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Week of June 21, 2022

USF would not be the standout university it is without our talented and dedicated faculty. Simply put, they are the heart of our success – the foundation upon which we prepare students to make a difference in the world, conduct cutting-edge research and elevate our institution to new heights.

That’s why it meant so much to me to be honored this past week in a reception sponsored by USF’s chapter of the United Faculty of Florida, which represents the faculty and professionals on our three campuses in collective bargaining.

I was delighted to meet with Steve Lang, new president of USF's chapter (above left), and UFF's chief negotiator Bob Welker (above right) on the same day the USF Board of Trustees approved a new collective bargaining agreement. As I’ve said during the past year, my partnership with USF’s faculty is of tremendous importance. One of the reasons I wanted to continue leading USF is the opportunity to collaborate with and support our faculty members. I have seen the amazing things they do every day in impactful research, interactions with our students and imbuing vital knowledge to prepare them for success after graduating.

They are the driving force behind USF’s trajectory as the fastest-rising university in the country. And I have a deep appreciation for their legacy of excellence that is embedded in our DNA at the University of South Florida.

Updates

• At last week’s USF Board of Trustees meeting, Michael Kelly from USF Athletics and Jay Stroman from the USF Foundation presented the latest information in the ongoing process to build an on-campus stadium, including sharing the progress that’s been made since the board last met in March and outlining the next steps for the project. I invite you to read more about their update here. 

• At the same board meeting, we recognized two members of the USF community who have made a major impact on our university. Nick Trivunovich, who has provided a steady hand with USF’s budget for 27 years, has decided to retire effective June 30 to spend more time with his grandchildren. We’re very grateful to Nick for his great service to USF. Meanwhile, longtime supporter Les Muma announced he’s retiring from the BOT and we will miss his valuable perspectives on the board. It’s hard to express how much Les and his wife, Pam, have meant to USF over the years through their enormous generosity and engagement – and we offer our heartfelt thanks. Their legacy will be felt at our university for generations to come. It was also the last BOT meeting for USF Trustee and Faculty Senate President Tim Boaz, and I appreciate his excellent service. Meanwhile, Jenifer Schneider, the incoming Faculty Senate president, will join the board in August and I extend a warm welcome.

• I extend my best wishes and appreciation to USF Vice President of Student Success Paul Dosal, who has accepted a new position as senior vice president for student success at the University of Central Florida. Over the past decade, Dr. Dosal’s leadership has elevated USF’s efforts to support student access and success, which has helped garner USF recognition as a national model for student success in higher education. The numerous achievements accomplished under his leadership include unparalleled gains in our student diversity profile, student retention, progression and graduation rates, improved student support services (from academic advising to mental health counseling), and significantly diminishing the level of loan indebtedness for our graduates.

• I was pleased to meet with President Ramiro Salas Bravo of the Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola (USIL) of Peru, along with leaders from the Muma College of Business. USF partnered with USIL in 2011, making it the first – and is still the only – U.S. business program to offer an undergraduate, AACSB-accredited degree program taught in English in South America. Peruvian students have the opportunity to study for a semester at the Tampa campus, and our faculty travel to Peru to teach classes in English. 

•  The 11th annual GTE Scholarship Judging event took place last week and I'm proud to say I have served as the honorary chair for each one. We selected 24 winners to receive $2,500 scholarships toward their higher-education dreams. The scholarships are a way of rewarding students for their dedication to the community, and the money allows students to offset the costs of college. Since the program began in 2012, GTE Financial has awarded more than $845,000, and I am glad to participate in a program that enriches the lives of students.

Pyper Vaughn

Boundless Bulls is a collection of stories about what truly makes USF great – the people. It is a focus on our community footprint, our impact, and the trajectory of where we can go together

The Chronicle of Higher Education interviewed William Cummings and Carmen Goldsmith of USF in a story examining efforts to improve graduation rates among men.

The Chronicle of Higher Education took an in-depth look at USF’s student success initiatives.

Fox 13 aired a story about USF's College of Nursing expanding undergraduate education as projections show that Florida will face a shortage of more than 59,000 RNs and LPNs by 2035.

The USF Contemporary Art Museum, part of the Institute for Research in Art in the USF College of The Arts, will present “The Lyrical Moment: Modern and Contemporary Abstraction” by Helen Frankenthaler and Heather Gwen Martin. The exhibit will run through July 30 at the USF Contemporary Art Museum on the Tampa campus. It features elegant, hand-processed prints by pioneering artist Helen Frankenthaler and digitally informed, pop-inflected canvases and gouaches by Los Angeles painter Heather Gwen Martin. Read more here.

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