St. Cloud State University’ new provost and vice president for academic affairs formally started his position July 1st.

St. Cloud State says Dr. Ashish K. Vaidya previously was the special adviser to the president for regional economics development at California State University. Vaidya also was the provost and vice president for academic affairs for four years before taking this the new position.

Vaidya will be supervising university with more than 200 majors and minors as well as 800 faculty members. President Earl Potter says it is not often that St. Cloud State attracts an academic leader with a track record in the same position at another school.

Vaidya says SCSU is well positioned in the region to take advantage of community-university partnership to create new programs and prepare students for life and work in the 21st century.

Vaidya replaced interim SCSU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Richard Green.