C. Scott Green

Cumer Scott Green (born c. 1962) is an American businessman and academic administrator serving as the 19th president of the University of Idaho in Moscow. Green took office in July 2019, and has been characterized as a "non-traditional" choice for the role, as he has neither a doctorate nor a background in higher education.^[1][2] He taught finance at Hofstra University as an adjunct instructor in 2003 and 2004 but considers serving as UI president his first job in higher education.^[3] Within the first four years as president at the University of Idaho, Green collaborated with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and other stakeholders to see the UI through crises, including financial deficits, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the loss of four students in a capital crime.^[3] Green went on to lead the insitution in receiving R1 research designation in the 2025 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education and in seeing record enrollments at UI for eight continuous semesters when student populations at many other rural universities in the nation were on the decline. ^[4][5][6]

C. Scott Green
19th President of the University of Idaho
Incumbent
Assumed office July 1, 2019
Preceded by	Chuck Staben
Personal details
Born	Cumer Scott Green c. 1962 (age 62–63) Moscow, Idaho, U.S.
Spouse	Gabriella Green
Children	2
Education	University of Idaho (BS) Harvard University (MBA)

Early life and education

Born in Moscow, Idaho, Green and his family lived with his paternal grandparents, Dr. Leon and Gwen Green, while his father attended the University of Idaho College of Law. His grandfather served as professor and head of the physical education department and athletic director at the UI.^[7] When Green's father graduated from the UI in 1969, the family moved to Boise, Idaho.^[8] Green graduated from Boise High School in 1980 and returned to Moscow that fall to attend the University of Idaho.^[9] He was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity^[2][10] and served as student body president.^{[1][11][12][13][14]} He received Kappa Sigma Scholarship Leadership Awards in 1983 and 1984. He earned a bachelor's degree in accounting in 1984 from the UI and went on to earn a Masters in Business Administration from Harvard Business School in 1989.

Career

Green began his career at Boise Cascade, a manufacturer of forest products headquartered in Boise. After completing his MBA at Harvard, he worked for Deloitte, Goldman Sachs and ING Barings. Green served as CAO of Wiel Gotshal and Manges, executive director of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, and CEO of Pepper Hamilton. He served as global chief operating and financial officer of Hogan Lovells, a multinational law firm, in the New York City office.^[15][16]

In April 2019, the Idaho State Board of Education unanimously approved Green's appointment to the UI presidency, at an annual salary of $420,000.^[1] SBOE announced Green's appointment on April 11, 2019, and he signed a contract to immediately begin a non-paid consultantantship through June 30, 2019 (the day before his official appointment began). He started working with UI leadership to gain knowledge about the UI's current status on a variety of issues.^[3]

In 2023, President Green initiated a deal with Apollo Global Management to create a non-profit in an effort to acquire the University of Phoenix.^[17] In October, Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador subpoenaed Green, demanding a number of records related to the University of Phoenix acquisition.^[18]

He is the coauthor of the book University President's Crisis Handbook (with Temple Kinyon) published by Wiley Publishing in 2023.^[3]

Green and his wife, Gabriella, are known for their philanthropy, donating to political causes, in addition to the University of Idaho and other nonprofits. In 2024, Green and Gabriella donated a total of $7,000 to 11 politicians, seven who lost their primary bids.^[19]

Personal life

Green and his wife Gabriella have two adult children, Nicholas and Christina.^[20]