USF Student Virtual Town Hall Follow-up (4/29)

Dear USF students,

Thank you to those who were available to join in our virtual town hall yesterday afternoon. I thoroughly enjoyed connecting with many of you and appreciate your continued flexibility during this challenging time. 

I wish to emphasize that the university’s leadership team and I are working diligently to develop plans to safely resume in-person instruction and other activities when deemed appropriate, in close consultation with our health and government partners. I recognize that you and your families understandably have many questions. We will share updates as soon as we have them available. As a reminder, you are welcome to submit any COVID-19-related questions to usf.edu/covidquestions for the most prompt response.

I also wish to share some personal thoughts I’ve had over the past month. Although much of our energy has understandably gone into the logistics required to move nearly all of the university’s operations to a new virtual format, in some of the quieter moments I have found myself reflecting on the true mission of higher education.

For those of us who have dedicated our lives to the academy, it is easy to find comfort in the hallmarks of a traditional university experience. Bustling lecture halls provide a palpable sense of community. Bright research labs brim with possibility. Campus gathering spaces bridge global divides, as forums for discussion and debate among individuals from all over the world.

And now, as the COVID-19 virus has disrupted our way of life, the University of South Florida experience as we know it has changed.

The lecture halls are empty, our labs are quiet, and as each of us attempts to continue working, teaching and learning with some sense of normalcy, there is a feeling of holding one’s breath. Take away all the traditional physical trappings of university life, and what remains?

Stephen Hawking, the brilliant physicist, said, “Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.”

Is there any truer statement about the purpose of higher education?

When you chose to come to USF, you did so because you saw in this university a path to realize your fullest potential. I have no doubt that our world-class course offerings, diverse student body, research opportunities and beautiful campuses played a role in your decision.

Also, I would venture to guess it was the intangible sense of tenacity, grit and hunger for excellence at USF that captured your imagination and aligned with your personal aspirations. At USF, we are driven by our desire to shape the future. At USF, we will not be deterred from achieving our goals.

As you conclude your spring semester in a manner none of us would have predicted just a few months ago, I want to thank you for reminding me of our role as an academic community. Our mission is not to maintain the status quo, but to explore new frontiers. To grow. To adapt. And now, in the wake of a global health challenge unlike anything any of us have seen in our lifetimes, you have done just that. You are overcoming current obstacles and prevailing despite headwinds. Amid uncertainty, there is one thing of which we can be sure: as a university community, we will emerge from this stronger than ever before.

I wish you a safe and restful summer, and I look forward to our time together again.

Steve Currall
President and Professor