Yohuru Williams, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at St. Thomas, will step down from his position at St. Thomas and begin a new position at St. John’s University New York.

Williams will continue to serve as dean for the remainder of the academic year, the school said in a Newsroom press release.

At St. John’s, Williams will serve as the dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and affiliated faculty in the Ronald H. Brown Center for Civil Rights. His new position will begin July 1, 2020.

Williams was appointed as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences in July 2017. With his background in civil rights movements and activism in education, Williams organized campus events such as ‘Teach-In Tuesdays’ which brought together faculty, staff, and students to have conversations on topics such as racial inequality and women’s suffrage.

“Yohuru has provided impactful leadership at St. Thomas, and I am grateful for his vision, helpful collaboration and friendship,” St. Thomas president Julie Sullivan said in a press release.

Williams also launched the St. Thomas SOLV initiative in an effort to create community engagement for both students and faculty. Through SOLV, artists and nonprofits have collaborated with the university to create educational opportunities through topics like cultural identity and ecological challenges.

“We are grateful for how Yohuru guided CAS to prioritize students and provide them experiences to grow in and outside the classroom,” CAS Board Chair Kelly Larmon said in a press release.

The university has not yet released information about an interim dean.

Emilie Cleveland, Kat Barrett and Emily Haugen contributed to this report.