Oregon State University President Jayathi Murthy on Thursday announced that Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Scott Barnes will retire effective Aug. 31. Barnes has served the university in this leadership position since Feb. 13, 2017.

Upon retirement, Barnes will become a senior advisor for athletics through Aug. 31, 2027.

A national leader in intercollegiate athletics, Barnes played a pivotal role in preserving and rebuilding the new Pac-12 Conference that will launch July 1. He represented the Pac-12 in implementing the landmark House settlement, which enables revenue sharing with student-athletes. At OSU, he focused on the holistic development of the university’s 400-plus student-athletes across 17 sports programs, advancing pathways to success in competition in academics and in life.

“I am very grateful to Scott for his many years of dedication and commitment to Oregon State University, its athletics program and OSU student-athletes,” Murthy said. “His leadership and integrity helped guide the Pac-12 and Oregon State University through a very tumultuous time, and the launch of the new Pac-12 Conference this summer will forever be an integral and far-reaching part of his legacy.”

Throughout his career in collegiate athletics administration, Barnes was recognized as a leader in the industry. In 2014, the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics honored him as an athletic director of the year recipient while at Utah State University. While at Utah State University, he chaired the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee for the 2014-15 season. While athletic director at Eastern Washington University, he was awarded a regional recognition by NACDA in 2005.

Murthy said that Barnes initiated the conversation regarding his retirement last August, and the two worked collaboratively to negotiate the best path forward. The launch of the new conference presented an optimal time to pursue a transition. Murthy and Barnes also agreed that Barnes’ counsel to the president would be critical during the first year of the new conference and to support the successful transition of new athletic department leadership.

“I want to express my sincere gratitude to the student-athletes and coaches I’ve had the privilege to serve, as well as the colleagues I’ve worked alongside throughout this journey,” Barnes said. “Above all, I am deeply thankful for my wife, Jody, who has been my partner in every sense and a constant source of strength and support. I am incredibly grateful for her and for the life we’ve built together. While this chapter comes to a close, I look forward to continuing to support Oregon State in an advisory role and remain committed to contributing to its future success.”

During his tenure at Oregon State, Barnes oversaw a period of sustained growth and achievement across competition, student-athlete development, fundraising and capital projects, while also making key head coach hires that helped shape the department’s success.

Under his leadership, OSU Athletics achieved notable competitive success, including a baseball national championship, an Elite Eight appearance by women’s basketball, an Elite Eight run by men’s basketball, a College Cup appearance by men’s soccer, and a Women’s College World Series appearance by softball. In total, Oregon State teams earned 13 conference championships and 40 individual conference titles during this time.

That success was mirrored in the classroom, where student-athletes set department records for cumulative and term grade point averages, including multiple terms in which every program achieved a 3.0 or higher.

Murthy emphasized that OSU’s commitment to athletics and the Pac-12 is unwavering. For more than three years, she and Barnes confronted challenges together and have focused on prioritizing the holistic health and well-being of OSU student-athletes and their ability to continue to compete for championships.

“OSU is committed to doing what is needed to win and to be successful in the new Pac-12 Conference,” she said. “In addition to increased institutional support for OSU Athletics, we are seeing unprecedented support from donors and fans as we continue to pursue all means possible to raise money for athletics. As with every athletic department in the nation, OSU’s approach continues to evolve, and we will make bold moves based on data to support coaches and advance Oregon State’s athletics success.”

Barnes’s fundraising efforts led to a number of athletics facilities upgrades during his tenure. These include the westside remodel of Reser Stadium, the Baseball Development Center, the Whyte Track and Field Center, the 20,000-square-foot gymnastics practice facility and a new Field Sports Building to begin construction later this summer. Additionally, other projects included the remodel and expansion of Goss Stadium at Coleman Field, the Sports Performance Center (weight room), the Valley Football Center, the OSU Softball Complex (now Kelly Field) and Paul Lorenz Field, where men’s and women’s soccer is played.

“On behalf of the OSU Foundation, I want to thank Scott Barnes for his partnership and leadership in advancing philanthropy for Oregon State Athletics. Scott has been a strong partner in engaging our donor community and growing private support for our programs,” said Shawn Scoville, president and CEO of the Oregon State University Foundation. “Athletics fundraising has averaged $27.5 million annually over the past three years, with this fiscal year already exceeding that pace, reflecting sustained and growing commitment from our philanthropic supporters. Scott’s leadership was instrumental in the completion of Reser Stadium. We exceeded our fundraising goal in record time and delivered a facility that will serve Oregon State student-athletes and fans for years to come. We are grateful to Scott, his wife, Jody, and their family and we wish him all the best in his next chapter.”

Prior to his arrival at OSU, Barnes had served as athletic director at the University of Pittsburgh since spring 2015. Before joining Pitt, Barnes spent seven years as athletic director at Utah State. Prior to his tenure at Utah State, Barnes spent nearly three years at the University of Washington as senior associate athletic director for advancement. In that capacity, he was responsible for all external operations for the Huskies' athletic department, including fundraising, ticket sales, multimedia rights, marketing and communications. Barnes also served as athletic director at Eastern Washington University from 1999 to 2005.

OSU plans to retain a search firm to conduct a national search for a new athletic director and will appoint members of a search committee in the coming weeks. The university expects a new athletic director to be named in the coming months.

Source: Oregon State University

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