Overview
On July 1, 2023 a new state law s. 1001.93 went into effect requiring the establishment of an Office of Public Policy Events at each member institution of the State University System in Florida. The purpose of the OPPE described in statute is to facilitate the advancement of knowledge through the sponsorship of events featuring open discussion and debate of contested public policy issues from diverse perspectives.
The Board of Trustees for the University of South Florida has assigned the duties of the Office of Public Policy Events (OPPE) to the Institute for Public Policy and Leadership. The Institute for Public Policy and Leadership (IPPL) is led by Casey Welch as Executive Director and who was also designated as the Director of the Office of Public Policy Events at USF in accordance with Florida Statutes. The Office of Public Policy Events will report to Office of General Counsel at USF.
The Institute for Public Policy and Leadership's mission is to engage the preeminent academic resources of the university, as well as local and global experts, to guide a dynamic exchange of ideas about important policy and leadership issues.