William (Bill) Davis has been appointed interim vice provost for academic engagement and student achievement and will begin a one-year term on July 1.
Davis will succeed Mary Wack, who has served as vice provost since 2007. She is retiring, but will stay on through August as Davis transitions into his new role.
“We are fortunate to have such a strong leader like Bill Davis to serve in this role, one that is critical to our educational mission at WSU,” provost Elizabeth Chilton said. “We will certainly miss Mary’s expertise and vision. We are fortunate that the division is transitioning into good hands, and we are excited to welcome Bill to the provost’s office.”
Davis has served as the associate dean for undergraduate education in the College of Veterinary Medicine since 2012. He earned his Ph.D. at Northwestern University, and has earned numerous awards for his teaching, faculty service, and academic advising since joining the WSU faculty in 2001.
In his new role, Davis will oversee the Division of Academic Engagement and Student Achievement (DAESA). He’ll also fill a critical leadership role in providing undergraduate students a premier educational experience that prepares them for active and productive lives, effective relationships, and access to opportunities.
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Bill Davis over the past nine years and he’s a tireless advocate for students,” Wack said. “His record in the College of Veterinary Medicine is exceptional and I’m confident he will excel in leading DAESA.”
Davis has given numerous invited presentations and workshops on student learning and student success in recent years. Most recently, he presented to the College for Life Science Education at Ohio State a seminar titled: Prosociality – How Structured Cooperative Learning Environments Benefit All Students and Narrow Achievement Gaps.
Davis is excited to apply his years of research and experience in student success and achievement in his new role.
“Mary Wack has been an outstanding leader for WSU. I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve as interim vice provost,” Davis said. “I look forward to partnering with colleagues across the WSU system in supporting our diverse student population in a holistic, equitable, and inclusive manner.”
