State of the University: USC President Carol Folt evaluates 6 years of Trojan advancement

When Carol Folt declared late last year her intention to resign from her role as USC president on July 1, she described her time leading the university as “one of the most remarkable privileges” of her life. On Tuesday morning, during the first of her two 2025 State of the University addresses, Folt reflected on some of USC’s most significant accomplishments during her leadership and her hope for the future.

“I’ve dedicated more than 24 years to leading universities, and you might assume that after all this time it becomes tiresome, but that’s not the case,” Folt expressed during her address at Bovard Auditorium. “The reality is, it’s an eternal mission. It is an ongoing opportunity, and I will leave this position feeling just as invigorated by it.”

Folt conveyed the same fervor and energy in her speech that she has brought to every facet of her career as a researcher, educator, and leader. While she recognized the national wave of uncertainty within higher education, she noted that when she commenced her term at the university in 2019 — following several significant scandals and on the brink of the COVID-19 crisis — there was also disquiet within the USC community. After emphasizing the progress the university has achieved over the last six years and the ongoing projects that will shape USC’s future plans, she voiced her belief that the Trojan Family will persist in inspiring and fostering positive transformation in the world.

“We are championing all the values we endorse at all times,” Folt remarked, “and we are diligently striving to enable you, as efficiently as possible, to continue your vital work.”

USC State of the University: Six years of instigating change

Folt commenced her speech by underscoring the partnerships that led to some of the university’s most significant accomplishments over the past six years.

She addressed significant challenges the university faced during her leadership, including maneuvering through the pandemic and striving to rectify historical injustices at the institution with the renaming of the Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow Center for International and Public Affairs and the establishment of the Nisei rock garden. The garden honors
“`the Trojans of Japanese heritage who were compelled to depart USC during World War II and subsequently were refused the chance to complete their degrees. Folt awarded honorary diplomas posthumously to all the Nisei Trojans who had not yet received them.

“It was necessary for USC to rectify a profoundly disgraceful chapter in our past,” Folt remarked regarding the garden. “It commemorates all those Trojans, and ideally, every time you visit, you feel that incredible connection [to them].”

Folt proceeded to discuss other recent accomplishments such as the renaming of Allyson Felix Field, renovating the university’s cultural facilities, designating the USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, establishing the USC School of Advanced Computing, and inaugurating both the Dick Wolf Drama Center on the University Park Campus and the USC Capital Campus in Washington, D.C.

“West Coast institutions do not gain recognition in D.C. unless they maintain a very vibrant presence,” Folt indicated. “Achieving the status of a national university with influence on both coasts and beyond is quite essential.”

She then highlighted some of the charitable and historically significant events from recent years, including the 30th anniversary of the USC Shoah Foundation — The Institute for Visual History and Education, her presentation of the Presidential Medallion to Holocaust survivors who shared their accounts with the Shoah Foundation, and the establishment of the Trojan Family L.A. Wildfire Relief Fund in response to the catastrophic wildfires of January.

“While it doesn’t replace a person’s residence, it’s the kind of assistance that could immediately aid individuals during early hardships,” Folt commented on the relief fund. “As a civic organization, this is the moment we need to intervene.”

Consistent advancement and pushing ‘moonshots’ ahead

Folt took a moment to elaborate on the university’s recent progress in various facets, including enrollment, research funding, athletics, financial support, recruitment, and sustainability.

Folt’s “moonshot” projects — USC Competes, Reimagining Athletics, Health Sciences 3.0, Sustainability, Frontiers of Computing, and the emerging USC Arts Now initiative — have been a defining characteristic of her tenure at USC. She assured the attendees that when Senior Vice President and General Counsel Beong-Soo Kim steps in as interim president, the university will persist in advancing these moonshots.

“We view ourselves as a launchpad for transformation, and when we encounter significant opportunities, we seize them to ensure we are genuinely progressing,” Folt stated. “We must exemplify excellence in our mission, integrity, and well-being.”

Challenges and navigating obstacles ahead

Folt concluded her address by touching upon some potential obstacles on the horizon, including the escalating cost of education nationwide and strategies for mitigating those costs while attracting new students to USC.

“Our success hinges on our tuition — we must be a desirable destination,” Folt remarked. “A significant portion of our funding comes from tuition, suggesting that factors influencing tuition will have a more pronounced impact on us compared to other universities. Yet, one cannot simply inflate tuition drastically.” She underscored that USC now provides complimentary tuition to students from families earning under $80,000.

Folt also commented on executive actions taken by the current U.S. presidential administration. She noted that USC secures $1.5 billion from the federal government annually, with $600 million allocated to students as scholarships and financial support, while the remainder is devoted to research. With over 70 executive orders issued in the last six weeks addressing contentious subjects such as research; immigration; diversity, equity, and inclusion; antisemitism; and gender, Folt cautioned that the university’s traditional priorities will undergo more rigorous scrutiny in the coming months and years.

“What I truly wish to convey is not to be anxious,” Folt expressed, adding that she is confident USC will confront these challenges in a manner that aligns with “our mission, opportunities, and the principles we hold dear.”

“We must become very adept at dealing with uncertainty, for I am certain that the right solutions will emerge,” she concluded.

Ultimately, Folt reiterated that even in times of unpredictability, the right individuals are positioned to advance USC in a manner true to its mission.

“We have a legacy of audacity,” Folt stated. “We produce numerous exceptional leaders for the world, and it reminds me that the possibilities are endless.”