We are writing to let you know that our University Park Campus is in the process of being returned to normal operations. University gates will remain closed to anyone without proper USC identification or verifiable business purpose, at least through the weekend, similar to our weeknight and weekend entry protocols.
Category: Faculty
I want to give you an update on what has been happening on our campus today. As always, our highest priority and responsibility is to protect the safety of our community and ensure our academic programs and university activities continue unabated.
Earth Month begins today, and I hope you’ll take the time to reflect on our planet and join USC’s efforts to create a more sustainable future. For inspiration, I encourage you to visit the Earth Month event calendar, where you’ll find over 50 sustainability-focused activities and events to help you do just that!
On behalf of President Folt, I am excited to announce that Franita Tolson has been appointed as the new dean of the USC Gould School of Law, effective April 1, 2024. Dean Tolson will hold the Carl Mason Franklin Chair in Law.
We are excited to honor this year’s exceptional members of our faculty with University and Distinguished professorships, USC’s highest academic honors. We present these annually to select outstanding faculty who have brought great distinction and honor to our university through their work. Their research enlightens and enriches collective understandings outside of USC and contributes to the advancement of society.
I am writing today to let you know that I have appointed Shrikanth (Shri) Narayanan as vice president for presidential initiatives. This is a new role in my office, designed specifically to help the provost, senior vice president for health affairs, senior vice president for research and innovation, and me to implement cross-cutting, university-wide initiatives that involve multiple schools, locations, disciplines, units, and approaches.
I appreciate all of you who took the time to share your thoughts with us through the USC Culture Survey. Your anonymous feedback regarding our university culture – and the extent to which you see our Unifying Values being lived out through your experiences and interactions – are essential to the current and future path of USC.
Our longtime trustee Leonard D. Schaeffer and his late wife, Pamela, have given USC that opportunity with a transformational $59 million gift to establish the USC Leonard D. Schaeffer Institute for Public Policy & Government Service. This new institute, which will be anchored at the USC Capital Campus in Washington, D.C, will educate the next generation about government service and will conduct research to support evidence-based policy.
Today, I am excited to announce that Dr. Gaurav Sukhatme has been appointed the inaugural director of USC’s new School of Advanced Computing. This vibrant new hub is central to USC’s $1B-plus, 10-year Frontiers of Computing presidential moonshot.
Our spring semester is now well underway, and I have never been more appreciative to be part of this institution. At USC, we have an inspiring mission that affords us the opportunity to shape the world’s future through our contributions in every field imaginable.