Vice President of Research to step down after 14 years


Randolph Hall, vice president of research, will step down from his position at the end of the year, Interim Provost Elizabeth Graddy announced Tuesday

“USC has grown into a top-tier research university, and Dr. Hall’s leadership has been critical to this evolution,” Graddy wrote in an email to University faculty and staff.

Hall told the Daily Trojan that his decision to leave the University came after some personal reflection — and after working at the school for 14 years. 

“[I’ve] come to realize that what I care most about is impact on the innovation, universities broadly,” Hall said. “And, particularly how universities can bring together innovation across three main elements, the education, research and clinical research clinical programs that universities have and how they might be integrated.”

Part of Hall’s  job includes overseeing over $800 million dollars in research funds at the University. Hall held the position of assistant dean for research at the Viterbi School of Engineering for four years.

Hall said he is most proud of launching the Washington, D.C. Office of Research Advancement which finds funding in the nation’s capital for research projects promoting social change. He also contributed to the Total Access for Research Administration, a system that helps manage research awards, proposals, laboratories and overall protocols.

“A big part of what I did was look at how universities can adapt to digital technology and our practices, practices research in particular,” Hall said. “So, that partly was writing policies to enable and reward innovation, partly creating services that enable collaboration.”

After leaving, Hall hopes to visit other universities and stakeholders. He hopes to collect information about ranking universities, their accreditation, their scientific procedures, funding and leadership. Hall plans on later writing a book about universities and innovation with this knowledge.

According to a University spokesperson, an advisory search committee with the task of finding a new vice president of research will be launched soon. Incoming Provost Chip Zukosi will be involved in the committee.

“Across our university’s history, our best leaders have worked for the good of our campus community and for the public at large, and Dr. Hall has embodied this spirit of generosity for the entirety of his service,” Graddy wrote in the email. “Through informed risk-taking, a spirit of collaboration, and a commitment to positive, lasting impact, Dr. Hall has demonstrated how to achieve excellence in research.”