Iowa college president named interim pres at N. Dakota St.

Bismarck, N.D. (AP) An Iowa college president has been named the interim president at North Dakota State University.

North Dakota's Board of Higher education picked Richard Hanson for the job today. He is now president of Waldorf College in Forest City, Iowa.

Hanson is a native of Hillsboro, an NDSU graduate and star on the Bison Football team. He was a former associate vice president for academic affairs at NDSU in the early 1990s.

Board member Claus Lembke says Hanson has a reputation of working well with faculty and the community.

A number of NDSU faculty and administrators wanted the board to pick Craig Schnell as interim president. Schnell is NDSU's provost and vice president for academic affairs.

Board member Jon Backes (BAH'-kus) says Schnell is needed where he is during the transition to a new president. Backes says if Schnell were picked for the job it would create another hole to fill among NDSU's top administrators.

University system Chancellor William Goetz says Hanson will start Dec. 1, and he'll be paid $175,000 for seven months' work.

Goetz says he's trying to negotiate an earlier start time for Hanson.

Hanson will succeed incumbent president Joseph Chapman. Chapman is resigning Jan. 2.

(SOUND: Sound files have been e-mailed to accompany this story) (Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 10-23-09 1034CDT | save this article / add to your favorites list