James T. Harris III, president of the University of San Diego, is ranked number one nationally for university presidents based on their performance around key issues, according to a news report by the American Enterprise Institute, a right-leaning think tank.
Harris was rated for key issues around tuition rates, student success and accessibility for underrepresented student groups. Harris also had the highest retention rate last year with 92% out of the top 10 presidents.
“While I am deeply humbled by the results of this report, it takes an entire campus community to make progress on these important initiatives,” Harris said in a USD release.
Among this top list, only three, including Harris, are currently serving as president.
Since his arrival in 2016, Harris’ priority has remained in expanding accessibility to underrepresented student communities, ensuring that USD education is inclusive.
“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 takes early morning walks with students near campus and believes that these connections keep him focused on the purpose of his role, according to USD News Center.
