Steven Hardy, Ed.D., joined USC Upstate as vice chancellor for finance and administration in June 2025. In this role, Hardy is a key member of the chancellor’s leadership team, overseeing a $90 million budget and providing strategic direction for key administrative areas, including human resources, facilities, public safety, and business services.
Before joining the university, Hardy served as vice president for finance and administrative services at Passaic County Community College in Paterson, New Jersey.
Hardy began at Passaic County Community College in 2014 as vice president for finance and administration. Since 2016, he was vice president for finance and administrative services, with responsibility for budgeting, procurement, regulatory compliance, and institutional planning. He also advised senior leadership on strategic initiatives and capital funding, while managing audits, financial reporting, and investment performance.
Prior to his positions at Passaic, Hardy served as assistant vice president for financial affairs and university controller at the University of Texas at San Antonio, where he was responsible for financial reporting of approximately $1.2 billion in assets. He oversaw accounting, payroll, grants, and disbursements.
He also was vice president of administration and finance at Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In that role, he directed financial operations, campus safety, strategic planning, and capital project financing, and successfully led the college through multiple clean audits and major compliance initiatives.
Hardy holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Rowan University, a Master’s in Business Administration from Eastern Michigan University and a Bachelor of Administration from Eastern Michigan University. He is a certified treasury professional (CTP) and a graduate of the AGB Institute for Leadership & Governance in Higher Education.