Junius J. Gonzales, senior vice president for academic affairs of the 17-campus University of North Carolina, took office as interim UNC System president Monday. 

The office of the presidency was vacated when former UNC Board of Governors Chairperson John Fennebresque asked Tom Ross to step down last January. 

Ross was a lame duck for all of last year while the board conducted a closed-door search for a replacement, eventually naming former United States secretary of education under the Bush Administration, Margaret Spellings, as his successor. Gonzales will serve in between Ross’ official last day in office, Sunday, and Spellings taking office March 1.

Prior to being elected as interim president, Gonzales was the UNC System’s top academic officer and was responsible for educational and research missions for the entire the UNC System. He advised the UNC president and BOG on academic issues and policies of university-wide importance and oversees academic planning and budgeting, student affairs, sponsored programs and research, faculty support, licensure and institutional research and analysis, according to ABC 11. 

A psychiatrist by training, Gonzales has an undergraduate degree from Brown University, a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the University of Maryland.