William Kibler
Senior Consultant and Senior Executive Coach
Bill.Kibler@academicsearch.org
Dr. William Kibler is a Senior Consultant driven by his commitment to integrity, clarity, and honesty. He authored the honor codes at two Division I state universities, and while serving as president of a small public university in rural Texas, he maintained an open-door policy to sustain direct communication with students, staff, and faculty. Dr. Kibler even provided his personal home and cell phone numbers to students and parents at orientation, attesting to his commitment to remain in close contact.
Although Dr. Kibler can perform any type of search, based on his experience at public universities, his expertise lies in searches within state systems. He joined Academic Search in 2020 and has discovered a deep sense of satisfaction and pride when he helps an institution hire a candidate who will make a long-lasting positive impact.
After more than four decades in higher education, Dr. Kibler’s familiarity with university governance, student conduct, and the challenges that arise in an administration is extensive. He spent 37 years in student affairs at the University of Florida, Texas A&M University, and Mississippi State University, giving him first-hand familiarity with the issues students face and the best ways to overcome them. He then spent six years as President of Sul Ross State University, a regional comprehensive university in West Texas.
At Texas A&M and MSU, Dr. Kibler authored the schools’ honor codes that are still in effect. He also served as a founding board member and president of both the Association for Student Conduct Administration and the International Center for Academic Integrity. Much of his research work for his doctorate focused on academic integrity, and he has authored, co-authored, and edited books and publications on the subject, as well as on student conduct, discipline, judicial affairs, and student affairs administration.
A first-generation college student, Dr. Kibler earned his associate degree from Pensacola Junior College and completed his bachelor’s degree in economics at the University of Florida. He also received master’s and specialist’s degrees in counselor education from UF and a doctorate in higher education administration from Texas A&M. Additionally, Dr. Kibler is a graduate of the American Association of State Colleges & Universities’ Millennium Leadership Institute.
In 2014, Dr. Kibler was named the 12th president of Sul Ross University. During his six years in Alpine, TX, Dr. Kibler helped implement an ambitious 10-year strategic plan, achieved full re-accreditation with no recommendations, oversaw unprecedented retention rates, improved facilities, and more. Upon his retirement in 2020, he was named president emeritus. He resides in College Station with his wife, Pam, and together they continue a nearly 30-year commitment to foster parenting.