USF President: USF Models More Humane Education

	USF President Stephen A. Privett, S.J. delivers the fall 2008 convocation at Presentation Theater.

Kicking off the 153rd academic year at the University of San Francisco, USF President Stephen A. Privett, S.J. used his annual convocation to declare the university stronger, more confident, and better recognized than eight years ago, when trustees and administrators identified four primary initiatives to increase USF’s reputation as the premier, diverse, Jesuit Catholic urban university.

From recruiting outstanding faculty and staff, to enrolling a diverse student population, to providing an attractive campus and resources for enhanced teaching and learning, to strengthening the university’s financial position, USF accomplished a great deal in a short period, but challenges remain, said Fr. Privett, in the fall convocation Aug. 25 at USF’s Presentation Theater.

Since 2000, 112 new positions were added to academic affairs, including 74 faculty positions. Most were hired in the College of Arts and Sciences, where more than 82 percent of USF’s growth in undergraduate student enrollment occurred. Faculty diversity increased, with the number of faculty of color growing from 56 to 74. Staff diversity also rose from 30 percent to 37 percent.

When it came to enrolling students of high academic caliber from diverse backgrounds, USF continued to hold its own. The GPA of entering, first-year undergraduates rose from 3.3 to 3.5. The mean combined SAT score increased from 1,083 to 1,140 – a clear indication of rising academic standards, Fr. Privett said.

Students of color increased by six percent on campus from 2000 to present, making USF the 19th most diverse university in the nation, according to rankings by U.S. News and World Report. Just under 40 percent of USF students are white.

Overall enrollment increased 11 percent from 2000, with undergraduate enrollment jumping by 37 percent, or 1,330, students.

Notably, the number of entering freshmen who reported being the first in their family to attend college jumped from 18 percent to 35 percent, a sign that USF is opening opportunities for poor students, Fr. Privett said. Catering to that population isn’t without its demands, however. Such students often require financial support, and while the university has more than doubled its aid to students from about $21 million to $47 million since 2000, USF’s $225 million endowment remains far behind those of competing universities.
 
USF also made important strides in creating a more attractive campus and providing the resources to enhance teaching and learning. USF improved the ability of students and faculty to access class materials and e-mail wirelessly on campus, built new facilities such as Kalmanovitz Hall, and chipped away at the estimated $200 million in deferred capital maintenance.

There is still some distance to go, however, before USF can stand toe-to-toe on this basis with universities it competes against for students, said Fr. Privett, citing, in particular, the university’s need for improve student housing.

Perhaps one of the most important accomplishments in the last eight years was reestablishing USF’s financial footing. Facing a $5 million deficit with about $200 million in deferred maintenance in 2000, USF turned a corner, bringing in a surplus of about $4.5 million in each of the last five years. This surplus has primarily been used to pay for infrastructure maintenance, Fr. Privett said.

“How I wish this were true!” Fr. Privett said of reports he’d heard that the university had run surpluses on the order of $40 million for the last three years. That kind of figure can only be derived by taking into account USF’s total net worth, including property, endowment, facilities, and vehicles, none of which can be used to help pay for the university’s day-to-day operations, Fr. Privett said.

“An increase in the value of our real estate holdings and/or endowment does not translate directly into expendable dollars, unless we want to sell off some campus acreage or K Hall, which added to USF’s net worth,” he explained. “Bottom line: if the value of one’s home increases, that does not add money to the checking account." To a disturbing degree, USF still depends on student tuition, fees, and room and board to pay about 95 percent of operation costs, Fr. Privett said.

These challenges aside, by drawing on USF’s progress over the last eight years the university is in a strong position to move ahead with a new model for higher education. It’s a model that measures excellence not only with test scores, pass rates, and graduate school acceptances, but also by the humanity of its graduates, Fr. Privett said.

“We are not simply offering an excellent education to our students – we are doing that,” he said. “We are also redefining ‘educational excellence’ in a more comprehensive and responsible way, which reflects our 450-year-old Jesuit Catholic tradition and may serve as a model to the nation of quality education.”

To read the full text of the convocation visit: www.usfca.edu/president/speeches/conv_08.html

To see video footage of the convocation visit (requires USF login ID): intraweb.usfca.edu/stream/convocation08/ 

- Originally published Aug. 26, 2008 -

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