USD President James Harris Tops List of Best Performing College Presidents

A new report compiled by the American Enterprise Institute ranks university presidents based on their performance around key issues, and the University of San Diego’s James T. Harris III took the top spot among sitting presidents.

The ranking evaluated campus leaders on three key dimensions: their ability to keep tuition affordable, their ability to improve student success, and their ability to expand access for historically underrepresented student groups. 

These components have been part of Harris’ vision for USD since his arrival in 2016 and remain key initiatives in the university’s strategic planning efforts. It also speaks to Harris’ deep commitment to expanding access to a USD education for all students as well as his work to align campus efforts to make USD a more inclusive community.

“While I am deeply humbled by the results of this report, it takes an entire campus community to make progress on these important initiatives. At USD we are blessed with a dedicated community of staff and faculty who put our students first and truly believe in our mission to advance academic excellence while confronting humanity’s urgent challenges,” Harris said.

Harris is known for his approachable personality and warm presence on campus, often chatting with students between classes or taking early morning walks with them near campus.

In a recent piece he wrote in Inside Higher Ed, Harris describes these experiences as an opportunity to authentically connect with students and - in quoting Pope Francis - “smelling of your flock.” With the competing pressures put on college presidents, especially given current events, Harris believes his connections with students keep him grounded and focused on the guiding purpose of his role.

“We can’t lose sight of why we wanted to be a president in the first place,” Harris said, “... to have a positive impact on the lives of the students we serve.”

— USD News Center