When Counterparts See Eye to Eye: Business Officers and Student Affairs Directors

In Business Officer, Marta Perez Drake interviews Steve Relyea, vice chancellor of business and external affairs, and Penny Rue, vice-chancellor of student affairs, both at the University of California, San Diego.

When uncontained wildfires whipped across Southern California in October 2007, administrators at the University of California–San Diego (UC San Diego) had no choice. They shut down the campus. Amidst the ensuing chaos, two leaders—Steve Relyea, vice chancellor of business and external affairs, and Penny Rue, vice chancellor of student affairs—coordinated efforts to ensure the safety of students and faculty. Both agree that the partnership they had already established helped alleviate the unavoidable tensions that could have arisen during the emergency.

As campus safety and security continue to make headlines, the connection between the chief business officer and the chief student affairs officer becomes readily apparent: The collaboration between the two professionals can be crucial to calmly restoring order during an unexpected crisis. In addition, everyday cooperation can expedite capital projects, increase student satisfaction, and improve town-gown relations.