CHAMPAIGN (AP) – The dean of the University of Illinois’ largest college has been appointed acting provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the Urbana-Champaign campus.

The university’s Board of Trustees will be asked Thursday to approve the appointment of Jesse G. Delia, dean of the university’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences since 1994. He was appointed by Interim Chancellor Richard Herman to the post Herman vacated when he moved to the chancellor’s office earlier this month, succeeding Nancy Cantor.

“Jesse is our senior dean, and his leadership of our largest and most diverse college over the last 10 years has demonstrated extraordinary administrative skill, leadership and commitment to the academic values of our institution,” Herman said in a statement.

Delia will be paid an annual salary of $222,000 plus an administrative stipend of $4,000 per month, according to a document prepared for Thursday’s meeting in Chicago.

Delia earned his master’s and doctorate degrees at the University of Kansas. He joined the faculty at Illinois in 1970 as an assistant professor of speech and headed the Department of Speech Communication from 1978 until becoming dean in 1994.

If approved, Delia’s appointment will be effective Aug. 16.