Rhea Law, who has been USF’s interim president since August, is the new president-elect for the University of South Florida. This comes after a thorough search process that involved community engagement, town hall meetings, candidate interviews and visits to the campus.
Who is Rhea Law?
On March 22, The University of South Florida Board of Trustees voted unanimously to name Rhea Law as the university’s president-elect. Here are some interesting facts about USF’s new president:
- She is the first USF alum to be president
- Her selection as president comes after a seven-month national search process
- She’s the former CEO of Fowler White Boggs, a Florida law firm
- She earned her undergraduate degree in management from USF
- She’s a fifth-generation Floridian
She will become USF’s eight president pending approval from the Florida Board of Governors. The BOG is currently scheduled to conduct a public interview and hold a confirmation vote on Wednesday, March 30, during a meeting in Jacksonville.
Her main competitor in the presidential search process was retired Army Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Talley. Talley is a senior executive with experience in military, academic, corporate and government positions. He currently serves as a member of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition based in Washington D.C., an organization that works to strengthen tools of national security.
USF Board of Trustees Chair Will Weatherford had this to say about Law:
We have the utmost confidence in President Law, and I can’t wait to see how far we can take USF under her leadership. Our best days are ahead of us.
Read full letter from Will Weatherford here
What does a university president do?
A college president is responsible for overseeing all operations — both academic and administrative — at a university. Think of them as the CEO of a university. They deal with the big picture and set the tone for the entire institution. Some of their activities include overseeing tuition rates, cost savings, community relations, outreach, research funding, and more.
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