SIU chancellor hired as president of Northern Arizona University

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - The Arizona Board of Regents has approved the selection of Rita Cheng as president of Northern Arizona University.

The vote came during a special board meeting Wednesday in Phoenix.

Cheng has been the chancellor of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale since mid-2010. She'll begin as NAU's 16th president on Aug. 15.

The regents will be looking to Cheng to increase enrollment at the university that serves 26,000 students at dozens of campuses statewide and online.

Cheng will earn an annual base salary of $390,000 under her three-year contract. She'll also get yearly allowances of $10,000 for a vehicle and $50,000 for housing.

Cheng succeeds John Haeger, who served 13 years as NAU president. He plans to remain at the school as a professor in higher education leadership and governance.