Andrew T. Guzman, dean of the USC Gould School of Law, will be USC’s next provost and senior vice president for academic affairs.
He will fill the shoes of Charles Zukoski, who in December, stepped down from a three-year long run as provost.
Guzman, an international law and economics expert, will be the second most powerful university official and first Latino to serve as provost. Born in Canada, Guzman said his passion for international politics stems from a multicultural upbringing.
“My father was Dominican, and when I would visit family in the Dominican Republic, I would see poverty that I didn’t see in Canada,” Guzman said. “I became very interested in international issues and global poverty, and that’s been a thread that has continued throughout my career.”
Guzman graduated from the University of Toronto and earned a doctorate in economics and law degree from Harvard University.
“I believe higher education is the real engine of success in our society,” he said. “The opportunity to have this leadership position at an institution that has the scale, scope and excellence of USC is incredibly exciting.”
Before landing at USC in 2015, Guzman worked at UC Berkeley for 17 years as a law professor then associate dean for international and advanced programs.
At USC, Guzman introduced a new bachelor’s degree in legal studies for students and oversaw the establishment of the Center for Transnational Law and Business.
“One of the assets I bring to the role is that I have a relationship with all the other Dean’s and that allows me to communicate with them in a more seamless manner,” Guzman said. “It’s all about relationships. This is a human business.”
In a Tuesday letter to the campus community, USC President Carol Folt said Guzman will be a “terrific partner” in elevating academic excellence at the university.
“He brings a spirit of compassion, a love of innovation and a depth of experience to his new role,” Folt said.
Guzman said plagiarism was’t a top concern but new artificial intelligence software has changed the landscape of academia.
“I’m worried about [Chat]GPT,” Guzman said. “Right now, the solution we have is largely leaving that to the faculty, which I think is the right solution right now because how could we possibly have wrapped our arms around that?”
Guzman said there’s a “long tradition” of allowing faculty to control their classrooms but added that it’s not a long term solution.
“We need to figure out what sorts of strategies and policies make sense and I don’t pretend to have crisp answers to that just yet,” Guzman said.
More than 73 individuals were considered for the job. A search committee made up of trustees, faculty, staff and students showed “great dedication and care throughout the process,” Folt said.
Guzman will take his seat as USC provost starting July 1.
Editor’s note: A previous version of this story spelled the former provost’s name incorrectly. Annenberg Media regrets this error.