New OPA head moves from one prez to another

With at least one national controversy every year this decade, Yale's need for a public relations guru has never been greater. Enter B. Jay Cooper, former deputy press secretary to presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush, DC '48. The man whose résumé boasts managing media relations at the White House took over as Director of the Office of Public Affairs (OPA) in August.

The role of Director of Public Affairs was strengthened when University President Richard Levin, GRD '74, took office in 1993. Levin hired Gary Fryer in 1994, who had run public relations for then-governor of New York Mario Cuomo and the AFL-CIO, to advise the University on policy decisions and to help shape Yale's public image. To achieve this, Fryer was asked to attend the daily meetings of the University officers.

"As a presence at officers' meetings, Fryer helped shape policy on a higher level," Cynthia Atwood, a longtime OPA staff member, said. University Secretary Linda Lorimer, LAW '77, said Fryer's appointment was "an evolutionary move" that took a quality OPA and placed "a seasoned public affairs professional at the helm."

The OPA has always been a productive public relations machine, publishing daily press releases as well as the Yale Weekly Bulletin & Calendar, a newspaper about University issues and events. However, before Fryer's tenure, the office lacked the insider knowledge to stay abreast of possible controversies.

"Before [Fryer's appointment], the Office of Public Affairs would sometimes first learn about news the next morning in the Yale Daily [News], " Atwood said. "Fryer's position as assistant to Levin enabled him to learn about issues before they became public." Fryer also physically restructured the office, allowing its 13 staff members to collaborate more efficiently.

When Fryer died from cancer last January, the University sought an experienced public relations professional to maintain a strong OPA presence. With his experience in media relations and politics, Cooper fit the bill.

"Fryer set a high standard which we believed we matched with B. Jay Cooper," Lorimer said. "He has an extraordinary reputation for integrity, whether you talk to journalists out in the field, or administrators in the Commerce Department or the White House."

Courtesy OPA After a career in communications that took him all the way to the White House, B. Jay Cooper brings his expertise to Yale.

Cooper was a reporter and columnist at the Waterbury Republican American for 10 years. He held public relations positions at the U.S. Department of Commerce and on the 1980 Reagan-Bush presidential campaign in Connecticut. Cooper went on to serve as deputy press secretary in the White House under the Reagan and Bush administration. From there, he became director of communications at the Republican National Committee from 1989 to 1993.

Cooper expects his experience will serve him well as Director. "My 15 years in politics come into play. I have served as a counselor and a press secretary, and I've learned something about communicating a message to the public."

He feels his position as direct consultant to President Levin will allow him to help the University avoid possible public relations bombshells. "Sitting in on officers' meetings allows me to hear about the issue, and allows us to try to avoid controversy in the first place. I'll have access to information at an early enough stage to have a voice in how to avoid problems."

And Cooper is quick to refute the notion that he's a spin doctor. "I don't like the word `spin'," he said. "Spin has come to have a negative connotation, a synonym for lying. You can't take a negative issue and turn it into a positive one--you can only explain why you're taking the position or action you're taking and hope the public understands."

Although he has held his new position for only a few weeks, Cooper looks to help the University maintain a favorable public image. "I still have a big learning curve in terms of getting used to the office. My background has prepared me to deal with the development and presentation of policy."

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