October 18, 2025 – Dr. Thomas W. Smith, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, will succeed Christian Hardigree as interim regional chancellor of the campus. Smith is a political science professor and has been a fixture at USF St. Petersburg for 25 years. He will assume his new role Nov. 4, a day after Hardigree leaves the campus to become president of Texas A&M University-Victoria.
