Familiar name gets temp job as Univ of South Carolina leader

By Jeffrey Collins

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)– University of South Carolina trustees have turned to a familiar person to temporarily run the school as they look for a new president. Trustees named Harris Pastides interim president Friday. He spent 11 years leading the school before retiring in 2019. Pastides takes over from President Bob Caslen, who resigned May 13 over a plagiarized graduation speech after a tumultuous 20-month tenure. Pastides promised a steady year as a search committee of eight trustees, five faulty members and the student body president search for a new leader for the university system with 52,000 students.