Earth Month 2024

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!

Appointment of New University and Distinguished Professors

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.

Announcing USC’s Vice President for Presidential Initiatives

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.

Thank You for Making Your Voice Heard!

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.

Announcing the USC Leonard D. Schaeffer Institute for Public Policy & Government Service

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.

Announcing the inaugural director of the USC School of Advanced Computing

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. 

Your voice matters. Take the USC Culture Survey.

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.

President Folt’s Spring Semester Welcome

Welcome back, Trojans! Hope you’ll check this video out and enjoy some highlights of the term ahead. Fight on!

Announcing the next Vice Provost for Academic and Faculty Affairs

It is my pleasure to announce that Suzanne Wenzel will serve as the next Vice Provost for Academic and Faculty Affairs, effective January 1, 2024.

Training exercise for an active shooter incident on December 14

This Thursday, December 14, DPS will partner with the Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles Fire Department, and others in a drill at the University Park Campus that will simulate an active shooter situation.