Paul L. Locatelli

president, Santa Clara University

The Rev. Paul Locatelli, S.J. (born 1938) is a former president and professor of accounting at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California. He is a Jesuit priest and a Certified Public Accountant, earning his undergraduate degree at the University of Santa Clara, now Santa Clara University, in 1960 and his doctorate in business at the University of Southern California. On January 16, 2002 he was awarded the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice from Bishop Patrick J. McGrath. During Locatelli's tenure as president, beginning in 1988, academic excellence, admissions standards, endowment funding,have increased substantially. Most notably was Father Locatelli's cutting of the Division 1 football program. Perhaps most importantly, Santa Clara has become a more outward-looking institution. Through the Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education, the University has expanded its ability to connect students to communities in Silicon Valley and throughout the world. Locatelli is known affectionately by the students at SCU through a variety of nicknames; such as; "Papa Loc", "Big Poppa P", "P. Loc", and the "Big P". On March 1, 2008, Locatelli announced his intention to resign during the 2008-2009 academic year, after 20 years as university president, in order to take on additional responsibilities in Rome as Secretary for Jesuit Higher Education to promote cooperation among Jesuit higher education institutions.