USF outlines advertisement for new president position, future goals

Images of students conducting research and aerials of the University of South Florida’s campuses are part of the marketing package to help the university recruit its next president. 

“The [typical marketing] documents are usually very text-heavy, some photos but very much dependent on the printed word,” said Alberto Pimentel, who leads the SP&A Executive Search firm that’s spearheading the presidential search. 

During the Tuesday USF Board of Trustees meeting, he explained the firm will go in a different direction by emphasizing images of the university and its activities, rather than text, to promote the position. 

The SP&A Executive Search firm was tasked with leading the search efforts after former USF President Steve Currall suddenly left. Rhea Law currently serves as the interim president while USF selects its next leader. 

The first page of the marketing document displays images embedded in the “USF” text and a message reading, “America’s fastest-growing university.”  

Pimentel said the firm wants to “highlight the distinct nature of having the three campuses but to make sure we promote the One USF concept.”

The One USF concept is the consolidation of all three campuses – the Tampa campus, the Sarasota-Manatee campus and the St. Petersburg campus.

Under a tap for each campus, the candidate can select “learn more,” which will take them to a video that spotlights the particular city. 

“We want to market this as an institution that’s not attached to one city, but attached to the Tampa Bay region. By highlighting the dynamic experiences taking place at each city, it allows us to communicate a strong message to the candidates,” Pimentel said. 

The board unanimously supported the marketing package after it was vetted by the search committee. 

“The next step is to publish the application and follow up on calls and get this in their hands,” Pimentel said. 

Pimentel said he has already started engaging with presidents, provosts and vice presidents of other educational institutions. 

The “aggressive” search efforts will commence at the beginning of next year. The search committee will then start the interviewing process in March, which is expected to be completed by April. The timeline may be adjusted depending upon the quality of the candidate pool, he said. 

A salary range for the incoming president has not yet been determined. However, Currall was earning an annual base salary of $575,000. 

During the same meeting, the board also approved goals set for the incoming president. Those goals include: 

• Addressing opportunities and challenges
• Supporting and empowering direct reports 
• Focusing on the athletic department and plans for a stadium 
• Making progress on a university-wide budget model, which would be finalized by this end of fiscal year 
• Focusing on One USF, which involves ensuring the multiple campuses will thrive
• Enhancing the community legislative relations; the legislation session starts in January and one of the goals outlined includes securing additional state funding in the 2022 legislative session.
• Promoting collaboration, communication and cultivation of university stakeholders