Building What Comes Next: A Conversation with Dr. Brian Peterson

By Eli Meschko

Media & Communications Coordinator

Four months into his role as Provost and Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs at Briar Cliff University, Dr. Brian Peterson is already looking beyond the walls of his office.

Not just at The Cliff’s curriculum or course offerings, but at people. At what the university owes its students, faculty, and the Siouxland community it calls home.

Most importantly, he’s already looking ahead.

Dr. Peterson didn't arrive at Briar Cliff by accident. After spending several years at La Grange College as the vice president of academic affairs, he began exploring new opportunities. During that search, he spotted an opening at BCU, but it wasn’t the position that drew him in; it was the institution itself.

“I was attracted to the Franciscan tradition and the level of service the university engages in,” Dr. Peterson said. “I also had great conversations with [President] Dr. Draud and the search committee. That’s what sold me.” 

An Economist by Training

As an undergraduate student pursuing a degree in economics at Dayton University, Peterson didn’t envision a future in higher education leadership. However, the turning point came when his mentor, who was a teaching assistant, gave him a chance to teach a couple of classes.

He became hooked.

While he pursued a master's and a doctorate in economics from Indiana University, the move into administration went back to his passion for teaching others. He wanted to help students beyond just those in his classes, so he made the jump from professor to administration.

“I started as a dean of graduating classes, like an advisor, and then moved into the role of associate dean,” Dr. Peterson said. “After, I moved into a senior associate dean position and then into my [previous] position as vice president of academic affairs at La Grange.”

While Dr. Peterson has been in administration for over a decade, he still thinks like an economist. This shows in how he approaches decision-making, especially when it comes to academic programs.

He tends to look at things in terms of cost and benefit. However, he understands benefits can be harder to quantify when it comes to academic programs. So, while other institutions are cutting programs because they don’t raise revenue, he isn’t convinced that’s always the right approach.

Just because a program is smaller, it doesn’t deserve to be cut. He compared it to a financial portfolio; an institution’s academic portfolio needs to remain diversified. More importantly, he emphasized that there are programs that are foundational and define the identity of a college.

“There are programs here that are just Briar Cliff,” Dr. Peterson said. “You can’t imagine the university without them. We won't cut those."

At the same time, he knows sustainability matters. So, he always has an eye on adding growth in one area to support others. 

A Changing Landscape

Currently, there is a shifting reality that every institution, not just Briar Cliff, faces. With a falling number of high school graduates, there's an increase in competition, and BCU needs to be creative to meet the evolving needs of students.

That creative thinking is already taking shape among Briar Cliff’s faculty. They’re all reviewing their current programs and considering how they can adapt them to be more relevant for students.

This is important to him, as the development of new programs can turn interest into commitment from prospective students.

He’s spent his first few months on campus going on a “listening tour,” where he’s met with faculty, admissions counselors, and coaches to hear what they're hearing from students. Many times, a high school student has said they’d love to attend BCU, but there isn’t a specific program.

So, he’s focused on how to address that challenge to compete in a world with fewer high school graduates.

"One program under consideration is content creation,” Dr. Peterson said. “It’s a blend of mass communications, marketing, business, and English. All of which we already offer here, so it’s about tailoring those courses into a cohesive program.”

Sometimes, the solution is much simpler than coming up with a niche program. He pointed to neuroscience as an example.

“We’ve always had neuroscience,” he said. “We offer biology and psychology, which are foundational in neuroscience. But we never called it neuroscience, and students were going elsewhere because of that.”

A Look Ahead

For Dr. Peterson, leadership isn’t about dictating change. It’s about creating healthy conditions to foster it.

He understands that he may not know what a biology program should look like; he’s not a biologist. But he can encourage faculty to start thinking creatively. He wants faculty to understand there’s space for professional development.

If a program is being rethought, he wants to support those faculty members to engage in development. If a department needs new equipment, he wants to support that to the best of his abilities.

While he will provide feedback to faculty, he also wants them to know that they can approach him with their own feedback.

“My job is to create a space where the faculty and students can do the things they need to do to be successful,” Dr. Peterson said. “The moment I am unwilling to accept feedback and create that space is the moment I need to stop this job.”

His job, though, doesn’t stop at campus boundaries.

His goal is to push service opportunities and internships in Sioux City as much as possible. He aims to have any new program benefit the community in some way. He’s also held talks with the surrounding Winnebago and Omaha native populations about ways Briar Cliff can create programs that will benefit the students who come from the reservations.

“We need to do whatever we can to maintain good relationships with the surrounding communities,” he said. “We want the Siouxland community to thrive with us by its side.”