# University of Southern California presidential inauguration

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/university-of-southern-california-presidential-inauguration
> Updated: 2026-10-19T22:52:36.000Z. Sources: 7. Developments: 2.

Beong-Soo Kim (also referred to as Byungsu Kim) has been inaugurated as the 13th president of the University of Southern California (USC). 

During his installation, Kim announced a major initiative to conduct the first comprehensive overhaul of the university’s undergraduate general education and liberal arts curriculum in decades. This restructuring is intended to address evolving workforce demands and the influence of artificial intelligence by prioritizing human capabilities such as creativity, empathy, ethical judgment, and critical thinking. 

Additional strategic priorities include expanding interdisciplinary research and strengthening ties with local industries and communities. Kim, the first Korean-American to lead the institution, also addressed athletic matters, stating that the university is currently focused on upcoming football games rather than potential coach buyouts.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-19: Byungsu Kim inaugurated as President of University of Southern California

Byungsu Kim has been inaugurated as the 13th president of the University of Southern California, pledging to reform undergraduate education to focus on human-centric skills in the AI era.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/byungsu-kim-inaugurated-as-president-of-university-of-southern-california

### 2026-10-16: Beong-Soo Kim installed as USC President

Newly installed USC President Beong-Soo Kim announced a major overhaul of undergraduate general education and addressed the future of football coach Lincoln Riley.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/beong-soo-kim-installed-as-usc-president

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Cite as: University of Southern California presidential inauguration. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/university-of-southern-california-presidential-inauguration