The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system (MnSCU) announced Wednesday that it has named Steven Rosenstone as its next chancellor.

Rosenstone-currently the vice president for scholarly and cultural affairs and a political science professor at the University of Minnesota-was elected in a 14-to-1 vote by MnSCU's board of trustees.

“I am excited that we have found a leader who is uniquely qualified for this position,” Scott Thiss, chair of the board of trustees, said in a statement. “Dr. Rosenstone is a proven leader who brings the vision and breadth of skills and knowledge that we need to lead this system.”

Rosenstone will succeed James McCormick, who is retiring this summer after serving 10 years as chancellor. According to a news release, Rosenstone told the school system's board that he could assume the position beginning August 1.

Rosenstone has occupied his vice president position at the University of Minnesota since 2007 after previously serving as dean of the school's College of Liberal Arts.

Before his work at the University, Rosenstone was a political science professor at Yale University and then the University of Michigan.

“I am honored to be chosen,” Rosenstone said in a statement. “I look forward to the tremendous challenges that lie ahead and this opportunity to serve the people of Minnesota by leading MnSCU.”

MnSCU announced last week that it had narrowed its chancellor search to two finalists-Rosenstone and William Sederburg, commissioner of the Utah System of Higher Education.

The MnSCU system comprises 32 state universities and community and technical colleges in Minnesota. It serves about 277,000 students each year in credit-based courses and another 157,000 in non-credit courses.