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Week of December 13, 2021

As we near the winter break, I want to take a moment to thank you for your hard work over this past year as we continue our trajectory as America's fastest-rising university. All of us in the USF community – every person, every department and every college – play a key role in the success of our great university.

We rise as one in One USF and it is so gratifying to see the strides we have made over the year. There were so many significant developments that went into making 2021 memorable, and we’ll share some of the biggest moments of the year on our USF website throughout the break, including the return of in-person commencement exercises. I had the honor of presiding over four ceremonies this past weekend. Congratulations to all of our recent graduates and I wish you the very best on the road ahead.

One parting reminder: Our extended holiday will include USF’s 2021 observance of Juneteenth National Independence Day, a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S. During this time off, I hope you will pause and consider the importance of this holiday in the context of our country’s history and future.

May you have a relaxing and enjoyable break – you earned it – and here's to a rewarding 2022!

Updates

• I'm very pleased to report that the USF Strategic Plan, In Pursuit of Excellence, was unanimously passed at the Board of Trustees meeting last week. This important step incorporates objectives and measures of success to ensure a robust future path for USF. We look forward to Board of Governors consideration in January.

• At the same trustees meeting, an on-campus stadium update was provided by our leadership team. USF has formed a Campus Stadium Planning Committee, which is currently evaluating five possible locations. We know how much value USF Athletics brings to the university - improving the on-campus experience, increasing engagement opportunities, and raising the overall visibility of the institution. Looking to the future, our next steps will be to determine the scope, location and cost of the project. Many of these details will be determined in the new year.

• I couldn't have been happier to participate in the USF Sarasota-Manatee and St. Petersburg student campus celebrations last week. The first-ever events represent our commitment as a consolidated university in still recognizing the importance that our branch campuses play. And they underscore the deep connection students feel to their home campus.

• As we look ahead to the start of the spring semester in January, we are optimistic about the COVID-19 trends we’re seeing, with a continued decline of cases and hospitalizations in our communities. We strongly encourage COVID-19 vaccines, including boosters, and urge you to stay home if you do not feel well. Vaccines are free and readily available on our campuses and at sites throughout Tampa Bay. For updated guidance that will take effect beginning January 3, 2022, please visit USF’s coronavirus website to read about our protocols in more detail.

• I want to thank everybody who participated in the Coffee & Conversation session last week. I had the pleasure of discussing and answering questions about my experiences with external board relations. It was a terrific virtual event and I thank the ACE Women's Network of Florida for making it possible.

Additional University News Sources

• USF
• St. Petersburg Campus
• Sarasota-Manatee Campus
• USF Health
• USF Athletics

• The Tampa Bay Business Journal wrote about USF's economic impact of more than $6.02 billion.

• NPR national interviewed Dr. Lori Collins, co-director of the Digital Heritage and Humanities Center at USF, about tools that preserve historic sites threatened by the effects of climate change.

• PBS national's special series entitled "Build a better memory through science" interviewed Dr. Jerry Edwards of USF Health's Byrd Alzheimer's Center and Research Institute.

Compiled by a team from the Muma College of Business, the USF Economic Impact Report shows that America’s fasting-rising university had a total economic impact of $6.02 billion in fiscal 2019-20. For reference, USF’s economic impact would be like having roughly 10-15 Super Bowls in one city per year, based on data from host cities.

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