JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As Jacksonville University prepares to welcome new leadership, outgoing President Tim Cost says his focus remains on the institution’s future rather than his own legacy.
“It’s an exciting time in that the students that are coming in have high expectations,” Cost told Kent Justice on This Week in Jacksonville: Business Edition. “I think we’ve laid the groundwork for them to have an excellent experience here.”
After serving as president since 2013, Cost will transition to the role of chancellor, becoming only the second person in the university’s 92-year history to hold that title. He emphasized that the move is designed to support a smooth leadership transition while allowing him to continue serving the university through fundraising, partnerships and alumni relations.
Looking back, Cost points to culture change as his greatest accomplishment.
“Culture, culture, culture dominates everything,” he said. “The students are in the center of everything we do.”
Cost said building that culture required attracting talented leaders and creating a shared belief that student success should drive every decision.
The longtime business executive also identified artificial intelligence as the most significant challenge facing higher education today.
“This level of generative artificial intelligence is the most massive challenge,” Cost said. “I don’t believe there’s a universal answer to how higher ed should deal with AI.”
Cost also highlighted Jacksonville University’s growing role in the local economy. He said the university has intentionally positioned itself as a catalyst for development, particularly through initiatives such as Renew Arlington.
“Our point of view has been that we’ve been here in Jacksonville 92 years,” Cost said. “We should be an economic engine. We shouldn’t just be a participant. We should be a catalyst.”
As he prepares to step away from the presidency, Cost says others can determine his legacy. But he takes pride in seeing alumni eager to tell people where they went to school.
“The idea that people who’ve gone to this school and go here now are proud to very quickly say where they went to school,” Cost said. “I feel good about that.”
Listen to the full conversation on This Week in Jacksonville: Business Edition, available Thursdays at 9 a.m.