Robert K. Vischer became the of the University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ on January 1, 2023, following a unanimous selection by the Board of Trustees. Prior to this role, he served as interim president beginning June 1, 2022, and dean of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½’ School of Law from 2013 to 2022. Vischer joined the university in 2005 as an associate ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ of law.
As president, Vischer has advanced the university's key priorities while reinforcing St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½’ commitment to its mission of whole-person formation and fostering what Pope Francis calls a “culture of encounter.” A central tenet of his leadership is helping the university ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ aspire to ensure every member of the St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½, without exception, has the unmistakable experience of feeling seen, known, and loved.
To build ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ and help faculty, staff, and students “lift their gaze,” Vischer launched the Claritas Initiative, aiming to cultivate the transcendental values of truth, beauty, and goodness within the university ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½. This initiative encompasses a series of discussions, performances, and experiences designed to explore and nurture these values across campus.
Vischer's academic background includes a Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, from the University of New Orleans, and a Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Harvard Law School, where he served as an editor of the Harvard Law Review. Before entering academia, he practiced corporate litigation at Kirkland & Ellis in Chicago and clerked for three federal judges.
Vischer serves on the board of the Association for Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU). He serves on the executive committee of GREATER MSP and as a board member of the Minnesota Business Partnership and the Greater Twin Cities United Way. He is also a member of the Coalition for Transformational Education (CTE) and the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration.
In President Vischer's , he spoke of the St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ mission, and how it "compels us to cultivate three values: the true, the beautiful, and the good. Truth, beauty, and goodness – these were called transcendental values by our university’s namesake, ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ Aquinas, because they transcend human limitations, they are values in every culture, and they are available as infinite resources in God’s creation."
As part of the President's vision for the future of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½, he introduced a university-wide initiative that invites all members of our ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ to experience the many ways in which truth, beauty, and goodness are lived out each day across our campus. Through a series of discussions, performances, and experiences, the Claritas Initiative will explore ways that all of us can nurture these values.
The 2025 Strategic Plan was developed to focus our efforts over the next 5 years, building on the success of the 2020 Strategic Plan, recognizing the headwinds and opportunities facing the university, and shaped by input from the entire St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½.
The University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ will advance to the level of excellence, impact and reputation that distinguishes the top 10 national Catholic universities.
As our ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ came together through the strategic planning process to develop goals for the next five years, the following themes emerged. These will guide our work, helping us remain true to what makes St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ unique while empowering us to focus on key ongoing and emerging priorities that will help us thrive.
See how the Themes and Priorities of the 2025 Strategic Plan interweave
Additional information
University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ President Robert K. Vischer has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU). Vischer, who in 2023 was appointed the 16th president in St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½â€™ 140-year history – is one of five member presidents selected to serve a first term on the board… The post St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ President Rob Vischer Elected to ACCU Board of Directors appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½.
University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ President Rob Vischer recently joined Rebecca Bergman, president of Gustavus Adolphus College, and Suzanne Rivera, president of Macalester College, for a panel discussion on the role of higher education in Minnesota, hosted by MPR News. From the discussion: Host: “Are you saying that a student ... does not have an example… The post In the News: President Rob Vischer Joins Panel Discussion on the Role of Higher Ed in Minnesota appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½.
University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ President Rob Vischer recently published an op-ed in the Star Tribune detailing the steps that St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ is taking to work with neighbors as the university plans for the Lee and Penny Anderson Arena. From the article: St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ has been changing for 140 years. We will continue to evolve and… The post In the News: President Rob Vischer Responds to Star Tribune Editorial on Arena Complaints from Campus Neighbors appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½.
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder recently covered University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ President Rob Vischer’s conversation with Former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Alan Page about political polarization and its impacts on all facets of society during the university’s Finding Forward event on March 14. From the story: In the latest edition of their Finding Forward series, University of… The post In the News: President Rob Vischer and Justice Alan Page Discuss Polarization at St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ Finding Forward Event appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½.
Former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Alan Page Discussed Polarization and Civic Duty at University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ Finding Forward Event At a time when winning at all costs is celebrated and scoring points on opponents seems to be the main goal of many public figures, Alan Page might seem like a throwback, with his focus… The post Alan Page Discusses How Civil Discourse Could Lead to Civil Re-engagement appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½.
The Office of the President enjoys hearing from students, faculty, staff, alumni and the greater ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½.