“I also admire her for stepping into such a role in our cowboy equality state as our first female university president,” Porter wrote to the Star-Tribune, “and hope that will make the path smoother for our future leaders who happen to be women.”

Nichols came to the university in May 2016 from South Dakota State University, where she was the executive vice president for academic affairs.

She replaced Dick McGinity, who took office in January 2014, after his predecessor — Bob Sternberg — resigned after just 137 days as president. She was paid $458,000 in total compensation annually, according to previous Star-Tribune reporting, nearly $100,000 less than Sternberg.

Her successor will become the fifth head of the university in the past six years. Baldwin referred comment on the hiring process to True.

The board president told the Star-Tribune that “with how timely all of this is, the board has not had a chance to evaluate (the timeline), and so again, I can’t get out in front of the board on that.”

Nichols’ tenure