When he was hanging out at the Blind Duck as an undergraduate at U of T’s Erindale campus, Franco Vaccarino never thought he’d end up in charge.

But following his official installation ceremony on Monday, the 51-year-old psychologist is the ninth principal to lead the Scarborough campus in its 40-year history.

In one sense, not much has changed in the two decades since he first set foot on UTSC as an assistant professor in 1984.

“I think we only had two buildings there at the time…what was interesting is that we had a real sense of energy and passion at UTSC back then, and that’s continued over the years,” said Vaccarino, who was slotted early in the year for the position vacated by Professor Kwong-loi Shun.

A slew of new buildings and unique co-op programs have defined UTSC’s development since Vaccarino took the reins. A new emphasis on graduate programs will also continue to be developed under his watch.

“Traditionally UTSC has been more of an undergraduate-focused campus and that’s still the case, but you’re now seeing the emergence of more emphasis on graduate training. In many sectors the masters degree is quickly becoming the educational credential of demand,” he said.

To balance the needs of a large undergraduate population with the emphasis on post-grad studies, Vaccarino plans to feel out “the pulse of the community” and get a sense of direction by the end of the year through consultations with students and faculty: “We need to be thinking not only about the present and the kinds of needs that have emerged, but we also have to be anticipating the future.”

Vaccarino’s vision for his five-year term at the campus will be influenced by his view on how modern economy is changing in its “unprecedented interconnectivity between peoples and nations.”

“I think in some ways UTSC is a reflection of the world at large,” said Vaccarino, who points to courses such as City Studies, which can’t be pinned down to one specific discipline.

“When campuses are smaller you also have more of an opportunity to connect with people, but I think there’s something to be said for a campus on the one hand being small enough to maintain a sense of community, but at the same time also large enough to have an impact and be recognized beyond the local community,” Vaccarino said.

“I see us building on these kinds of strengths.”