W. Knight Law Center. Knight did not make a major contribution to academics between 1996 and 2016.
Knight is an athletic booster. He has contributed to, and managed, the construction of various athletic department facilities. Knight's involvement in said projects usually does not involve any university oversight, making them controversial. Knight also financed the majority of the Hayward Field renovation project.
Major publications including the New York Times and Wall Street Journal have described the university as the "University of Nike". A book titled The University of Nike, written by Joshua Hunt, describes Nike and Phil Knight's influence on the university.
As of 2022, 16.5% of UO's gross square footage is purpose-built for the university's sports programs.
==== Push for independence ====
In 2010, the newly installed UO president, Richard Lariviere, proposed establishing a new governance and funding model for UO. The New Partnership, as it became known, sought to establish an independent board and large …
