Brad West has been named associate vice provost for academic operations and budget in the Office of the Provost effective June 17.
West holds a Master of Public Financial Management and a B.S. in mathematical sciences from the University of Kentucky. He began his career managing projects for the Department of Defense, balancing multimillion dollar budgets before transitioning to higher education as a budget analyst at the University of Kentucky. He has spent the past decade at Kentucky as director of financial planning and area fiscal officer.
In the role of associate vice provost for academic operations and budget, West will be responsible for supporting business operations across campus, advancing the university’s strategic plan through data-driven insights, overseeing budgets for the units reporting to the Office of the Provost, and leading high-level initiatives.
His first priority is to take a deep dive into learning the ins and outs of the accounting structure at the University of South Carolina and to develop a robust understanding of how the units within the Office of the Provost fit into that structure.
“I love to learn,” West says. “I’ve been at [University of Kentucky] for fourteen years, so seeing how another university works, learning the systems, meeting the people—it’s a whole new adventure.”
Vice Provost for Innovation and Strategy Shannon Means, who will oversee this new position, is eager to welcome West to USC. “Brad’s track record of success in higher education is impressive,” says Means. “I am confident Brad’s skills in finance and operations coupled with his diplomacy and dependability will ensure our academic units continue to grow and flourish.”
West, too, is looking forward to hitting the ground running and getting to know the colleagues whose efforts his work will support.
“I’m eager to listen and find out what problems are actually occurring that folks want to see solved,” West says. “I think coming in with an outside perspective from another university will help to see some new solutions.”