The new president of Clemson University was announced after the previous pick announced earlier this week, he would not be coming. The Clemson Board of Trustees met Thursday morning and unanimously selected Dr. Benjamin Ayers to lead the university. Ayers will assume the presidency on Aug. 1 and have a five-year contract. “It is a tremendous honor to be selected to serve as the next president of Clemson University,” Ayers said. “I am grateful to the Board of Trustees and the search committee for its confidence and humbled by the opportunity to join the Clemson Family. Clemson’s tradition of excellence, its commitment to students and its impact through teaching, research and service make it one of the nation’s most respected public universities. I look forward to working alongside our students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters to build upon the strong foundation and shape an even brighter future together.” Who is Ayers? (Information provided by Clemson) Ayers is currently Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost at the University of Georgia.”As University of Georgia provost, Ayers has led the university’s academic enterprise during a period of continued momentum and growth. Under his leadership as provost, UGA launched a new School of Medicine, established the Victoria Kay Ivester School of Nursing and expanded study abroad opportunities to rank among the nation’s top five public universities for participation. He also has overseen UGA’s research and innovation enterprise as it reached new milestones, including earning the No. 1 ranking among U.S. universities for bringing new products to market.””Before becoming UGA’s provost, Ayers served for 11 years as dean of the Terry College of Business, one of the nation’s leading public business schools. During his tenure, the college strengthened its national reputation, expanded academic offerings, increased undergraduate and graduate enrollment, significantly grew scholarships and study abroad opportunities, and endowed academic departments, institutes, chairs and professorships. The college also completed a successful fundraising campaign resulting in more than $300 million in private support for students, faculty, academic programs and new facilities.”Prior to serving as dean, Ayers led UGA’s J.M. Tull School of Accounting for nine years. He joined the University of Georgia faculty in 1996 as an assistant professor. “An accomplished teacher and researcher, Ayers has received numerous honors for excellence in teaching and scholarship throughout his career. His research has earned national recognition from the American Taxation Association and the American Accounting Association, and he served as president of the American Taxation Association in 2017. “Ayers earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in taxation from the University of Alabama before completing a doctorate in accounting at the University of Texas at Austin. Before entering academia, Ayers worked in the private sector with KPMG and Complete Health Inc.”How we got hereThe new president was chosen after an announcement earlier this week that president-elect Kevin Guskiewicz would remain at Michigan State for personal reasons. Clemson’s Board of Trustees selected Guskiewicz as president in May after a months-long search — and now, university leaders must start again, a little more than 40 days before the start of a new school year. Clemson’s Board of Trustees began the search after now-former president Jim Clements announced his sudden retirement late last year.

The new president of Clemson University was announced after the previous pick announced earlier this week, he would not be coming.

The Clemson Board of Trustees met Thursday morning and unanimously selected Dr. Benjamin Ayers to lead the university.

Ayers will assume the presidency on Aug. 1 and have a five-year contract.

“It is a tremendous honor to be selected to serve as the next president of Clemson University,” Ayers said. “I am grateful to the Board of Trustees and the search committee for its confidence and humbled by the opportunity to join the Clemson Family. Clemson’s tradition of excellence, its commitment to students and its impact through teaching, research and service make it one of the nation’s most respected public universities. I look forward to working alongside our students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters to build upon the strong foundation and shape an even brighter future together.”

Who is Ayers? (Information provided by Clemson)

Ayers is currently Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost at the University of Georgia.

“As University of Georgia provost, Ayers has led the university’s academic enterprise during a period of continued momentum and growth. Under his leadership as provost, UGA launched a new School of Medicine, established the Victoria Kay Ivester School of Nursing and expanded study abroad opportunities to rank among the nation’s top five public universities for participation. He also has overseen UGA’s research and innovation enterprise as it reached new milestones, including earning the No. 1 ranking among U.S. universities for bringing new products to market.”

“Before becoming UGA’s provost, Ayers served for 11 years as dean of the Terry College of Business, one of the nation’s leading public business schools. During his tenure, the college strengthened its national reputation, expanded academic offerings, increased undergraduate and graduate enrollment, significantly grew scholarships and study abroad opportunities, and endowed academic departments, institutes, chairs and professorships. The college also completed a successful fundraising campaign resulting in more than $300 million in private support for students, faculty, academic programs and new facilities.

“Prior to serving as dean, Ayers led UGA’s J.M. Tull School of Accounting for nine years. He joined the University of Georgia faculty in 1996 as an assistant professor.

“An accomplished teacher and researcher, Ayers has received numerous honors for excellence in teaching and scholarship throughout his career. His research has earned national recognition from the American Taxation Association and the American Accounting Association, and he served as president of the American Taxation Association in 2017.

“Ayers earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in taxation from the University of Alabama before completing a doctorate in accounting at the University of Texas at Austin. Before entering academia, Ayers worked in the private sector with KPMG and Complete Health Inc.”

How we got here

The new president was chosen after an announcement earlier this week that president-elect Kevin Guskiewicz would remain at Michigan State for personal reasons.

Clemson’s Board of Trustees selected Guskiewicz as president in May after a months-long search — and now, university leaders must start again, a little more than 40 days before the start of a new school year.

Clemson’s Board of Trustees began the search after now-former president Jim Clements announced his sudden retirement late last year.