The Office of General Counsel has announced that Brian Nicholls will begin serving as the University of Utah’s inaugural director of campus compliance services on May 1, 2023. In this role, Nicholls will help advance the university’s efforts to enhance campus safety by assuring compliance with key legal expectations and assisting with the process of identifying and implementing best practices. To accomplish these objectives, Nicholls will work closely with a collaborative group that includes Student Affairs; the Department of Public Safety; the Office of Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and Title IX (OEO/AA); Youth Protection and Program Support; as well as other stakeholders.

Nicholls received his Juris Doctor from the S.J. Quinney College of Law in 2010 and began his higher education career with the OEO/AA investigating reports of discrimination and harassment. He served as OEO/AA’s associate director from 2016-2020. Since 2020, Nicholls has worked with the chief safety officer, the vice president for Student Affairs and the vice president for Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion to further many collaborative safety initiatives across campus.

“Brian is an experienced leader with values, skills and knowledge that will significantly advance compliance with best practices and requirements designed to foster safety for the university community,” said Phyllis Vetter, general counsel and vice president. “We are grateful to the other highly qualified candidates and campus partners who participated in the search for this important position. Please join us in congratulating Brian on his new role at the University of Utah.”