By Althea Johnson, University Communications and Marketing
Speaking to faculty, staff and other members of the university community during an address to help kick off the fall semester, University of South Florida President Rhea Law laid out her strategic vision for the university while reflecting on recent major milestones and record-breaking achievements. Law also emphasized the importance of USF continuing to push to make an even greater impact and exceed expectations.
“It is undeniable that USF has experienced incredible growth and change, and that we have been on a remarkable trajectory these past few years,” Law said. “We are proud of how far we have come — and we want to keep that momentum going and continue to be relentless in our pursuit of excellence.”
Law spoke about many successes, including USF’s historic invitation to join the Association of American Universities, a group of the top 3 percent of universities in the United States and Canada. Other achievements include a record number of undergraduate applications received this year, an all-time high of $692 million in research funding awarded in fiscal year 2023 and new records for both total philanthropic giving and the number of donors.
Law highlighted how others are taking notice of USF’s rise. Last month, Washington Monthly ranked USF No. 22 among public universities and Forbes ranked USF No. 41 among public universities, up 22 spots from last year. For five consecutive years, USF has been among the top 50 public universities in America according to U.S. News & World Report.
Law then turned her focus toward the university’s bold vision.
“As we look ahead, before us lies a powerful opportunity to help define the future of what an AAU institution can be. Our location in a thriving metropolitan area, and our rich traditions of promoting access and opportunity for students from all backgrounds — that includes serving thousands of first-generation college students, Pell Grant recipients and student veterans — uniquely position us to set new standards for excellence and shape the next chapter of higher education in our country,” Law remarked.
Part of the aspiration includes being a Top 25-ranked public university and maximizing USF’s impact across the Tampa Bay region, the state of Florida and around the world. In addition, the university seeks to grow to $1 billion in research funding by 2030, along with recruiting and retaining top faculty. Meanwhile, USF plans to form a college of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and computing, which will be the first in Florida and among the first in the nation. Law also underscored the importance of USF’s on-campus stadium, scheduled to open in 2027.
“The transformative facility will greatly enhance the USF student experience and provide a compelling reason for our alumni, Bulls fans and community members to visit our campus and engage with the university,” Law said. “By bringing tens of thousands of people to campus for games and events, the stadium will open new opportunities to build lifelong connections to USF, to allow the broader region to experience everything our university has to offer beyond athletics and to significantly grow our brand visibility on a local and national level.”
Law shared plans for career readiness and experiential learning opportunities for students, as well as a continued focus on enhancing existing partnerships and forming new ones with the community. She spoke about helping to reimagine the area surrounding the Tampa campus into a more vibrant neighborhood, including repurposing the former golf course site north of Fletcher Avenue into a multi-use destination. Law reaffirmed that the USF Forest Preserve that sits alongside this property will not be developed.
“We are doing the work now to position ourselves for the future. The challenges and opportunities awaiting us underscore the importance of our mission as a public research university. Now, more than ever, we must rise to the occasion,” Law stated. “Institutions of higher learning such as ours are the future, and we can only move forward by continuing to innovate and set new standards.”
A recording of the full address can be found here.