By Jackie Todd, University Relations
Two experienced academics will use their expertise to provide leadership for academic programs and support strategic initiatives related to ClemsonForward.
Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Robert H. Jones announced that Acting Associate Provost for Academic Affairs Constancio Nakuma will move permanently into that position. Jones also announced that J. Cole Smith, acting associate provost for academic initiatives, will move into the position permanently.
Nakuma will continue advising the provost on core academic activities, including teaching and learning excellence across the university, academic enrichment and professional development programs for students, education policy, curricular analysis and innovations accreditation, and faculty scholarship in partnership with Faculty Affairs and Research.
Nakuma has held a number of positions in his 16 years at Clemson. He joined Clemson in 2002 as a professor of French and chair/head of the department of languages in the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities. He became associate dean for academic services for the college in 2007 and associate dean for academic affairs in 2009. He served as the college’s senior associate dean for academic affairs since 2015.
He has held leadership positions in national and regional professional associations, has authored a book, numerous articles in professional journals, and made numerous conference presentations nationally and internationally. In 2006, he received the Clemson Board of Trustees Award for Faculty Excellence.
The Ghana native speaks four languages and received his Ph.D. in linguistics (Doctorat d’Université en Sciences du langage), from Sorbonne Nouvelle (Paris III), France; an MBA at Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, Canada; an M.A. and ABD in linguistics (Maîtrise et D.E.A. de lettres modernes, option sciences du langage) from Université Paris X-Nanterre, France; and a bachelor’s degree at the University of Ghana-Legon, Accra, Ghana.
In his role, Smith will continue to advise the provost on major ongoing and new academic initiatives relating to the ClemsonForward strategic plan; develop strategies to increase efficiency, focus and success of academic operations; and analyze, enable and implement entrepreneurial activities that increase revenues to support academic programs.
Smith earned a number of honors and awards in his career. Most recently, he was named Fellow of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE). He has published more than 80 papers and delivered more than 125 talks throughout the United States and abroad. Smith is an elected board member of both IISE and the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences, and recently completed a term as Chair of the Council of Industrial Engineering Department Heads.
Smith is a Clemson alumnus, having graduated in 1996 with a bachelor’s in mathematical sciences. Smith earned his Ph.D. in industrial and systems and engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 2000. He was an assistant professor at the University of Arizona from 2000 to 2005, and moved up the ranks to achieve the rank of professor at the University of Florida before he joined Clemson.
“Clemson is fortunate to have talented faculty within its ranks,” said Jones. “Constancio and Cole have done an outstanding job of collaborating with college administration and faculty members and are well positioned help the university achieve its goals under Clemson Forward.”
Both appointments are effective Dec. 16.
