Dr. Dorian Williams has been appointed Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Dr. Williams has served as Interim Provost since September 2025, and this appointment reflects both his strong performance in that role and the confidence expressed by faculty, staff, campus stakeholders, and the Board of Trustees, who weighed in to finalize the permanent appointment. Earlier this year, nearly 90% of campus stakeholders surveyed said they appreciated the continuity in Academic Affairs leadership, and expressed confidence in Dr. Williams’ ability to lead the University’s academic enterprise. That feedback, paired with his successful track record navigating the institution’s SACSCOC Fifth-Year institutional accreditation report and a review by the Board of Trustees’ Academic Affairs Committee, made the decision clear.
Dr. Williams brings a deep well of experience to this role. Before stepping into the Interim role in Academic Affairs, he spent five years as Dean of the College of Business, where he secured over $770,000 in grant funding, launched the University’s Supply Chain Management concentration, and represented Dillard in a $50 million regional clean hydrogen initiative. As Provost, he now oversees 22 degree programs and roughly 75 full time faculty. He continues to guide the University’s academic direction and serves as Dillard’s liaison to SACSCOC.
An HBCU advocate at heart, Dr. Williams has served as President of the Association of Social and Behavioral Scientists and is an active member of the American Economic Association and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated.
