William Hogarth, a former dean of the College of Marine Science, has been named interim regional chancellor by USF President Judy Genshaft.
Hogarth, 73, said his job will be to hold down the fort while a permanent replacement for Margaret Sullivan, who resigned a year earlier than expected on June 25. He will begin at USFSP on August 6.
With the close proximity of USFSP and the Tampa-operated College of Marine Science, he said he has had a chance to see the university grow, and said “there are great opportunities to build on what has become the intellectual and scientific center of our community,” in a university press release.
“The University of South Florida St. Petersburg is moving in the right direction,” he said, and has been for the last few years. He said he doesn’t plan to make any big changes, and will keep communications between his office and faculty, staff and students open.
“I’m not a person that does things by myself,” he said, describing himself as a team player.
One of the university’s biggest challenges in the coming year is finding funding for the planned College of Business building. Hogarth is convinced the university can put together a plan and a message that will resonate with legislators.
“We have to operate efficiently, cost wise,” he said. “Are we doing the best we can with the money we’ve already got?”
Even in the current political climate, the College of Marine Sciences was able to get a budget increase by making a case for its work.
Hogarth will continue his role as director of the oceanography institute. About 60 percent of his time going toward leading USFSP, he said. It was also announced by USF that Dean Frank Biafora of the College of Arts and Sciences will lead the search for the next chancellor. Hogarth said there is no chance he will pursue the permanent position.
Frank Kurtz contributed additional research to this article.
