ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½

Home
headshot of president Rob Vischer

Office of the President

Meet Rob Vischer

Rob Vischer, former dean of the School of Law, began his tenure as the 16th President of the University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ on January 1, 2023. He is the second layperson to assume the role, after rising through the ranks in the university's law school beginning as an associate ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ of law in 2005. Read more about President Vischer's background.

The President is responsible for the direction of the University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½, a mission-driven institution striving to be a great place for students, staff and faculty to think, act and work to advance the common good. Rob Vischer will hone the university's vision for its future, advocate for that vision both internally and externally, build resources to turn that vision into reality, and achieve a level of excellence and impact that distinguishes the nation's top Catholic universities.

The Inauguration of Rob Vischer

About President Rob Vischer

Rob Vischer was named the 16th President of the University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ on January 1, 2023, after acting as interim president for the previous seven months, beginning in June 2022. He was inaugurated on May 12, 2023.

In nearly 10 years as dean of the St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ School of Law, Vischer has helped leverage the law school's mission to achieve critical objectives in student success and ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ impact. Over the course of his deanship, the law school has dramatically improved employment outcomes for its graduates, built a global student body by establishing partnerships with law schools in more than a dozen countries, redoubled its commitment to whole-person professional formation, maintained its top-25 ranking for scholarly impact, and made racial justice core to its mission. The Harvard Law School graduate was an inaugural recipient of the Minnesota Lawyer Diversity and Inclusion Award for his contributions to the advancement of diversity and inclusion in the practice of law.

Before entering the legal academy, Vischer was associated with Kirkland & Ellis in Chicago, where he practiced corporate litigation. He clerked for three federal judges: Judge David Ebel of the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Joan Gottschall of the Northern District of Illinois, and Judge John Wiese of the Court of Federal Claims. He received his B.A. degree, summa cum laude, from the University of New Orleans, and his J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review.

Rob Vischer Curriculum Vitae

Introducing President Rob Vischer

claritas logo

The Claritas Initiative

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.

About the Claritas Initiative

2025 Strategic Plan

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.

Our 10-year Aspiration

The University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ will advance to the level of excellence, impact and reputation that distinguishes the top 10 national Catholic universities.

Guiding Themes

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

Messages from the President

December 5, 2023

From new facilities that include the Schoenecker Center and the Lee and Penny Anderson Arena to the first Master of Science in Nursing graduates, the University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ is being bold in a changing higher education market. And the Minnesota business ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ is taking note. Twin Cities Business recognized two of the university’s high-profile… The post President Rob Vischer and Dr. Phil Esten ’95 Named to TCB 100 List appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½.

  • November 13, 2023

    University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ President Rob Vischer recently published an op-ed in the Pioneer Press about the return on investment for students pursuing a college degree and the importance of whole-person formation. From the story: Now is the time to recall and reclaim an educational mission that has fallen out of favor in some circles:… The post In the News: St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ President Rob Vischer on the ROI of Higher Education appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½.

  • October 10, 2023

    University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ President Rob Vischer sent the following note to the campus ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ on Tuesday, Oct. 10. As we begin a shortened week here on campus, we hold close to our hearts the innocent lives taken as a result of this past weekend’s terrorist attacks in Israel. The images and stories emerging from… The post President Vischer Shares Message on Violence in Israel and Gaza appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½.

  • August 8, 2023

    University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ President Rob Vischer recently spoke with University Business for a story about the positive trajectory of the university and a wide range of other topics, including the role of the university’s Catholic mission, and the importance of student experiences and social mobility for marginalized communities. From the story: Rob Vischer took… The post In the News: President Rob Vischer on the University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½â€™ Growth, Value Proposition and Catholic Mission appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½.

  • July 18, 2023

    University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ President Rob Vischer recently joined the Chronicle of Higher Education alongside two Tommie students (Jordyn Lamker and Jalyn Hall) as well as fellow university presidents and administrators for a panel discussion focused on student-centered colleges and universities. The discussion, hosted by senior editor Alexander Kafka, delved into strategies to overcome enrollment… The post President Rob Vischer Joins National Panel on the ‘Student-Centered College’ appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½.

President's Office Staff

The Office of the President enjoys hearing from students, faculty, staff, alumni and the greater ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½.