An Interview with Executive Vice President and Provost James Glaser
On October 7, 2024, SCU Accounting Association officers Jessica Pu, Maia Murphy, Cassidy Furutani, and Brendan Arias from the Santa Clara University Accounting Association had the opportunity to interview SCU’s newly appointed Executive Vice President and Provost James Glaser. The officers were able to learn more about Provost Glaser’s background before coming to SCU, the goals he has for this year, and advice to undergraduate students who are still learning how to navigate college.
About a year ago, Dr. Glaser was approached by President Julie Sullivan regarding the Executive Vice President and Provost position. While Dr. Glaser loved his time at Tufts and was proud of his work there, he ultimately decided this was the next step in his professional career that he couldn’t miss. Additionally, he had lived in California when he attended Stanford University as an undergraduate student and UC Berkeley as a master's and PhD student. His son also has lived in the Bay Area since the COVID-19 pandemic. These all sparked Dr. Glaser’s interest in coming back to California, and after learning more about SCU, he was certain that this was the right choice for him. He was amazed by the gorgeous campus and most importantly, he recognized the university’s strengths and is eager to help the university accomplish more.
Dr. Glaser also has a background in political science, which he believes will be useful in this new position. He states that politics involves the understanding of conversation, respect, and space. He believes his knowledge of these aspects will aid him in meeting the needs of students, professors, parents, and community members. When asked what goals Dr. Glaser has for this coming school year, he answered that these goals are “our” goals, not just his, clearly expressing Dr. Glaser’s genuine interest in achieving what is best for the entire community at SCU. Below is the continuation of Dr. Glaser’s answer to this question, as well as other questions asked.
Q: What are some of your goals for the future of SCU?
The first goal Dr. Glaser mentioned was supporting the initiatives in the Impact 2030 Strategic Plan. Some of these initiatives include increasing funding and encouraging the faculty to become more research and scholarship-oriented. While Dr. Glaser was not there for the creation of the strategic plan, he is motivated to accomplish the goals it sets.
Another topic Dr. Glaser mentioned was the effectiveness of the quarter system. He is curious to explore whether it is time for SCU to transition to the semester system. Reasons such as decreased research, productivity, and mental health have led Dr. Glaser to wonder whether it is time for a change. Additionally, about 95% of schools are under the semester system. Dr. Glaser worries that the structural differences between SCU and the majority of universities will impede collaboration in the future.
Q: What part of SCU do you think is its strongest aspect?
Dr. Glaser believes that SCU’s strongest aspect is how it “knows what it is” and the Jesuit ethos is very clear. He admires how the Jesuit values are inclusive and set the culture of the school. In addition, Dr. Glaser noted the gorgeous campus. He gave a short anecdote about how when he told the Tufts University president that he was leaving, the president said, “That is the most beautiful campus in America!” Dr. Glaser agrees and states how it is a privilege to walk from his car to his office every day.
Q: Do you have any advice for undergraduate students who are still undecided about their major?
Dr. Glaser stated, “At some time you do have to figure it out, but don’t get tied in a knot about it.” From there, he explained that while this is an important decision, undergraduate students should take the time to explore all of the options available to them. The officers were happy to share with Dr. Glaser that many of them did not think accounting would be for them until they experienced it for the first time in ACTG 11, the introductory accounting course that all business students must take. They witnessed firsthand the value of giving everything a fair chance and exploring every opportunity there is out there. While accounting is not for everyone, Dr. Glaser and the officers encourage students to “taste broadly and relax because you will find something that works for you.”
Q: Considering you will be taking on a multitude of responsibilities at SCU, do you have any advice for students on how to best manage their various responsibilities in college?
In Dr. Glaser’s opinion, it is important to invest your time in systems that work for you. There is no singular system that will work for everybody, you must find what fits you. For Dr. Glaser, clocking in and out helped during his undergraduate years. For example, he kept track of the hours he spent working in a journal and strived to hit at least 45 hours a week. While he says he no longer uses this system due to having a packed schedule, Dr. Glaser encourages students to find a system that will help them be the most effective.
Q: What are you most looking forward to this school year?
Dr. Glaser is most looking forward to being in a “gentler” environment, which he believes stems from the Jesuit nature of the school. He also stated that he is an “accomplishment-oriented person” and is excited to see what “we can accomplish together.” In addition to sharing this, Dr. Glaser told a short story about how he was at the Tufts 1999 commencement ceremony when guest speaker David Halberstam said something quite profound. David Halberstam said, “Students, as you’re thinking about job satisfaction and making a choice about what career you want to go in, think about how much pleasure you will get from working for something bigger than yourself.” This has since stuck with Dr. Glaser because of the pleasure he experiences working for institutions, such as universities. He is excited to continue to work for “something bigger” than himself and is hoping to accomplish as much as he can for the SCU community.
Q: What are some challenges you expect to face this year?
Considering Dr. Glaser is quite new to SCU, he is still getting to know the place. He is also managing the challenge of earning people’s confidence and trust. Since he worked at Tufts University for many years and built various relationships there, people knew who he was and what he valued. Now that he is in a new environment, Dr. Glaser understands that people are still unsure about who he is. Regardless of this, he is eager to get to know the SCU community and vice versa. He hopes that eventually, the community will learn to trust him and what he stands for.
Q: Is there anything else you would like to share with the SCU community?
Dr. Glaser discussed how privileged he feels to hold his position and wants to use it as a force for good. In order to do this, he states that he is really interested in what the community has to say to him. After the interview, Dr. Glaser graciously took time out of his busy schedule to briefly talk to the officers about their personal experiences at SCU and what they hope to see in the future.
Written by SCUAA officers in the photo, from left to right: Jessica Pu (Accounting '25), Maia Murphy (Accounting '25), Cassidy Furutani (Accounting '25), and Brendan Arias (A&IS '25). Provost James Glaser is in the center of the photo.