Benjamin C. Ayers, dean of the C. Herman and Mary Virginia Terry College of Business, has been appointed the University of Georgia’s forthcoming senior vice president for academic affairs and provost, as announced by President Jere W. Morehead on Thursday.
Ayers, who holds the Earl Davis Chair in Taxation, has steered the Terry College of Business since 2014. He is set to become UGA’s principal academic officer on June 30, succeeding S. Jack Hu, who was recently designated chancellor of the University of California, Riverside.
“Considering the numerous opportunities and challenges confronting the University of Georgia, our institution requires an accomplished leader and experienced senior administrator to fulfill its highest academic role,” stated President Jere W. Morehead. “With his extensive experience and remarkable achievements as one of UGA’s longest-serving deans, Dr. Ben Ayers is perfectly qualified for this pivotal position. I am assured that he possesses the expertise and qualifications to act as a reliable and capable ally in steering the university’s ongoing positive trajectory.”
In his capacity as dean of the Terry College, Ayers supervises the University of Georgia’s second-largest academic division, which comprises over 11,000 students; around 400 full-time faculty and staff; operations in three campuses throughout the state (Athens, Atlanta, and Griffin); and an operational budget nearing $95 million.
Under Ayers’ guidance, the Terry College has celebrated unprecedented achievements, establishing four academic units while initiating a highly competitive online MBA, a master’s in business analytics, a campus-wide Entrepreneurship Program, sought-after executive and dual degree programs, and market-responsive certificates. Over the past decade, undergraduate enrollment at the college has surged by 40%, graduate enrollment has escalated by 64%, and the college has recorded the highest employment rates for graduating students in its history.
“I am profoundly honored to assume this significant role at the University of Georgia,” Ayers remarked. “With exceptional faculty and staff, talented students, outstanding leadership across campus, and devoted alumni, the institution’s future looks exceedingly promising. I am eager to collaborate with the UGA community to further enhance our world-class learning environment and broaden our positive influence through innovative research and service.”
During his deanship, Ayers has elevated the national standing and research output of the Terry College to unprecedented levels, more than doubling the amount of college-funded research support. The college’s undergraduate programs are all ranked in the top 25 by U.S. News & World Report, and its full-time MBA program was recently honored as the No. 1 global value by Financial Times. Five departments within the Terry College now rank among the top 10 nationally for research productivity.
The Terry College has also achieved record private contributions under Ayers’ stewardship. Over the last decade, the college’s endowment has grown from $90 million to nearly $300 million — representing an increase of over 225% — while benefactors have established 22 endowed faculty positions and 130 four-year scholarships to assist students in financial need. As dean, Ayers led the development of the premier Business Learning Community, financed through a 50/50 match of state and private funds totaling $140 million. Additionally, he expanded and refurbished the Terry Executive Education Center in Atlanta and secured and upgraded Studio 225, home to UGA’s popular student entrepreneurship program and a key element of the UGA Innovation District.
Ayers obtained his bachelor’s degree summa cum laude and his master’s in tax accounting from the University of Alabama, as well as his doctorate in accounting from the University of Texas at Austin. Before assuming the role of dean, he was the director of UGA’s J.M. Tull School of Accounting for nine years. He joined the University of Georgia in 1996 as an assistant professor.
Ayers has received multiple teaching accolades at the school, college, and university levels, including the Russell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. His research has also garnered national recognition from both the American Taxation Association and the American Accounting Association.
Ayers has served as president of the American Tax Association and is currently a member of the board of directors for Synovus Bank’s Northeast Georgia Division and the board of advisors for the CFO Roundtable. At UGA, he co-chaired the last search for a senior vice president for academic affairs and provost in 2019.
“Above all, Dean Ayers has consistently been an engaged and thoughtful campus leader, wholly committed to supporting the academic aspirations of the institution,” Morehead noted. “He commands great respect from faculty, staff, students, and alumni alike, and the strong and lasting relationships he has nurtured with business and government leaders over the years will serve the University of Georgia exceptionally well.”
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