who retired last year. He said although he loves athletics (he even played football for the USC freshman team), he hasn't appreciated Emert's emphasis on athletics.
He gave an example of questionable behavior by the administration in the way it uses discretionary funds to match any donations to the Big Blue Club. He said it isn't fair that other donations to the university weren't treated the same way.
Pitkin also believed, like many others, that the firing of Dave Arslanian, which came from Emert, was handled very poorly and that there's often too much of a win-at-all-costs mentality.
"I would much rather have Utah State field a team that played with integrity and good sportsmanship, even if it didn't have a winning record," he said. "I think (Arslanian) was trying to build a clean program with high school players the way it's supposed to be."
Pitkin says he will start contributing to the Big Blue Club now that Emert is leaving, but hopes the new president won't be as hung up on athletics.
"My hope is that Aggie athletics will continue to thrive without costing an arm and a leg at the expense of the real mission of the university," he said.
Ross Peterson, a longtime professor of history at USU, now works part-time in the athletic department and is in charge of Special Projects and Events. He said the athletic department is "financially as strong as it has ever been" and Emert has been a big reason why. He said the choice of a new president will be critical to the athletic department.
"The new president is a huge gamble for athletics, more than any other (department)," he said. "No one is going to come in here and say, 'let's cut academics,' but they could (make cuts) in athletics."
Peterson points out one of a president's chief duties is raising funds for the university, and that can often be accomplished easier if the athletic program is strong.
Kragthorpe concurs, saying that in his job working with alumni, he sees the effect athletics can have on graduates of the university.
"Athletics is a major window, whether you like it or not," he said. "Nine times out of 10, the first question alumni ask is about football or basketball. People are aware of the athletic situation here. During the football season, they see your name in the newspaper every Sunday morning."
Despite the success of the Aggie athletic program under Emert's watch, a glaring failure has been Utah State's inability to upgrade to a better conference during numerous expansions that have taken place in recent years.
In 1994, Utah State was left out of a giant expansion of the Western Athletic Conference from 10 to 16 schools, while fellow Big West schools San Jose State and UNLV were selected along with independent Tulsa and former Southwest Conference schools Rice, SMU and TCU
Utah State was left out again in 1998, when eight schools broke from the WAC to form the Mountain West Conference, although not many expected USU to be invited.
However in the past two years, two more Big West schools, Nevada and Boise State, which just a few years ago were in the Big Sky, leapfrogged ahead of Utah State with invitations to the WAC. Decisions on expansion are made by university presidents, and some Utah State employees say while Emert has friends among the WAC presidents, he has put others off, hurting USU's chances. Some have even intimated Emert's announcement was timed before WAC meetings on June 4, when expansion may come up, so that detractors won't keep USU out because of Emert.
Pugmire doesn't believe Emert has been a negative in USU's quest to upgrade conferences, saying, "I hope that decision doesn't come down to one individual. I think presidents look at the whole institution. I'd be disappointed if a decision came down to whether one individual (president) is on your campus or not."
Pugmire has visited with athletic directors from around the WAC, just as Emert has met with the various presidents. Pugmire likes Utah State's chances of being invited to join the WAC but doesn't know if it will come next week.
"I think it will be a decision about the league, not about particular schools," he said. "Everyone we've spoken with holds us in high regard. But I don't know if they are in an expansion mode right now."
The WAC will be a 10-team league beginning in 2001-2002 with the addition of Nevada this fall and Boise State the following fall. Because the league is so spread out, from Hawaii to Texas, many folks feel it makes sense to add two more schools and divide up in two six-team divisions, saving considerable travel costs. If that were to happen, Utah State and New Mexico State would be the two most logical choices for the WAC.
"He's been out there trying to get us in the league," said Peterson. "Whether his leaving hinders that or not, I don't know."
If Utah State isn't granted an invitation next week, then it will likely be a year before the school has a chance to join the WAC, which means the new president will be involved.
The new president will be selected by the state Board of Regents with help from a search committee that will be formed within a few months.
Of the new president, Pitkin said, "I would hope he or she would keep athletics in perspective and make sure everything else at the university is going along smoothly."
On the other hand, Pugmire obviously wants the same kind of support athletics has received the past few years under Emert.
"I know it creates animosity if you put too much emphasis on athletics," said Pugmire. "I certainly don't want to be selfish and get more than anyone else. But I do hope athletics is one of the priorities of (the new president). I hope he or she is interested in intercollegiate athletics and very supportive."