[3][4] He was again appointed Interim President at South Carolina after Bob Caslen resigned on May 13, 2021, officially taking office May 21, 2021 and serving until July 1, 2022.

In addition to his position as President of the university, since 2014, Pastides has held a secondary employment in the private sector as part of the financial services industry.

He has received $161,700 a year in stock and cash as a director at Synovus, a publicly-traded financial services corporation specializing in commercial loans, mortgages, and retail banking.

Pastides stated, "These three words have the power to save lives and must become as automatic to every college student getting into a ride-hailing vehicle as putting on a seatbelt.

[16] Following a contentious search to hire a new USC President, former Superintendent of West Point Robert L. Caslen was eventually selected as Pastides' successor and took office on August 1, 2019.

[17] The Board of Trustees appointed Pastides as Interim President of the University of South Carolina after his successor, Bob Caslen, resigned on May 13, 2021.