Overview
- Clemson’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously on Thursday to hire Benjamin C. Ayers, University of Georgia provost, with his presidency to begin August 1 under a five-year contract.
- Ayers’s term starts at a $1 million base salary rising to at least $1.2 million by year five and includes up to $1.2 million in deferred pay, merit awards, golf club memberships, two university vehicles, $50,000 in transition expenses, and a guaranteed tenured faculty post after his presidency.
- The appointment follows Kevin Guskiewicz’s abrupt reversal on Tuesday when he told Clemson he would remain at Michigan State after MSU offered a revised retention package and contract extension.
- Clemson officials said they did not reopen the presidential search but revisited previously vetted finalists to move quickly and restore leadership stability on campus.
- The episode highlights growing scrutiny over university presidential contracts and board governance, with Michigan State’s recent board tensions and high-value retention perks central to Guskiewicz’s near-departure.