Under the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching's new classification system, the University of South Florida is listed as a research university of very high research activity. USF is one of 62 public universities in the nation -- along with the University of Florida, Florida State University and the University of Miami -- to receive that designation. USF President Judy Genshaft says the designation is a signal to students that they'll be receiving an education and degree from a top-tier institution.