BJ Abrams joins IDI as inaugural assistant vice president

October 24, 2024 - Megan Winans

BJ AbramsBJ Abrams has joined the Office for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion, or IDI, effective Monday, Oct. 14, as the unit’s inaugural assistant vice president. He will report to Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer Jabbar R. Bennett, Ph.D. Abrams will oversee daily office operations, support the advancement of institutional strategic priorities and bolster internal and external constituent engagement, among other responsibilities.

“This new role will be instrumental in accelerating the university’s strategic goals focused on diversity and inclusion,” said Bennett. “Dr. Abrams is a highly collaborative and empathetic leader, and this is a critical step in realizing MSU’s vision of creating a more equitable learning and working experience for all.”

Abrams recently served as chief administrative officer at MSU’s Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, or FRIB, a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science scientific user facility. Prior to his role at FRIB, Abrams worked in IDI as the director of equal opportunity and inclusion and served as the university’s equal employment opportunity coordinator, where he ensured the university complied with federal employment regulations. Abrams also served as assistant to the vice president of Student Life and Engagement at MSU, where he managed large-scale facility projects to advance the interests of faculty, staff and students in creating more diverse and inclusive campus environments.

A search committee was chaired by Assistant Vice President for Student Life and Engagement for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging and Assistant Dean for Student Success Initiatives Genyne L. Royal.

The search committee included:

  • Genyne L. Royal, committee chair, assistant vice president for student life and engagement for diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging and assistant dean for student success initiatives, Student Life and Engagement
  • Quentin Tyler, director of MSU Extension and senior associate dean for outreach and engagement, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Estrella Torrez, associate professor, MSU Residential College in the Arts and Humanities
  • Florene McGlothian-Taylor, captain, diversity, equity and inclusion, Department of Police and Public Safety
  • Matt Olovson, director of equity and compliance, Office for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion
  • Ellen Moll, assistant dean for undergraduate studies, College of Arts and Letters
  • Kevin Leonard, director, Native American Institute, University Outreach and Engagement
  • Marilyn Amey, assistant provost, Office of Faculty and Academic Staff Development
  • Swapna Hingwe, director, Counseling and Psychiatric Services

“I want to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Royal and the entire search committee for their hard work and thoughtful consideration in assisting us with finding the right candidate for this role,” said Bennett. “Their collective knowledge and expertise were crucial in filling it, and I am confident Dr. Abrams will be a tremendous asset to our institution.”

An undergraduate alumnus of the MSU College of Social Science, Abrams earned his J.D. from Boston College, a master of science degree from Barry University and his doctorate from the University of New Mexico. After completing law school and before his time working at Michigan State University, Abrams spent 14 years in Washington, D.C., working for a national arbitration firm in the areas of civil rights, labor, employment and contract law. He writes and researches in the fields of workplace compliance, risk management, sports administration and ethics, serves as an adjunct professor teaching undergraduate and graduate students in the areas of law, business management, ethics and risk management, and is often invited to speak on related topics across the nation.