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Mark D. West, a distinguished legal academic and former dean of the University of Michigan Law School, has been designated as the provost of Washington University in St. Louis, effective August 1, as stated by Chancellor Andrew D. Martin.
A highly esteemed academic figure and authority in Japanese law, West brings over twenty years of experience in higher education administration, scholarship, and interdisciplinary collaboration to his new position. He will commence an initial two-year term as provost, with the option for reappointment after that period. Additionally, he will join the WashU Law faculty as a visiting educator.
“We are delighted to welcome Mark West to WashU,” Martin expressed. “I have had the privilege of knowing him for more than a decade and I have immense confidence in his leadership, judgment, and scholarly credentials. He is a proven and effective leader with substantial experience navigating the intricacies of academic institutions, which is crucial during this challenging era for American higher education.
“In today’s rapid-paced environment, we understood the necessity of swift action to recruit the most skilled and qualified candidate to fulfill the role of our next provost. A lengthy and complex search would have diverted our attention from our mission-driven work. We’re truly fortunate that Mark was already on our radar, allowing us to act promptly in bringing him aboard. I’m confident he will be an exceptional partner to me and the Danforth Campus deans — who, alongside my Cabinet and leaders in the provost’s office, have expressed their strong support — and a valuable asset to the entire WashU community. I eagerly anticipate welcoming him to WashU very soon.”
West is currently the Nippon Life Professor of Law at the University of Michigan, where he served as the law school’s dean from 2013 to 2023. During his deanship, he initiated a series of transformative programs that improved student life, advanced curricular reforms, expanded experiential learning, and fostered community across the school. Under his guidance, Michigan Law instituted a summer funding guarantee for all first-year students, established new clinics including a groundbreaking Veterans’ Legal Clinic, and enhanced mental health and wellness resources. West also spearheaded the Problem Solving Initiative, an interdisciplinary, university-wide platform aimed at developing innovative solutions to societal issues.
“I’m privileged to join WashU at such an exciting and dynamic juncture in its history,” West stated. “I look forward to learning from and collaborating with WashU’s exceptional faculty, particularly through shared governance structures like the Faculty Senate Council, whose chair I greatly appreciated meeting during the recruitment process. The university’s dedication to academic excellence, research, and community resonates profoundly with me. I am eager to assist in sustaining that commitment, especially as we continue to navigate the uncertainties and pressures facing higher education today.”
West also expressed his enthusiasm for partnering with the university’s academic leadership: “It’s a privilege to collaborate with the Danforth Campus deans and support their efforts to empower students and faculty across disciplines. I have long admired WashU’s strengths and aspirations, and I’m thrilled to be part of its next chapter.”
West joined the Michigan faculty in 1998 and has assumed various key leadership positions, including the law school’s associate dean for academic affairs and director of the university’s Center for Japanese Studies. He is one of the nation’s leading scholars on the Japanese legal system and has authored extensively, including the principal casebook on Japanese law, four solo-authored books exploring the intersection of law and society in Japan, and numerous journal articles.
Prior to entering academia, he practiced corporate law in New York and Tokyo. He has acted as a consultant for the World Bank and various U.S. and Japanese government agencies, and he has held fellowships at the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University, where he has taught (in Japanese). He received his bachelor’s degree in international studies from Rhodes College and his law degree from Columbia University School of Law.
West noted that he and his wife, Amber, who are the parents of four adult children — two residing in Chicago, one in Nashville, and one in Berlin — are looking forward to becoming part of the St. Louis community.
“We are enthusiastic about calling St. Louis our home,” he remarked. “This city possesses incredible cultural vitality, robust neighborhoods, and a rich sense of history. We are eager to explore it extensively and become part of the tapestry of this dynamic university and region.”
West succeeds Beverly Wendland, who will complete her term on July 31 after successfully concluding a five-year tenure as provost.
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