Portland State University announced its next Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs will be Robert Williams, an academic administrator and former dean at California State University, East Bay and an experienced educational leader with a focus on student success.
“Dr. Williams has deep experience pursuing excellence even in the midst of challenges and focusing energy on ensuring that students get the skills and opportunities they need for a brighter future,” said PSU President Ann Cudd.
Williams was appointed dean of the Cal State East Bay’s College of Education and Allied Studies in 2021. He began his academic career at San Francisco State University, where he served as a Professor of Counseling and went on to become the Associate Dean of the Graduate College of Education.
Williams has built a career focused on expanding access to higher education while strengthening the operational foundations that allow universities to serve students effectively. He joined Cal State East Bay during the COVID-19 pandemic and focused on building a sustainable grant-winning infrastructure, leading to a 65% increase in grant awards. Under his leadership, the college’s advising and faculty teams also increased graduation rates by 19 percentage points while closing equity gaps for low-income and first-generation students.
“My focus has always been on building systems that work for students,” Williams said. “When institutions remove unnecessary barriers and align their efforts, students — especially first-generation and low-income students — can see a much clearer path to opportunity.”
Williams is a licensed clinical psychologist and was a visiting Fulbright Scholar from August 2001 to 2002 with the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus in Barbados in the Department of Government, Sociology and Social Work. Williams, who grew up in St. Louis, completed his bachelor’s degree at Howard University and his doctorate at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Williams will take over the helm of academics at Portland State from Shelly Chabon, who was appointed interim Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs in 2023. Prior to taking over the Provost role at PSU, Chabon served as Vice Provost for Academic Personnel.
“Provost Chabon has been a steady leader for a crucial period in Portland State’s history and I am grateful for her deft handling of our academic operations,” Cudd said.
Williams will relocate to Portland and begin at PSU on July 1.