By Lauren Burke

In a surprising announcement, Howard University President Ben Vinson III, 55, will leave his position as Howard University’s 18th President. Vinson’s departure comes at a usual time: The start of the academic year. “We understand that this news may be surprising to some, coming at the start of the academic year,” said Leslie Hale, Howard University Board of Trustees chair, on a video posted on Howard University’s website. A statement on Howard’s website posted before the news of Vinson’s departure reads, “As we stand on the threshold of this new academic year, I am filled with optimism and hope for what lies ahead. Let us continue to embrace the spirit of Howard University – a spirit that encourages us to push boundaries, seek justice, and strive for excellence in all that we do.”

A campus-wide engagement tour is also posted on the President’s page online as of August 22. Though Vinson’s departure happens at a moment when military National Guard troops have occupied Washington, DC, at the orders of President Trump, there is no indication at this time that Vinson’s departure is related to DC being occupied by federal police and the military. Vinson became President of Howard only two years ago, on September 1, 2023. In 2023, right before he began to lead Howard, Vinson told The Washington Post that, “all of us have been recognizing over the past several years an overall declining faith in the value of higher education. It’s been under scrutiny. And so this is a time for all of our institutions to really rise to the moment. What that looks like is going to look quite different in every particular institution.”

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Vinson is a former provost at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Former Howard President Wayne A.I. Frederick was selected by Howard’s Board of Trustees to return as Howard University’s president on an interim basis in ten days. “On behalf of the Howard University Board of Trustees, we extend our sincere gratitude to Dr. Vinson for his service and leadership as president,” said Hale, Chair of the Board of Trustees, in a statement issued on August 22. “As we move forward, the Board of Trustees and University leadership remain steadfast in our commitment to maintaining Howard’s mission of excellence, truth, and service and a vibrant, welcoming, and innovative academic environment where students continue to succeed,” added Board Chair Hale. How long Frederick will remain as interim President of Howard is unknown.

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