Vice President for Health Affairs John “Skip” Williams will take a year-long sabbatical, the University announced Friday night, three days after the Washington Post reported that Williams was planning to step down from his position at the end of the year due to pressure by top University officials.
Williams choice to go on sabbatical differs from the Post’s account that Williams would vacate his post because the University “no longer wants him in that position.” The Post quoted several anonymous sources. Vice President of External Relations Lorraine Voles said earlier this week that the University was in discussions with the vice president but would not elaborate on the nature of the discussions.
Williams will turn over his role to an “acting leader” during sabbatical, the release said. The release does not name the replacement.
The sabbatical comes on the heels of a review of the Medical Center, which will look at the center’s staffing and future. Voles said the review was commissioned by the Board of Trustees because of the changing nature of health care.
A news release sent out Friday night lauded Williams for his contributions to the University.
“We are all deeply indebted to Dr. Williams for his dedicated leadership of the Medical Center and his contributions both to the university and to the broader community here in the nation’s capital,” University President Steven Knapp said in a press release.
Knapp and University Provost Steven Lerman held a town hall Friday centering on the review.
“They answered questions about next steps in the review process, the organizational structure at the medical center and communications with students, faculty and staff,” University spokeswoman Candace Smith said. “Another town hall meeting is being scheduled as the second phase of the review continues.”
Smith put the town hall’s attendance at around 300 people.
Williams, once the second most powerful administrator at the University and a close colleague of former President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, has seen his influence reduced during Knapp’s tenure.
Knapp asked Williams to resign from the board of directors of the corporation that manages the GW Hospital in 2009 due to a potential conflict of interest.
Nearing the end of the Trachtenberg era, Williams was promoted to University provost and was tasked with managing the day-to-day operations when Trachtenberg was away from the University. The ascension caused an uproar within the faculty because of speculations that Williams would be given a fast-track to the presidency when Trachtenberg retired. Trachtenberg told the Washington Post in 2003 that Williams could land the top job depending “on what happens over the next five years.” But when the 19-year president retired, Knapp was tapped for the top job.
Williams was stripped of his provost title when the University restructured its academic affairs office after Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Donald Lehman announced his retirement.
