The University of Nebraska Board of Regents voted Thursday to appoint an interim president, as current president Hank Bounds plans to leave this summer.

Susan Fritz, the Executive Vice President and Provost for the University will serve in the role, becoming the first female to lead the university.

According to the University of Nebraska website, Fritz is also the Dean of the Graduate College at the University of Nebraska, having served as the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs in the Provost’s Office at the University of Nebraska since August 2011.

Fritz said: “It is the privilege of a lifetime to be entrusted with this role by the Board of Regents. I know from personal experience that the University of Nebraska is a powerful force for change and growth for young people and communities alike. To have the opportunity to serve the university in this way, at a time of such great opportunity, is beyond what I would have thought possible.

“I look forward to working closely with the Board, our chancellors, vice presidents, and incredible faculty, staff and 52,000 students – along with our elected leaders, philanthropic partners, farmers and ranchers, and business leaders – to move the University of Nebraska forward.”

The search for a new president of the university will ramp up over the summer.

“The selection of our next president is a critically important decision for the University of Nebraska. We’re fortunate that we will be assisted in this process by one of the best teams in the business,” said Board of Regents Chairman Tim Clare. “Drs. McDavis, Mason and Owens bring a deep understanding of the work and missions of public universities, a commitment to a broadly inclusive process, and an excitement about the opportunity to find the right person to build on the university’s momentum. I look forward to working with them in the months ahead and introducing them more fully to the University of Nebraska community.”