Dear USC Alumni,
With summer upon us, we have embarked on one of the most consequential presidential transitions in our 139-year history and the beginning of an inspiring new era for the University of Southern California.
Over the past eleven months, Dr. Wanda Austin has led with dignity, courage, selflessness and grace. She was not a caretaker president, but rather a committed full-time chief executive who never once avoided making the hard decisions. Dr. Austin has made an authentic difference at a time when candor and clarity were essential, while fostering the rise of a brighter future for USC. We will be forever grateful for her indelible contributions to USC, and are pleased that she is continuing to serve as a Trustee.
Dr. Carol Folt’s presidency begins tomorrow, July 1st. Since her election in March, Dr. Folt has spent time in Los Angeles meeting with students, faculty and staff at both the University Park and Health Sciences campuses. She is carefully building her leadership team and has been working closely with Dr. Austin to ensure a smooth, seamless transition. You will be hearing a great deal more from Dr. Folt soon. In the meantime, I encourage you to note Friday, September 20, on your calendar as the date that she will be formally inaugurated as the 12th president of USC.
As you know well, this past year has been full of exceptional challenges together with positive, historic change. It is a new day at USC where everyone, including the Board, is held accountable for their actions and where there is zero tolerance for improper conduct. Across the university, there is a commitment to meaningful culture reform, restoring trust, and always putting the interests of our most important stakeholders—the students we serve—at the heart of everything we do. All of this momentum is because of you—our remarkable faculty, students, staff and alumni. The Board has been humbled and inspired by your dedication and devotion to USC, our surrounding community, and to each other.
The Board is also proceeding with modernizing USC’s governance to ensure more effective, inclusive, innovative and transparent leadership. USC has tripled in size over the past thirty years, while our governance structure has remained largely the same. We know you expect and deserve world-class governance along with a Board that reflects the university as it stands today and in the future. To that end, we have deliberately evaluated best practices at leading institutions across the globe, and have engaged directly with student, faculty and staff leaders for their input. Beginning this fall, the Board will act upon a series of significant, fundamental reforms. Trustees are aligned in this mission of transformation and we will keep you informed as these actions are taken.
In the meantime, the successful recruitment of Dr. Folt and the recent announcement of our new USC Marshall School of Business dean, Geoffrey Garrett, are further demonstrations of positive change and the determination to enhance USC’s global reputation. They also confirm that USC continues to be a place where the most exceptional and transformational leaders, scholars and students want to be—particularly at this moment. This is the momentum we seek to build upon, together with a singular fidelity to preeminence in every place, space and circumstance.
I look forward to seeing you at Dr. Folt’s presidential inauguration and at our first 2019 Trojan football game at the newly renovated Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday evening, August 31st. I recently toured the Coliseum and it is simply fantastic.
There is so much more to accomplish at USC and together we will continue to transcend, achieve and advance our great university.
Have a great summer.
Sincerely,
Rick J. Caruso
Chair
USC Board of Trustees