Washington University announced on Saturday that Andrew D. Martin will be the university's 15th chancellor.

Martin comes to Wash U from the University of Michigan, where he serves as dean of the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. He will replace Wash U’s current chancellor Mark Wrighton effective June 1, 2019. Wrighton has served as chancellor for 22 years. He announced his plans for retirement last fall.

“After a comprehensive global search that produced a slate of highly qualified final candidates, I can say with confidence that we have found the ideal person to pick up the mantle of leadership at Washington University,” said Craig D. Schnuck, chair of the university’s board of trustees, in a statement.

The chancellorship will mark a return to Wash U for Martin. From 2007 to 2011, he served as chair of the university’s Department of Political Science in Arts & Sciences and the Charles Nagel Chair of Constitutional Law and Political Science. He later served as the vice dean of the Washington University School of Law from 2012 to 2014.

Wash U said in a statement that Martin’s highest priorities include strengthening diversity and inclusion at the university.

“In assuming this role, I will be standing on the shoulders of giants,” Martin said in a statement. “At the highest level, my goals as chancellor will be to empower faculty to achieve their greatest potential in scholarship and education, to strengthen all academic programs.”

Wrighton announced that he would step down no later than July 2019. The decision was made to oversee the university’s fundraising plan. Wrighton is the second-longest-serving chancellor for the university.

“Andrew Martin is a highly accomplished scholar, an outstanding academic leader and administrator, and a distinguished alumnus of Washington University,” Wrighton said. “Andrew will be an exceptional leader for our community.”

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