Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs

Fritz J. Erickson 
Dr. Fritz J. Erickson has served as the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Ferris State University since 2009.

As Provost, Dr. Erickson is the “chief academic officer” responsible for ensuring quality academic practices among Ferris faculty and a high caliber educational experience for Ferris students. As Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Erickson oversees the many academic operations of the University including seven Ferris colleges (Arts and Sciences, Business, Education and Human Services, Engineering Technology, Health Professions, Michigan College of Optometry, and Pharmacy) Charter Schools Office, Extended and International Operations, Ferris Library for Information, Technology and Education (FLITE), Office of Academic Research, and Retention and Student Success.

Dr. Erickson brings more than 25 years of administrative experience in higher education to Ferris. Prior to Ferris, Dr. Erickson served for six years as Dean of the College of Professional and Graduate Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. He oversaw undergraduate programs at UW-Green Bay in Business, Teacher Education, Social Work, Nursing and Physical Education, as well as four on- and off-campus master's degree programs. His responsibilities extended to The Institute for Research, a campus resource for faculty seeking outside funding to support their scholarly and creative activities.

Provost/VPAA Erickson has special interest in education reform and has worked on projects to engage public higher education in Pakistan, Jordan and other countries in the Middle East. He also is passionate about promoting safe and effective learning environments for all students, having written more than 50 texts on educational subjects and technology. He is founding president of the National Alternative Education Association and has chaired the Joint National Conference on Alternatives to Suspension, Expulsion and Dropping Out of School. He has given numerous presentations on the topic of cyber-bullying and the impact on children and families.

Prior to joining UW-Green Bay in 2003, Erickson was Dean of the College of Education and Human Development at Eastern Washington University; Chair and Professor of Education and Psychology at Michigan Technological University; and Senior Educational Consultant for the Colorado Department of Education. He taught for more than 10 years at Millersville University of Pennsylvania, and before that was an elementary, middle school and community college teacher.

Dr. Erickson completed his bachelor's degree at Western Michigan and master's and doctorate degrees at the University of Northern Colorado with an emphasis on Educational Psychology, Technology and Research Methodology.