James Harris III, who greatly improved the University of San Diego\u2019s standing in science, engineering and business while increasing enrollment and reinforcing the school\u2019s ties to the Catholic church, has decided to retire.<\/p>\n
Harris, who was also widely praised by faculty and the community for the compassionate way he guided the campus through the COVID-19 pandemic, says he will step down in the next year after the university completes its search for his successor.<\/p>\n
\u201cServing as a university president comes with the responsibility to faithfully advance the university\u2019s mission,\u201d Harris said in a recent statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cThankfully, due to the hard work of many people who have been good stewards of our resources, and by leaning into our values as a contemporary Catholic institution, we have been able to elevate USD\u2019s reputation as one of the top universities in the nation.\u201d<\/p>\n
He will take a sabbatical after he formally steps down and will serve as a faculty member upon his return to the Linda Vista area, where USD is located.<\/p>\n
Harris became USD\u2019s fourth president in 2015, after serving in the same role at Widener University, a private school near Philadelphia.<\/p>\n
At the time, USD was a laid-back campus with lots of commuters who yearned for deeper ties to the community and greater visibility academically. There was also a desire to raise enrollment, which then stood at 8,251.<\/p>\n
Harris, an easy-going Midwesterner, quickly made it known that he was accessible. He invited students to join him on his frequent walks on the trails in Tecolote Canyon. And he gave them his email address in case they needed to get in touch.<\/p>\n
He courted alumni and the business community in much the same way, and it got results. In 2021, Harris convinced philanthropist Don Knauss to donate $50 million<\/a> to help build a badly needed center for business education and to provide endowment money to support its mission.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is our investment in educating ethical and compassionate business leaders \u2014 leaders who enable a free enterprise system that creates wealth on a fair and equitable playing field,\u201d Knauss said at the time.<\/p>\n Harris struck a similar relationship with philanthropist Darlene Marcos Shiley, the widow of Donald P. Shiley, the co-inventor of the Bj\u00f6rk-Shiley prosthetic heart valve. In 2024, she announced that she would give $75 million<\/a> to USD, the largest gift in school history.<\/p>\n The gift is meant to expand USD\u2019s offerings in science, technology, engineering and math education. It will pay for a three-story facility that will include specialized labs in biomedical engineering, human cognition and robotics, making USD part of San Diego County\u2019s enormous STEM industry.<\/p>\n \u201cI was drawn to USD because of its emphasis on a values-based education,\u201d Shiley said at the time, in a nod to Harris. \u201cThis gift fulfills my husband\u2019s and my goals and makes me feel like I\u2019ve made an impact.\u201d<\/p>\n