Emerging of R&B/Soul Music in the U.S. (1955-1975)

Vanderbilt University Athletic Director David Williams II, ranks among the university’s most prominent leaders.  Aside from his role in McGugin Center, Williams is Vice-Chancellor for University Affairs and Athletics as well as a tenured professor at the University’s nationally ranked law school.  He continues to teach at the Law School where he conducts courses on Taxation and Education as well as Sports Law.  He is also an active participant in the SEC and NCAA in matters of negotiations, reforms, enforcements and planning.  Williams is a regular speaker on College Athletics and recently spoke at the Law Schools at Harvard and Arizona State; he also served as the keynote speaker at the Black Male Student Athlete Summit at the University of Texas.

Since adding athletics to his multiple titles and responsibilities in 2002, Vanderbilt has seen its athletic department and its individual programs recognized as being among the nation’s most innovative and successful.  The 2015-16 academic year may have been one of the best yet under Williams’ leadership.

In association with Vanderbilt Athletics, Williams has served as a member of the SEC team that negotiated past ESPN and CBS television partner contracts.  Williams also serves as Chair of the NCAA Infraction Appeals Committee and was a member of the NCAA Enforcement Working Group.

Williams came to Vanderbilt in 2000 to serve as Vice Chancellor, General Counsel and University Secretary, after a 14 years tenure at The Ohio State University, where he served in numerous administrative roles including Vice Provost for Minority Affairs, Vice President of Student and Urban/Community Affairs and Professor of Law.

A native of Detroit, Williams received a Bachelor of Science in Social Sciences and Master or Arts in Education from Northern Michigan University, where he was a member of the university track team.  He also earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD) from the University of Detroit, where Williams presently serves on the University’s Board of Trust.  Williams also earned an LL.M, in Taxation from New York University.  Before entering law school, Williams spent 10 years as a teacher and coach in the Detroit public school system.

Williams has taught at the law schools of the Univeristy of Detroit, Capital University, The Ohio State University and Vanderbilt.  He also twice directed The Ohio State University’s Law program in Oxford England.  Williams was elected outstanding law professor at both the University of Detroit and at The Ohio State University.

Williams is active in the greater Nashville area community, serving as a board member with several organizations.  He served two terms on former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean’s Procurement Standards Board and two terms as a Nashville branch member on the Atlanta Federal Reserve Board.  Williams also served as chair of the Nashville United Way Board and treasurer and board member for the Nashville Symphony.  He is presently serving on the boards of the Middle Tennessee Community Foundation, the Nashville Sports Council, the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame and the Nashville Public Education Foundation.  In addition, Williams is the Co-Chair of the transition team for Dr. Shawn Joseph, the new Director of Schools for Metro Nashville.

Williams and his wife, Gail met in law school and have four children: Erika who is a grade school teacher in Detroit and graduated from Eastern Michigan University; David III who is a two time grauate of Bowling Green State University and is an academic counselor at Michigan State University, where he recently was awarded his Doctorate Degree; Samantha (Sam) a graduate of Brown University, where she was a member of the Swimming team and is presently a third year law student at Vanderbilt Law School; and Nicholas(Nick) who is a senior at High Point University in North Carolina, where he is a three time scholar athlete member of the track team.  Sam and Nick both attended pre college school here in Nashville where Sam was an All-State swimmer at Harpeth Hall and Nick was an All-State athlete in soccer and track and a four year basketball member at the University School of Nashville.