COLUMBIA, S.C. — Amid a tumultuous year for the University of South Carolina, a familiar face has been called back to steady the ship: Dr. Harris Pastides.
"Some people joked I took the pandemic off," Pastides told News19's Andrea Mock in an interview this week.
Pastides was voted back in as the school's interim president last month after the resignation of Bob Caslen.
After retiring in 2019, Pastides was enjoying time on the state's coast. Ironically, he was working on a book about retiring when his phone rang asking him if he'd be interested in the job.
"In fact I almost finished a retirement book calling "Stepping away," and I'm glad I didn't finish now because it has a different final chapter," he said.
After less than two years as president, Caslen, a retired Army general, stepped down amid controversy following a botched commencement speech.
"He didn't consult with me but I told him I wish him and Shelley well," Pastides said of the abrupt departure.
Staff and students alike protested when the board rushed a vote to confirm Caslen in 2019, but Dr. Pastides said this time around, the university has learned a lesson.
"The search continues,' he said. "The world has changed, we must operate in the light of day. My job is to restore stability and calmness."
The school held its first meeting of the search committee that will find a permanent replacement for Caslen last week. Search members aren't allowed to discuss the potential candidates until they whittle down the group to a list of three finalists.