Explore updates from USF's President, university news and upcoming events.
From the President
I am thrilled to share that USF achieved the highest ranking in our history among all public or private universities in U.S. News & World Report’s annual list of the best colleges. USF is now No. 88 among all universities, up from No. 91 a year ago. In addition, USF is No. 43 among public universities, up two spots from last year, marking the seventh consecutive year we have ranked among the top 50 public universities. U.S. News also ranks USF as the No. 12 “best value” among the nation’s public universities. Our faculty and staff play a critical role in growing our national reputation for excellence, and I thank you for your many important contributions that support our rise in the rankings.
Updates
• Congratulations to Moez Limayem on being named the sole finalist for USF’s next president. He brings proven experience as a university president here in Florida and I’ve seen his dynamic leadership abilities up close when he served as dean of our Muma College of Business. Throughout this process, I have pledged to the Board of Trustees that I will provide any support that I can to ensure a smooth glide path for our new president. Please join me in congratulating Moez on being named the sole finalist!
• With the opening of the Center for Executive and Leadership Education, which is based on the USF St. Petersburg campus, Tampa Bay companies no longer need to send their leaders elsewhere for world-class executive education. During the ceremony to celebrate this new initiative, I was delighted to announce a $3 million gift to support the center from Kate Tiedemann and Ellen Cotton. Kate and Ellen have played a major role in transforming our university, and we are extremely grateful for their ongoing support.
• I am pleased to share an update on the Advancing Efficiency and Strategic Impact Task Force, whose work is part of our ongoing process to position USF for future success. The Task Force’s proposals are designed to ensure we are investing in our core priorities: student success, faculty excellence, research innovation and long-term institutional resilience. I am grateful to the Task Force and the many members of our faculty and staff who contributed valuable input.
• Our Bulls football team returns to Raymond James Stadium on Friday to take on Charlotte, and I hope to see many of you there as we open our American Conference schedule. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. and if you haven’t taken advantage yet of the opportunity to claim two free tickets available to faculty and staff – and purchase up to eight discounted tickets -- there’s still time to do so.
• I am honored to co-chair the 2025 Tampa Bay Heart Walk alongside a longtime champion for USF, Frank Morsani. Our university’s deep connection to the Tampa Bay Heart Walk — from student and employee-led teams to research initiatives — demonstrates our commitment to raising critical funds and shaping the event’s regional impact through active engagement. I hope you’ll join us for the walk on Nov. 15; you can go here for details on other ways to get involved in this year’s event.
The deadline to sign up for this year’s Great American Teach-In is Oct. 10. The event provides an opportunity for USF employees to step into local K-12 classrooms and inspire students by sharing your career journey, expertise, or a hands-on activity. The Teach-In will take place in Pinellas County schools on Nov. 12; it is scheduled for Nov. 20 for schools in Hillsborough and Pasco counties.
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