Vicki Román-Lagunas, who is currently Indiana University Northwest’s Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, will succeed outgoing IUN chancellor Ken Iwama in an interim capacity, starting July 1, the university announced Friday.

Iwama is leaving for a new role as Indiana University Vice President for Regional Campuses and Online Education.

“With more than 28 years of experience in faculty and administrative positions, Vicki is known — throughout the IU system — for her passion for higher education administration, her strong commitment to shared governance, her talent for collaborative leadership and her continued commitment to strategic enrollment and student success initiatives,” Iwama said in the release.

“As a trusted colleague, I have witnessed firsthand her enthusiasm, her compassion, her dedication, and her ability to lead and guide; characteristics that will prove to be extremely helpful to the campus as she leads IU Northwest forward during this time of transition.”

The university stated that it will soon start a search for a permanent Chancellor of IU Northwest and will utilize a nationally recognized search firm to ensure the most robust and qualified pool of candidates possible.

Román-Lagunas’ term at IU Northwest started in July 2017. Prior to IU Northwest, she was acting provost and professor of Spanish at Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) in Chicago, the release stated.

Román-Lagunas has a Ph.D. in Latin American Literature and Culture from Florida State University and graduate and undergraduate degrees in Spanish from University of Arizona and The College of William and Mary.