William Fox, Ed.D.

Vice President for Student Affairs
President's Office

Bill has led the division of student affairs at Otterbein University since January 2023. Bill has worked in higher education for over 20 years, including a decade as dean of students at Denison University in Granville, OH. Prior to joining the Otterbein community, he led the student affairs division at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, OH.

 At Otterbein University, Bill is responsible for partnering with faculty to create holistic student learning and support, facilitating a community that welcomes and supports a highly diverse student population, and fostering a culture of innovation to keep Otterbein on the forefront of American higher education.  Additionally, he oversees health and wellness, residence life, student engagement, athletics, and student conduct programs.

 He is active in professional associations and strives to connect others to meaningful volunteer activities. He currently serves as the advisory board chair for the National Consortium for Building Healthy Academic Communities; as the Don Schweingruber Senior Student Affairs Officer on the Board of the Ohio College Personnel Association; and as a committee member for the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Strategies Conferences.

 Bill received his bachelor’s degree from James Madison University, master’s degree from The Ohio State University, executive certificate in nonprofit management from Georgetown University, and doctorate degree in higher education management from the University of Pittsburgh.

 Bill’s research focuses on the emergence of senior wellness officer roles in American higher education and ways leaders can strategically create organizational cultures that promote well-being. In 2021, he published an article, “Making the Case for a University Senior Wellness Officer,” in the Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice.