Editor’s note: some answers have been edited for clarity and grammar.
Steve Perez was appointed Interim President of San Jose State on January 3, 2022. He previously served as provost and vice president of Academic Affairs and professor of economics at California State University, Sacramento. Perez stepped down from his role as interim president on January 16, 2023 following the appointment of Cynthia Teniente-Matson as the new president of San Jose State.
What are some of the actions and policies that you’re most proud of from your tenure?
I was exceptionally fortunate to be able to have the opportunity to work there. Mostly because the people there are so fantastic. I loved interacting with the students. I loved working with our staff and our faculty that are so dedicated to our students’ success and doing great things that I was very, very fortunate to be able to do that. I was proud to be a part of that community. I was proud that, I think, I hope that I left it with a feeling that I cared and that a sense of community that maybe I added to that somewhat. I think that's what I'm most proud of I'm what I'm most proud of is we graduated over 10,000 people while I was there, and and that takes a lot of work on a lot of people's part, not the least of which is our unbelievably talented students, but that made me feel really good.
You took over as interim president during COVID-19. What was that like and how do you think it affected you doing your job?
The challenges we faced during the pandemic. I came to be the interim president after I was serving as the provost at Sacramento State. And the pandemic as a global pandemic was also happening there. So we had very similar challenges. So it wasn't the fact of me coming in as interim president. We were all facing these challenges together and trying to decide how to best support each other and support our community. What was different was I was trying to meet everybody. And that was very hard to do.
So we started the first three weeks almost exclusively virtual in January. That spring semester, I did some “get to know you” open forums, but those were on Zoom. So out of abundance of caution, I couldn't interact with as many people as I would have liked to right off the bat and so made the transition different than it would have been otherwise. And in some ways a little more challenging but the challenges of the pandemic were ones that I was experiencing as well as everybody else prior to that too.
How did you work to establish a community and what’s the importance of building that community and that connection with students on campus?
Well, it makes the job a lot more fun, that we're, honestly anyone who's working in university, we're there to be able to support our students' success, and to be able to be fortunate enough to go out, and watch it, and see it and interact with our students to enable that. It's an honor and a privilege. And so I enjoyed going to - I went to as many things as I possibly could. I saw sporting events, I saw plays, I saw musical performances. I'm trying to remember what it was but early in my time there there was an art installation over in the parking lot. And I can't remember what the details were. But it was fascinating, seeing what our students were doing. And so I enjoyed it very much and that's why I did it. And I think it's important for students to know that we're, we're proud of them, we're proud to be able to work with them. And we're appreciative of the opportunity to be able to do it.
You took on the role while the university was going through a scandal. What was your plan of dealing with that, especially after the former president Mary Papazian resigned?
I just tried to do the best job I could. And that meant trying to help everybody support each other and support our students as well as we possibly could. That's really the only way I know how to do my job is to try to figure out how we can best influence each other.
Could you give a few examples of how you did that?
Well, I had lots of open forums to meet people. I was around. I tried to be as approachable as I possibly could. I tried to be honest and transparent where I could be, which was everywhere I could possibly be.
How do you feel about the changes made to the athletics program during your tenure?
I was really proud of what they were able to do in athletics. Our student athletes are tremendous individuals. They reflect the student body at San Jose State perfectly: hardworking, resilient, dedicated, driven, want to be excellent, want to do great work in the classroom and on the field. They reflect what we have as our students, which are tremendous individuals. So there was a great deal of success in athletics over the last year and I was proud to be able to watch it and whatever role I played. I was happy to do so.
You've helped to champion racial justice and equity at San Jose State, why is that important to you?
It's important to me individually because it's morally important for our society. But professionally, when we talk about a university, we want people to come and learn. We want people to come and feel free to be their true selves. And that means we need to be able to break down barriers and make sure people understand and know that they're welcome and that they're appreciated. And that their viewpoints and their presence is something that we strive to . . . to appreciate in all of its forms. So at universities, we have a very special role and opportunity to try to help shape a society the way we want it to be. I want to live in one here where people can feel free to . . . free to be their true selves and know that they're welcome and appreciate it.
What are you looking forward to in your new role as interim provost and vice president to academic affairs at Chico State?
I've been here a week now - short week because we had Monday off, but I've been here a week and I've got to meet a lot of people. I like interacting with people. I like working at a university. I like working with students, faculty, and staff, to do great things. So I'm looking forward to meeting the people here, seeing what role I can do, how I can help shape what's going on here and how we can do things better.
What advice would you give to Teniente-Maston in her new role?
I don't know that I'm in a position to give her advice. She's a tremendously intelligent and accomplished person already. She knows what she needs to do. So what I would say are things that she already knows: our students are great, work with them, work for their success, work with our faculty and our staff (who) are tremendously talented and dedicated to make all that happen. She knows that already. She's just got to have a very great career, and I’m looking forward to seeing what she does next.
What do you hope your legacy will be at San Jose State?
You know, I don't know that I've ever wanted much of a legacy. (It’s) not about me. I didn't serve as interim president - I don't serve now as Interim Provost - (for) myself. We talk to administrators, faculty, staff, we work to try to promote the mission of the university. And so you asked me, I think it might have been the first question I can't remember but early on, what am I most proud of? As I said, we graduated over 10,000 students. It’s a tremendous accomplishment for those individuals and for the university. If I had any part in that and making that happen, I'll be proud about that.
