The search for a permanent provost and executive vice president ended Tuesday after President Elson S. Floyd announced Daniel J. Bernardo as the appointee.

Bernardo served as the interim provost and executive vice president since June 1, 2013, and he said although he didn’t feel constrained in his temporary role there are still advantages to permanence.

“The removal of the interim and moving into a permanent role really allows me to adopt a more long-term planning horizon,” Bernardo said.

The search for a new permanent provost began in November 2013 with the naming of a search committee made up of faculty members. Floyd and the search committee made their decision after Bernardo and the only other finalist for the position, A. Dale Whittaker, the vice provost for Undergraduate Academic Affairs at Purdue University, held public forums last week.

Bernardo said his immediate priorities include encouraging student success and increasing the profile of WSU research.

“Our student body is larger and more diverse than it’s ever been, and that creates some challenges we are trying to address,” Bernardo said.

Bernardo’s appointment to the position is effective immediately.  

President Floyd also named James Gardner as the new vice president for development and CEO of the WSU Foundation, which has been without a CEO for three years.

Gardner worked at WSU in varying capacities since 2007.