On April 27, interim president Dr. Brian Williams and Chair of Board of Trustees, Heather Boujoulian attended Student Senate after President Ioannis Miaoulis’s retirement to answer student questions regarding the transition in June. 

Williams has worked at RWU since 2017 in his role as Vice President of Enrollment Management and Marketing before he stepped into Chief of Staff in 2020. He also worked with the Student Body President to find Dr. John King’s successor as Vice President of Student Life. 

“[The interim presidency] is the third or fourth role that I’ve been asked to serve at the institution and the one that I said yes the quickest to when the Board asked me,” Williams said. 

As Chief of Staff, Williams believed his role prepared him for leadership and connecting the university to the community. 

During the transition period, Williams said he would take this opportunity to be in a “listening state” to hear what has worked well and what needs to change. 

Student Senate Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Chair, Ryan Lukowitz asked Williams what an interim presidency looks like and what his goals are for his time as president. Williams answered, “An interim presidency at heart is a leadership role between presidents.” Williams wants to look at what RWU needs in terms of a President and views the interim presidency as a pause to address necessary things at the university before the Board chooses the next president.