The University of South Carolina Upstate on Wednesday announced Clif Flynn as its new provost and senior vice chancellor for academic affairs.
Flynn, a USC Upstate employee for almost 30 years, has served as interim senior vice chancellor for academic affairs since July 2015.
In his new role as chief academic officer, Flynn is a member of the chancellor’s cabinet and will be responsible for all academic programs at the university, which has a total enrollment of about 6,000 students.
“For nearly three decades, Dr. Flynn has demonstrated servant leadership and gained respect at USC Upstate, across the state, and throughout the country,” said Brendan Kelly, chancellor of USC Upstate, in a statement. “Dr. Flynn is the chief academic officer of this institution, and he offers precisely the strong leadership skills that academic affairs needs to innovate and move forward.”
Flynn has served in a variety of roles at the college, including associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, director of graduate studies, chair of the Department of Sociology, Criminal Justice, and Women’s Studies, and professor of sociology. He also has published several articles related to human-animal studies, family violence, and corporal punishment of children.
In 2008, he was selected as a fellow of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics. He is the editor of “Social Creatures,” one of the first anthologies in human-animal studies. Flynn is also the author of the book “Understanding Animal Abuse: A Sociological Analysis.”
Flynn earned his Ph.D. in family studies and a masters degree in child development and family relations from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from Davidson College.
“USC Upstate is on the cusp of great things,” Flynn said, in a statement. “Passion, commitment, and vision will take this institution to great heights and allow us to celebrate many victories.”
