USF college focused on AI and cybersecurity could become a reality
A new USF college focused on artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity and computing is up for approval and could come as soon as 2025.
USF is the first institution in Florida and among the first in the nation to announce plans to form a college dedicated to AI and cybersecurity, according to a universitywide email sent by President Rhea Law on Thursday.
“We can position Florida as a global leader in these fields by harnessing the collective knowledge and experience of our faculty, staff and students,” Law wrote.
An initial report on the decision will be provided in late spring, according to the proposed college’s FAQ page. It is unknown when the Board of Trustees (BOT) voting will be, but its next full meeting will happen on June 4.
Provost Prasant Mohapatra said USF spent time last fall exploring opportunities to enhance faculty collaboration. The disciplines of AI, cybersecurity and computing were all of great interest to faculty, he said.
“It seemed like the right time to bring a group of faculty together to explore what this could look like at the University of South Florida,” Mohapatra said.
Some of the visions for the new college are:
- to offer a range of undergraduate, graduate and professional programs that prepare USF students for high-demand careers;
- empower faculty to conduct scholarly research that leads to groundbreaking discoveries and technological advancements;
- grow industry partnerships and promote ethical considerations and trust throughout the digital transformation in the world.
A task force with USF faculty members concluded that a new college would present a “unique” opportunity to leverage the expertise from all three USF campuses, according to the email.
The college’s structure is still being evaluated, and the employment of a new dean is up for discussion, according to the proposed college’s FAQ page.
If approved by the BOT, it would complement USF’s 13 existing colleges.
The university will share more information as the plans progress, according to the email.
More Stories
Bomb threat at USF Cooper hall wasn’t legitimate, police say
University Police (UP) determined a reported bomb threat at Cooper Hall on Tuesday night wasn’t legitimate. After sweeping Cooper Hall, UP found “nothing of concern,” according to a universitywide email sent out at 12:39 a.m on Wednesday. The investigation is still ongoing, according to police. The USF community was first alerted to the bomb threat […]
Pro-Palestine encampment protest at USF broken up by tear gas
Law enforcement broke up a pro-Palestine encampment of around 100 protesters at the USF Tampa campus Tuesday evening using tear gas. The demonstration was the second in two days at USF where students, employees and community members urged the university to divest from companies with financial ties to Israel. Related: Several protesters at USF arrested […]
Several protestors at USF arrested during pro-Palestine encampment protest
Three protestors were arrested by University Police (UP) Monday afternoon during a pro-Palestine demonstration outside the Marshall Student Center (MSC), according to USF spokesperson Althea Johnson. Johnson said the three arrests included a student, an employee and an individual who is not associated with the university. Related: USF pro-Palestine hunger strikers removed from BOT meeting […]
The Oracle needs your help
Dear reader: Reporters for USF’s award-winning student newspaper, The Oracle, have recently navigated through a pandemic, a rapidly evolving political climate and a change in university president – all with the goal of sharing important news and stories. Though The Oracle has been an integral part in keeping the USF community informed since 1966, we […]
USF won’t install more physical protections following recent on-campus suicide
USF will not be implementing additional physical safety measures over a month after a student leapt from an upper floor inside the Interdisciplinary Sciences building, USF spokeswoman Althea Johnson said. The incident marked the third on-campus suicide since fall 2022. A week after a student fell from an upper floor of Beard Garage in 2022, […]
Meet USF’s new student body president and vice president
A new era of Student Government (SG) just arrived. In a quick five-minute ceremony, student body president-elect Suryakanth Prasad Gottipati and vice president-elect Sumit Subhash Jadhav were sworn in on Wednesday afternoon. Their term will start on May 6 and last for one year. Related: Take a look at USF’s student leaders’ swearing in ceremony […]