Meet Provost Smith

Clemson’s Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost J. Cole Smith serves as chief academic officer, working closely with leadership to ensure that all academic activities supporting more than 30 units across nine colleges and the Libraries are in alignment with the Clemson Elevate strategic plan. Provost Smith is a proud 1996 graduate of the (then-named) Department of Mathematical Sciences at Clemson University and credits the well-rounded education he received at Clemson for his successful career in education, research and leadership. He is an avid proponent of the student experience and the role of land-grant universities in advancing the quality of life throughout the state and nation.

Provost Smith works closely with the President and Board of Trustees on major institutional priorities. He has responsibility for all facets of undergraduate and graduate education, academic support programs, outreach, and research at over 170 sites across the state, including Clemson, Greenville, Columbia, Greenwood and Charleston.

Outside of work, Provost Smith can be found running and hiking on trails, playing the piano, and watching his beloved Tigers in competition.

Learn more about the timeline of Provost officers at Clemson University — explore the past Chief Academic Officers below.

Cole Smith, Ph.D., returns to Clemson University as its 10th chief academic officer and seventh provost, beginning January 2026. A Clemson alumnus who earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematical sciences at the University, Smith began his academic leadership career at Clemson and brings a deep understanding of its mission, culture and aspirations.

Prior to returning to Clemson University, Provost Smith served as dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science at Syracuse University, Prior to his tenure at Syracuse, he held multiple leadership roles at Clemson University from 2014 – 2019, including associate provost for academic initiatives and chair of the Department of Industrial Engineering. Earlier in his career, Smith was a professor of industrial and systems engineering at the University of Florida and the University of Arizona. He earned his Ph.D. in industrial and systems engineering from Virginia Tech.

“I am excited to return to my alma mater, to the place that shaped my values and provided generations of my family with the tools to excel professionally and serve our community,” said Smith. “Clemson University is uniquely positioned to lead the way in how a public land-grant university inspires students with a compelling hands-on education, innovates research that meets the critical needs of our region, state and country, and powers economic development and quality of life in South Carolina and beyond. It is a dream to lead the academic enterprise of this great University in pursuit of those goals, and I am truly humbled to serve as Provost.”