I will say this: The man told me he had webbed feet, and that matters," Mr. Schill says. "If Phil Knight didn’t give another gift, we’d be grateful to him, but I hope he’s going to give at least one more very big gift."
Mr. Knight has donated generously to Oregon’s library and law school, but he is best known for the tens of millions of dollars he and his wife have given to athletics. Given his history, some at Oregon are concerned that the university’s chief donor will steer more money toward sports. Mr. Schill says that "everybody understands" that academics require the most support in this campaign.
Of the $827 million Oregon has already raised, 43 percent is designated by donors for athletics.