Ben Vinson III will step down from his post as the president of Howard University in D.C.

The president of Howard University in D.C. will step down from his post at the end of the month.

Ben Vinson III’s last day on the job will be Aug. 31, according to a university press release announcing his departure Friday. He served as the 18th president of the university for about two years.

“At this point, I will be taking some time to be with my family and continue my research activities. I look forward to using my experiences as president to continue to serve higher education in the future,” he wrote.

The Howard University Board of Trustees appointed Vinson’s predecessor, Wayne A.I. Frederick, as interim president. Before Vinson’s term, Frederick led the university for 10 years.

Frederick will take over as interim president on Sept. 1. He’ll serve in the role until a permanent president is selected.

The university plans to conduct a national search for a new president. The board said it will get input from faculty, staff, students, alumni, partners and stakeholders during the transition in leadership.

The university’s board of trustees thanked Vinson for his service and wished him the best.

The announcement comes during the first week of classes, which began on Monday. In a video posted about his departure, Leslie Hale, the board of trustees chair, insisted there would be no disruption to academics, services or university operations.

“We are aware of some legitimate concerns that have been raised by students regarding student accounts and housing assignments,” Hale said. “We have a dedicated team of leaders in the University’s Administration and on the faculty who are working hard to address these problems so that we can make this year one of the best years ever for Howard.”

Hale didn’t offer specifics on the complaints, but multiple outlets have reported about problems with the platform that students use to pay tuition.

Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

© 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.