September 8, 2021

Dear Colleagues,

It is my pleasure to announce the appointment of Joshua Gordon, Woodard Family Foundation Fellow and senior instructor of sports business and law, as the UO’s next faculty athletics representative (FAR). In this role, Joshua will work with the president and the faculty to ensure the academic integrity of the intercollegiate program, promote the well-being of student-athletes, and support institutional control of athletics through oversight of compliance and student eligibility.

Joshua joined the UO School of Law in 2010 with two decades of experience in conflict resolution, business, and legal strategy with a focus on sport and governance. He transitioned to the Lundquist College of Business in 2013 where he has been integral in the development and implementation of immersive student experiences and innovative teaching to undergraduate, MBA, and executive MBA students. He has also developed and led sports business study abroad programs in the Netherlands, Germany, and United Kingdom. He has served in numerous administrative roles, including faculty advisor for the Oregon Consulting Group, director of minors and undergraduate sports business, and faculty advisor and program manager for the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center, to name a few.  

In 2013, he founded the Sports Conflict Institute (SCI), to ensure high-performance goals in sports can be consistently achieved with integrity. At SCI, he has worked with many NCAA member institutions to provide independent assessment of their programs and to develop a blueprint for fostering a culture that is attuned to both competitive goals and student-athlete academic experience and well-being. Joshua is also an international arbitrator for the Court of Arbitration for Sport, chair of the USA Track and Field SafeSport Appeals Committee, and serves on the editorial board of LawInSport.

A former student-athlete, Joshua earned his bachelor’s in psychology and sociology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Brandeis University before receiving a master’s in dispute resolution from the University of Massachusetts Boston and his JD from Suffolk University.

Joshua will begin his appointment on September 15, 2021. As announced in May, the current FAR, Tim Gleason, plans to retire at the end of this calendar year. Tim will continue in his role until December 31 as co-FAR to ensure a smooth transition.

I again would like to thank Tim for his dedication and leadership during his time as the FAR, and for his willingness to contribute his expertise as he transitions into retirement.

I would also like to thank the search committee, chaired by Hans Dreyer, associate professor of human physiology, for their time and service throughout the search process.

I am very pleased that Joshua has agreed to take on this new role. The professional and personal experience he brings will contribute significantly to advancing our commitment to supporting the academic success and well-being of our student-athletes. Please join me in congratulating Joshua and welcoming him to his new role as faculty athletics representative.

Sincerely,

Michael H. Schill
President and Professor of Law