Utah Valley University’s (UVU) Center for Constitutional Studies (CCS) announced today the appointment of Troy Smith, Ph.D., professor of Constitutional Federalism at UVU, as the first director of the Constitutional Federalism Initiative (CFI). Sheri Smederovac will serve as program manager.
Utah Valley University’s (UVU) Center for Constitutional Studies (CCS) announced today the appointment of Troy Smith, Ph.D., professor of Constitutional Federalism at UVU, as the first director of the Constitutional Federalism Initiative (CFI). Sheri Smederovac will serve as program manager.
Smith will lead CFI in working with Utah’s new Federalism Commission — consisting of five members of the Utah Senate and nine members of the Utah House of Representatives — to implement HB 488, passed in Utah’s 2025 legislative session.
The bill mandates the CCS to collaborate with the Gary R. Herbert Institute for Public Policy to accomplish the following:
“Having the Constitutional Federalism Initiative based at UVU is a tremendous asset to our university and the broader community,” said Wayne Vaught, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president of Academic Affairs. “It positions UVU at the forefront of a national conversation on federalism, enhances our academic offerings, and strengthens our partnerships with state leaders and institutions. Under Troy Smith’s leadership, CFI will not only elevate scholarly research but also provide practical training and outreach that empower public servants and citizens alike.”
A native of Twin Falls, Idaho, Smith began his tenure as CFI director in March 2025. Prior to this role, Smith was director of CCS’s Master of Arts in constitutional government, civics, and law program, which he launched in 2024. Smith guided the first cohort of 19 graduate students from application to graduation this summer.
Smith is a fellow at the Center for the Study of Federalism and is editor of the online resource, “Federalism in America: An Encyclopedia.” He taught at Brigham Young University–Hawaii for 19 years as a professor of political science. His work has appeared in “Publius: The Journal of Federalism,” “The Review of Politics,” “Congress & the Presidency,” and “Thinking Skills & Creativity.” He received a Ph.D. in political science from the University at Albany and an M.A. in international affairs from George Washington University.
“The Constitutional Federalism Initiative provides a unique opportunity to promote a balanced, robust federalism in Utah and across the country,” said Smith. “The problems plaguing America — polarization, populism, authoritarianism, excessive debt, and others — won’t be resolved by a robust federal system alone, but they can be significantly mitigated. People and organizations are beginning to recognize that this is the change we need to make government more responsible and accountable to the people. The time is right for strengthening federalism, and I am excited to lead this new and important initiative.”
“I am thrilled to welcome Troy Smith as the inaugural head of the new Federalism Initiative at Utah Valley University,” said Rep. Ken Ivory, chair of the Utah Federalism Commission. “With his deep expertise in constitutional government, and most particularly an internationally recognized federalism expert, Professor Smith is uniquely equipped to lead the academic cornerstone of Utah’s National Federalism Initiative. This historic effort to restore a healthy state-federal governing partnership demands precisely the kind of rigorous scholarship and principled leadership that Professor Smith brings."
