Malcolm Willey (1897–1974) was at the University of Minnesota from 1926 to 1971 as Professor of Sociology and served as Dean and Assistant to the President of the University of Minnesota from 1932–1942, serving Lotus D. Coffman, Guy Stanton Ford, and Walter Coffey. In 1943 he became the first Vice President of Academic Administration, a position he held until his retirement in 1971.

He enforced the policies of segregated housing initiated by President Coffman. Despite President Ford overturning them, when he worked for President Coffey, he continued to enforce segregated housing again. He provided information to Coffman about student protests and worked to suppress student rights.

He authored the policy for academic freedom, which was initiated by President Guy Stanton Ford in 1938.