Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs

Eddie Phillips, Ed.D.

Provost Welcome

"At National Louis University, we believe in the power of education to achieve equity. National Louis has grown to be a regional, comprehensive Teaching 1 institution dedicated to providing access to exceptional education to learners of all ages and backgrounds. NLU is leading the way as a model university that is student-ready and teaching-focused where financial resources are dedicated to instructional delivery and enhancing the educational experience for each student.

The Provost serves as the Chief Academic Officer of the university and provides vision and leadership for all academic programs. As the provost, I lead the effort to evaluate and optimize the academic portfolio of the university and ensure operational efficiency. I am charged with the development, implementation and assessment of academic programs and institutional policies. I support our dedicated faculty and encourage their research, publishing and scholarly activities. I work with deans, faculty and staff to ensure the delivery of student learning outcomes and providing a transformative learning experience for all students."

Eddie Phillips, Ed.D. Bio

In May 2022, Eddie Phillips, Ed.D. was appointed as the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at National Louis University (NLU), bringing nearly 20 years of experience and a record of achievements in academic and educational leadership. Prior to his appointment as Provost, Dr. Phillips joined NLU in August 2021 as the Vice Provost of Academic Programs and Accreditation where he immediately provided strategic direction and support to the University’s academic portfolio, accreditation, regulatory compliance, assessment, and academic policies.

Dr. Phillips provided immediate support and direction to the regulatory affairs team on all areas related to accreditation including the reaffirmation of accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission.  He also led the development of the “new program process.”  He is deeply involved in new initiatives and new technologies that improve learning, among others.

Prior to joining NLU, Dr. Phillips served as the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs at Kennedy-King College where he served for nine years in several roles.  As Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs, Dr. Phillips provided strategic direction and leadership to Kennedy-King College’s academic operations, student support services, as well as the college’s accreditation and compliance efforts. Phillips manages an academic portfolio of more than 60 academic programs and a collective budget of $12.5 million.

Dr. Phillips chaired the college’s comprehensive mid-cycle evaluation with the Higher Learning Commission, co-chaired the college’s five-year strategic planning effort, and provided direction to the college’s first-ever three-year strategic assessment plan. Phillips also served as a member of the state’s political science discipline panel as part of the Illinois Articulation Initiative.

Before becoming the Vice President, Phillips served as the Dean of Instruction where he directly supported faculty, academic programming, and managed an instructional budget of $7.5 million. Phillips also served as the Associate Dean of Dawson Technical Institute as well as the Associate Dean of Instruction, overseeing career technical education programs and providing administrative and academic leadership to the colleges applied science programs. In these roles, Phillips also provided assessment and compliance support to four programs with specialized accreditation, assisted with managing a combined operational budget of $2.5 million, as well as directly managed two federal grants with a total annual award of $988,000.

Dr. Phillips has also served in various roles at Northern Illinois University, Malcolm X College, and Rush University Medical Center in the capacities of Residence Hall Operations Director, Academic Advisor, Assistant Director of Financial Aid, and Registrar. He has also served as adjunct faculty, teaching sociology courses for Harold Washington College.

Dr. Phillips holds a Bachelor and Master of Arts in Sociology and Criminology as well as a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Leadership and Administration all from Northern Illinois University. Dr. Phillips academic interest is focused on examining social and structural inequities for justice-involved individuals of color and challenging existing structures of power and privilege. He uses critical inquiry as a theoretical framework and centers race as a point of analysis to explore and advocate for the rights and equitable treatment of justice-involved individuals of color.