April 2023 commemoration of Jay H. Shidler's additional $5 million gift to Shidler College.
It’s not goodbye; it’s the next chapter after two decades of leadership By Dani Douglass
On May 16, Shidler College of Business Dean Vance Roley experienced one of his favorite parts of the job for the last time as dean. As thousands filled the Stan Sheriff Center at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa for commencement, Roley stood near the main stage in his regalia and scanned the crowd for the faces from the college he has led for the past 21 years.
“To see how happy they are and how proud their families are, that just really touches me.”
— Vance Roley
And yet, after more than two decades at the helm of Shidler College, Roley is not saying goodbye. He is simply taking a sabbatical before returning to where he always knew he would end up: the finance classrooms he left 21 years ago to step into deanship.
When Roley arrived at the college in 2005 from Washington, he did not expect to stay for more than five years. He envisioned strengthening the college’s people and programs before returning to research. He was eager to take on a leadership role that would support faculty growth, improve facilities, deepen connections with the local business community, raise the profile of international programs and elevate alumni support. But as he built relationships during those first several years, something shifted.
“I’m not leaving the Shidler College of Business. I feel like I would let them down if I didn’t continue.”
— Vance Roley
It was never rankings alone, but trust, that kept Roley returning to Shidler College year after year, well beyond his initial timeline.
“I think trust is hugely important,” he said. “I feel like they judged me by my actions.”
Roley departed the Dean’s Office in July, and he is excited for the college’s next chapter and to return to the classroom in spring 2027.
He is optimistic that support for the college will continue and that the next dean will build upon the work of those who came before. As new leadership steps in with a fresh vision, they will be succeeding a dean who built relationships through consistency, trust, stewardship and a deep investment in people.
Vance Roley with his wife, Emily Fay, at the Shidler College Farewell Celebration in July 2026.
“You need a new pair of eyes sometimes,” he said.
For Vance Roley, this “a hui hou” is not a final goodbye. It’s simply “until we meet again.”
“When Vance became dean, I believed he had the experience, discipline and vision to help move the Shidler College of Business into a new era. What he accomplished over the past 21 years exceeded expectations. His leadership strengthened the college’s global reputation, deepened its connections with alumni and the business community and created a lasting foundation for the college's future.”
— Jay H. Shidler, BBA ’68
“Dean Vance Roley’s vision for the Shidler College of Business and his commitment to bringing people together to strengthen business education in Hawai‘i defined his time as dean. He strengthened Shidler’s reputation, expanded and improved its facilities and increased the number of endowed professorships by more than thirty! He also deepened the college’s ties across the Asia-Pacific region through new programs, partnerships and opportunities for students and faculty. As dean, he leaves Shidler in a strong position for continued growth and impact in the years ahead.”
— Robert “Bob” Harrison
“Vance Roley was a master of building on existing strengths. Focusing on quality, he built stronger student and faculty bodies. Much of his success was based on his exceptional expertise in fundraising. There is no doubt that the college is stronger and provides superior services to our state due to his service.”
