David Williams ll, vice president for student and urban/community affairs at Ohio State, is leaving to take a new position at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. In Williams’ new role, he will serve as a professor of law, vice chancellor, general counsel and secretary of Vanderbilt University. He will also be working for Vanderbilt’s new chancellor, E. Gordon Gee, the former OSU president who promoted Williams to his current position at OSU.Williams said the decision to leave OSU was a difficult one. “After 14 wonderful years, it is extremely difficult leaving this great institution and the many friends and colleagues that Gail, Samantha, Nicholas and I have made at Ohio State and in Columbus.”Williams joined the OSU faculty in 1986 when he was named an assistant professor of law. He was director of the University of Oxford- OSU summer law program, and he served as vice provost for minority affairs from June 1992 to August 1993.In 1993 Gee appointed Williams vice president for student affairs. Today, this position involves activities such as support services for international students, housing and food services, Campus Partners, athletics, and student health services.Williams graduated from Northern Michigan University with a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in education. Williams then went on to the University of Detroit where he earned an MBA and J.D. During this time he also served as editor of the Michigan Tax Journal, and earned a master’s of law in taxation from the New York University School of Law. He also serves as a member of the Michigan and District of Columbia bar associations.Williams has served as a member on committees of the American Bar Association, and has given testimony before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee on pending tax legislation. Currently he is Chairman of the Council of Student Affairs Executive Committee of the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges.Williams serves on numerous boards around Columbus, including the Columbus Urban League, the Martin Luther King Arts Complex, Columbus City-Year, and the Columbus Compact just to name a few. Williams will maintain his current position at OSU until the end of July.