President Arvid Johnson to retire next year

President of the University Arvid Johnson and the University of St. Francis has announced his retirement effective May of 2025. After the conclusion of his term next May, Dr. Johnson plans to serve as an Advisor to the Board of Trustees. During his term Dr. Johnson expanded facilities at the university, established partnerships with international universities, and helped the University to achieve the Hispanic- Serving Institution, HSI, status.  

In a statement released to students by the Board of Trustees, the board thanked “Dr. Johnson and his wife Anne, for all they have done for the USF community. We are delighted to have Dr. Johnson in his role for another year and look forward to continuing to work alongside him.” 

Dr. Johnson leaves an international legacy, having established relationships with universities in the Czech Republic, China and Vietnam. Locally, Dr. Johnson helped break ground on the Brown Science building on the main campus and has helped spearhead the soon to come student success center.  

While Dr. Johnson has added over $50 million dollars to the University’s endowment, he leaves the University during a time of financial despair. Although money has been added to the endowment, there is still a significant financial deficit seen across the board. Student worker hours have been cut, staff positions have been unfilled for months, and questions regarding this lack of staffing for staff and students continue to go unanswered.  

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.  

Additional reporting on this story provided by Alex Mielcarz