Five things you should know about
Joe Rallo, Louisiana Commissioner of Higher Education
Leaving his tenure track position at Rutgers University for the military in the 1980s, Joe Rallo, the Louisiana Board of Regents’ new commissioner of higher education, served on active duty in the United State Navy and the United States Air Force before resuming his university career. He has successfully navigated an academic career path and built a 27-year military career of both active and reserve service, retiring from the Air Force with the rank of colonel. With an extensive university background and an expertise for international business policy, Rallo is poised to use his diverse experience to lead the state’s complex network of university systems.
1) Having testified to the United States House Committee on Science, Space and Technology about technology transfer policy between the U.S. and the European Union, Rallo remains optimistic for the future of Louisiana State University’s technology transfer efforts. With LSU’s new hires in research and development and tech transfer, Rallo says Louisiana institutions should be encouraged to stay the course.
2) In all of Rallo’s international travels, his favorite destination throughout his career was the European University Institute in Florence, Italy. Rallo spent two years as a fellow there and also proposed to his wife in Florence in 2008.
3) Rallo believes he has the best job in the world. “We are paid to think and be around young people,” Rallo says. Although as commissioner Rallo is not able to be around students everyday, he is acutely aware of his responsibility to prepare them for the competitive landscape of the future.
4) Having served as a professor, dean, provost, president, system vice chancellor and now commissioner, Rallo says he is most proud of accomplishing the 30-year career path he visualized in 1980 after finishing his doctoral degree.
5) “An excellent sense of humor and common sense can go a long way.” Rallo uses this advice when tackling the day-to-day challenges of the job such as budgets, while staying mindful of the need to the anticipate emerging trends in higher education.
Read the full Q&A at businessreport.com.
