"After 22 years as vice president for administration, Dan Williams is about to take on a new role for the University of Oregon. On July 1, he will retire from his vice presidency to become a part-time consultant for the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and will move from Johnson Hall to new quarters at the Casanova Center...."The president asked me to continue the portion of my work having to do with intercollegiate athletics," Williams adds. "Since I devote a quarter of my time to it now, that's how much time I am contracted for during the next two years"
Williams will continue his close, decade-long relationship with Bill Moos, director of athletics, and will assist him in the planning for a new basketball arena. Phasing into a consultant's role for the department rather than being its supervisor doesn't bother him as he is much more concerned with the urgent tasks at hand."
My guess, and it is only a guess, as I don't have any inside information is that Williams is deeply involved in the process of helping Frohnmayer find a new Athletic Director. Remember when Presidential candidate George W Bush was looking for a Vice Presidential candidate and he got Dick Chaney to help out and guess who ended up as Vice President.... the guy helping Bush. Could that happen to Frohnmayer? William's would make a great AD even if for a transition period until the Track Coach, Vin Lananna, can get Oregon past the United States 2008 Olympic Track & Field Trials at Hayward Field in Eugene. It's important to remember the Lananna was not just hired as a track coach but also as an Associate Athletic Director and he is on good terms with Phil Knight.In fact when he was hired there was speculation that he would move up to AD when Bill Moos retired. Moos just retired sooner than most of us expected thanks to an almost 2 million dollar boost from donors. That would be perfect, Dan Williams as an interim AD followed by Lananna. As one friend said I don't care who Oregon hires as an AD just so long as he gets along with Phil Knight!
