Professor William Robins is the interim president and vice-chancellor of Victoria University in the University of Toronto. He is the senior executive officer responsible for its academic and administrative operations and reports to its governing body, the Board of Regents.
Professor Robins began his term as interim president and vice-chancellor on July 1, 2026, following the departure of President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda N. McEwen. He previously served as president and vice-chancellor of Victoria University from 2015 to 2022, where he provided leadership in advancing the university’s academic mission, strategic priorities and campus renewal projects.
Professor Robins is a professor of English and Medieval Studies at the University of Toronto and an internationally recognized scholar of medieval Italian, Latin and English literary cultures. An award-winning teacher, he received the University of Toronto Faculty of Arts and Science Outstanding Teaching Award in 2014.
Read the full announcement about Professor Robins’ appointment here.
Contact and Location
Professor William Robins, Interim President and Vice-Chancellor
Northrop Frye Hall, Rm 120
73 Queen's Park Crescent
Toronto ON M5S 1K7
Tel: 416-585-4511
E-mail: The Office of the President
Victoria University Senior Administrative Management Team
Interim President and Vice-Chancellor
Professor William Robins
Interim Chief Administrative Officer and Bursar
Neil Alexander
Principal of Victoria College
Alex Eric Hernandez, BA (Toronto), PhD (Princeton)
Principal of Emmanuel College
The Rev. Dr. HyeRan Kim-Cragg, DTh (Emmanuel College)
Dean of Students
Kelley Castle, MA
Registrar
Yvette Ali, MSc (Toronto)
Chief Librarian
Amy Furness, BA (McMaster), MSt (Oxford), MISt (Toronto)
Executive Director, Alumni Affairs and Advancement
Louise Yearwood, MPNL (Carleton)
Staff in the Office of the President
A staff contact list can be found here.
Lindy Chan, Director of the Office of the President
Mae Flores, Executive Assistant to the President
Sally Szuster, Director, Communications and Marketing
Past Presidents
Victoria College 1841–1884
President
Matthew Richey 1849-1850
Egerton Ryerson 1850-1854
Samuel S. Nelles 1854-1884
Victoria University 1884–Present
President and Chancellor
Samuel S. Nelles 1884-1887
Nathanael Burwash 1887-1912
Richard Pinch Bowles 1913-1930
Edward Wilson Wallace 1930-1941
Walter T. Brown 1941-1944
President and Vice Chancellor
Walter T. Brown 1944-1949
Harold Bennett 1949-1950
Arthur Bruce Barbour Moore 1950-1970
John Edwin Hodgetts 1970-1972
Goldwin S. French 1973-1987
Eva Milada Kushner 1987-1994
Roseann Runte 1994-2001
Paul W. Gooch 2001-2015
William Robins 2015-2022
Rhonda McEwen 2022-2026