Book on USF’s history receives a $35,000 facelift
Famously known to showcase USF’s history throughout the years, the Book of Bull is getting a fresh new look for the first time since 2017. However, these changes are matched with a weighty price tag of $35,000.
The funds allocated for the project come from a partnership between Student Government (SG) and the Alumni Association. According to the Vice President & Executive Director of the Alumni Association Bill McCausland, SG allocated $15,000 of its funds while the Alumni Association contributed $20,000 to the printing and designing of the Book of Bull.
The project, overseen by the Alumni Association and SG aims to update facts and historical events about USF. McCausland said the Book of Bull gives students access to resources USF offers and facts about USF that many are not aware of.
“This book can help stimulate what is available to students while providing a historical perspective of what has transpired since we were founded in 1956,” McCausland said. “It solidifies a lot of that historical take, the current programs and the overall traditions that make USF special.”
The fourth edition of the Book of Bull will be printed by Rinaldi Printing, a Tampa-based printing company headed by USF graduates.
According to McCausland, it costs approximately $1.50 to print each copy of the Book of Bull. A total of 25,000 copies will be printed, which will last approximately two and a half years.
On a partnership between Rinaldi Printing and the Alumni Association, the printing company gave a discount that covers the remaining printing costs of the Book of Bull, according to McCausland.
Among the changes, the updated Book of Bull will have eight additional pages compared to old editions, including a new page dedicated to President Currall, Career Services and additional pages about SG, the library, dining services and residential life. The third edition of the Book of Bull currently has 100 pages.
The printing process will take up to three to four weeks, according to McCausland. The book will be available to students around Homecoming.
“We are still reviewing proofs and fixing a couple of tweaks until we send it to print. And if they look good, then we go to Rinaldi and run all day, we’ll schedule it a date to start printing. It’s a three to four-week process for them because they got to fit it in with their other jobs and their other business they have going on.”
The revision committee currently consists of two current students, including SG Student Body Vice President Travis McCloskey, and three USF alumni. The team first started meeting in June to revise the changes for the new edition of the Book of Bull. The booklet is updated every two years, according to McCloskey.
“It’s merely a revision to enhance the overall book,” McCloskey said. “The cover and most of its structure will still look the same. All we really did was replace the Under Armour logo to the Adidas logo on the athletics section, update the pages and change some wording with consolidation coming up.”
Most of the copies are distributed throughout USF’s orientation inside each incoming student’s bag. This year, due to limited stock and outdated content, the Book of Bull was not available for incoming students.
Current students will have access to the Book of Bull either online, by getting a copy at the Alumni Association or at the SG office, MSC 4300.
“We have to figure out a way to get it out this fall for those students who did not get one over the summer,” McCausland said. “I’m hoping that we can use the Marshall Student Center as a distribution point, as well as the SG offices and the Alumni Association.”
The idea for the Book of Bull started in 2008, with the goal to create a student traditions book for the university, known as the Itty Bitty Book of Bull. For unknown reasons, it only lasted until 2010.
In 2013, three students, who were part of the USF Ambassadors program at the time, decided to recreate the student traditions handbook. It took a year to finalize the booklet when it was first printed in 2014.
Since then, the Book of Bull has maintained the same concept and design to provide a brief story behind USF’s trajectory throughout the years. According to McCausland, the booklet really highlights all of USF’s accomplishments.
“The pictures displayed on the book really captures the essence of USF,” McCausland said. “That’s what I love about this, you look at this book, and you know, this is us. This is everything that we’re all so proud of.”
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