Annually, we employ nearly 7,700 persons and teach more than 35,000 students. Our presence has a very large economic impact on the area. Reactively, our teaching and research endeavors are shaped by the demands of the community we serve. Economic growth requires a well-trained workforce. Our students and academic units recognize this and respond with programs to meet the needs of regional employers.
Economic development is knowledge based.
Information and expertise is needed for growth, and the University with its library services and grant-funded research programs provide this. One way USF Proactively promotes regional economic development is by lubricating the process by which we respond to development needs, e.g., when we make the reactive function easier. USF could go further and dedicate significant resources to promote regional economic development, but it is not recommended if such activity comes at the expense of our academic mission. OED promotes the use of USF's resources to facilitate economic development, but does not allocate resources. The Office is responsible for encouraging the process of economic development and the communications network necessary to enhance that process.