Former Illinois State University President Larry Dietz has been named interim president at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, starting July 1.
Dietz retired as ISU’s president in 2021 after seven years in the role, and 10 years with the university overall. Dietz has spent nearly 50 years in higher education.
He was named a finalist for the interim presidency at St. Cloud State in March. That college’s president, Robbyn Wacker, has said she would not stay after her contract expires in July.
“Larry’s extensive knowledge and experience in public higher education are the perfect combination for SCSU at this time, and I am confident that under his leadership, the university will move forward to serve its students and employees successfully, the Central Minnesota community, and the entire state,” state Scott Olson, chancellor of Minnesota State, said in a statement.
The board of trustees of the Minnesota College and Universitiesselected Dietz for the post.
At ISU, Dietz was credited with overseeing development of a new strategic plan, leading a $181 million fundraising campaign, the opening of the Center for Civic Engagement and receiving approval for the new College of Engineering.
He steps into the interim role at a university that has dealt with enrollment declines, budget deficits and staff and programming cuts over the last year.
