:: History Site Index
:: Historical Overview
:: Timeline of Events
:: Hall of Presidents

:: USF Site & Name
:: John Allen Legacy
:: 40 Years of Memories
:: Named Buildings & Sites
:: Medical School History
:: Medicine's 1st 25 years
:: Marshall Center History
:: Early Women's Athletics
:: Student Trends
:: Snow at USF!

:: 1st Student
:: 1st Professor
:: 1st Basketball Team
:: 1st Football Team
:: 1st Marching Band
:: 1st Years of The Oracle
:: 1st Trustees

:: USF Sarasota/Manatee
:: USF St Petersburg
:: USF Lakeland

:: Traditions Overview
:: Alma Mater
:: Academic Mace
:: USF Seal & Symbols

:: Rocky the Bull
:: Herd of Thunder

:: Homecoming
:: Student Gov. Ceremony
:: Bull Market
:: Movies On The Lawn
:: "Go Bulls" Hand Symbol
:: Retired Athletic Jerseys

Carl and Cecil's excellent adventure - 40 Years of Memories

In 1971, when USF President Cecil Mackey called Carl Riggs, a biology professor and provost of the University of Oklahoma, and invited him to come to USF as vice president of Academic Affairs, Riggs was taken completely by surprise. "I had to tell him, 'Sir, I've never heard of the University of South Florida...'" USF was at a crucial stage in its development. Mackey was looking for not only an intellect, but a doer.

"When I came here," says Riggs, "USF was essentially a teaching institution with no research. President Allen had believed it would continue primarily as a smaller, liberal arts kind of school..." But Mackey foresaw an enormous wave of growth and change. "He told me, in effect, 'Get on board and hang on. We're going this way, and we're going fast.'"

For his part, Mackey says, "Hiring Carl Riggs was probably the best move I ever made at USF. He, more than anyone, really understood what it takes to make a university great. He set standards of excellence for faculty, set up the university committee system and the Faculty Senate... It was his wisdom and finesse that allowed the regional campuses to become so successful. He was the heart and spirit of the place, in a very critical time."

Riggs remembers being somewhat less than popular among the ranks in his early years. "I was in court 11 times in five years, being sued by faculty members who'd been told their performance was less than acceptable," he recalls, with a slight grimace.

Since 1983, Riggs has served as director of the Center for Excellence in Mathematics, Science, Computers and Technology at USF. The center's mandate was to improve the achievement of students, grades K-12, in all those areas. On August 31, 1996, after 25 years, Riggs retired.

(1996)

***