Mark D. West, a renowned legal scholar and former dean of the University of Michigan Law School, has been appointed provost of Washington University in St. Louis, effective August 1, according to Chancellor Andrew D. Martin.
A highly respected academic leader and expert in Japanese law, West brings more than two decades of experience in higher education leadership, scholarship and cross-disciplinary collaboration to his new role. He will serve an initial two-year term as provost, with the possibility of reappointment at the end of that time. He also will join the WashU Law faculty as a visiting professor.
“We are thrilled to welcome Mark West to WashU,” Martin said. “I have been fortunate to know him for over a decade and I have great trust in his leadership, judgment and academic credentials. He is a battle-tested and impactful leader with deep experience navigating the complexities of academic institutions, something that is absolutely critical at this tumultuous time for American higher education.
“In our current, fast-moving environment, we knew we needed to take prompt action to recruit the most talented and qualified individual to serve as our next provost. A long, complicated search would have taken our focus away from our mission-focused work. We’re extremely fortunate that Mark was already on our radar so we could act quickly in bringing him here. I’m confident he will be a terrific partner to me and the Danforth Campus deans — who, along with my Cabinet and leaders in the provost’s office, have offered their strong support — and a tremendous asset to the entire WashU community. I look forward to welcoming him to WashU very soon.”
West is the Nippon Life Professor of Law at the University of Michigan, where he served as dean of the law school from 2013 to 2023. As dean, he launched a series of transformative initiatives that enhanced student life, advanced curricular reform, expanded experiential learning and strengthened community across the school. Under his leadership, Michigan Law established a summer funding guarantee for all first-year students, created new clinics including a pathbreaking Veterans’ Legal Clinic, and increased mental health and wellness resources. West also led the creation of the Problem Solving Initiative, an interdisciplinary, universitywide platform designed to develop innovative solutions to societal challenges.
“I’m honored to join WashU at such an exciting and dynamic moment in its history,” West said. “I look forward to learning from and collaborating with WashU’s extraordinary faculty, especially through shared governance structures including the Faculty Senate Council, whose chair I greatly enjoyed meeting during the recruitment process. The university’s commitment to academic distinction, research and community resonates deeply with me. I look forward to helping sustain that commitment, especially as we continue to confront the uncertainties and pressures facing higher education today.”
West also noted his eagerness to work with the university’s academic leadership: “It’s a privilege to be able to partner with the Danforth Campus deans and support their work to empower students and faculty across disciplines. I’ve long admired WashU’s strengths and ambition, and I’m excited to be part of its next chapter.”
West joined the Michigan faculty in 1998 and has held several key leadership roles, 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 country’s foremost scholars on the Japanese legal system and has published extensively, including the leading casebook on Japanese law, four solo-authored books on the interplay of law and society in Japan, and numerous journal articles.
Before entering academia, he practiced corporate law in New York and Tokyo. He has served as a consultant to the World Bank and various U.S. and Japanese government offices, and he has held fellowships at the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University, where he has taught (in Japanese). He earned his bachelor’s degree in international studies from Rhodes College and his law degree from Columbia University School of Law.
West shared that he and his wife, Amber, who are the parents of four adult children — two in Chicago, one in Nashville and one in Berlin — are looking forward to joining the St. Louis community.
“We are excited to call St. Louis home,” he said. “This is a city with incredible cultural energy, strong neighborhoods and a deep sense of history. We look forward to exploring it fully and becoming part of the fabric of this vibrant university and region.”
West succeeds Beverly Wendland, who will complete her role July 31 after successfully serving a five-year term as provost.
