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March 16 Consolidation Update

On March 15, USF reached a major milestone with the submission of a key document required by our accrediting agency, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

This document, called a substantive change prospectus, explains the rationale for combining our three separately accredited institutions in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee into one unified university. It also details our plans for a single institution, including college structures, faculty, libraries and learning resources, student services and student government. As the prospectus notes, many functions and services already are coordinated centrally, including financial aid, human resources, advancement, research support, information technology and international education.

Considering the complexities of consolidating three separately accredited institutions, submission of this document by SACSCOC’s March 15 deadline required a coordinated, collaborative planning process over many months. I am grateful to Provost Ralph Wilcox and his team for leading this effort, and to stakeholders at all levels, including the Board of Trustees; faculty, students and staff from each campus; and community members, for the many valuable contributions that have helped us reach this important point in the consolidation process.

The substantive change prospectus is available on the consolidation website.

SACSCOC’s board will consider our request for a unified accreditation during its June meeting, just a few weeks before consolidation takes effect. The organization’s Substantive Change Committee will then visit USF later this fall or early in the spring 2021 semester. We will begin preparing the fairly lengthy documentation that the committee will require for the site visit within the next month.

As part of the consolidation process, the USF Board of Trustees last December adopted a new mission statement and goals for One USF, which are included in the documents provided to our accrediting agency. USF’s mission and goals, available at www.usf.edu/about-usf/mission-vision.aspx, will be further considered during an extended and broad-based strategic renewal process that will follow the establishment of USF’s Principles of Community. I hope to share those principles, drafted by our Principles of Community Task Force and with input from across USF (5,000 responses to an online survey), later this spring.

Consolidation brings immense potential for new collaborations. Students will be able to seamlessly access a broader array of academic offerings, and all student support services will be available to them. The benefits of preeminence will extend to all of our campuses, and consolidation will mean that every ßÙßÇÂþ»­ student will earn their degree from a preeminent research university. Just as there will be expanded access and opportunities for students, the same will be true for our faculty, who, for example, will be able to take advantage of greater opportunities for interdisciplinary research.

There will be benefits to our region as well. As of July 1, multiple counties and communities will be home to a preeminent research university – one of only three in Florida. There will be greater access to our remarkable faculty and research and our important economic development initiatives.

Our ability to navigate the very complex consolidation process is a credit to faculty, staff and students across our three campuses.

Stay tuned for further updates as we near the July 1 deadline.