University of Maryland Associate Provost for Academic Affairs Steve Fetter will be the new interim dean of the graduate school “effective immediately,” Provost Mary Ann Rankin announced in an email Monday.

Fetter will continue to serve as provost for academic affairs, as well as acting executive director of the Center for Advanced Study of Language.

[Read more: The man Loh announced as UMD’s grad school dean won’t assume position]

Former graduate school Dean Charles Caramello stepped down in June 2016, after 10 years in the role. Graduate school Assistant Dean Jeffrey Franke was selected to serve as interim dean in July 2016, pending a search for a permanent dean. In an Aug. 28 email, university President Wallace Loh announced linguistics professor Juan Uriagereka as the appointed dean of the graduate school.

Uriagereka was one of three finalists suggested by the Graduate Dean Selection Committee, which included students, faculty and staff within the graduate community, and Rankin offered him the position.

But on Sept. 22, a statement from Rankin said that Uriagereka would not assume the position and “the search for a Dean of the Graduate School continues.” Rankin wrote that Franke would lead the school until a new dean was selected. Franke was not eligible for the position because he did not meet the university requirement of being a professor, Loh said.

[Read more: Some UMD grad students are upset with Loh’s announcement of the school’s new dean]

Fetter has been at this university since 1988 and has served in many leadership positions, according to the provost’s statement. He directed the international security and economic policy program and the environmental policy program in the public policy school. He also served as dean of the public policy school from 2005 to 2009.

Fetter has worked in several high-level federal agency positions as well, including roles within the White House and the Defense Department.

Franke will return to his previous position of assistant dean of the graduate school, university spokeswoman Katie Lawson said.

Franke has agreed to help Fetter transition into the role of interim dean, according to the provost’s statement.