WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) — A former dean at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington is returning to the school as its new chancellor, officials announced Thursday.

Aswani Volety, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Elon University, was elected unanimously by the UNC Board of Governors during its meeting in Chapel Hill. Volety replaces Jose Sartarelli, who is retiring in June after seven years as UNCW’s chancellor.

Volety is the former dean of UNCW’s College of Arts and Sciences and former executive director of UNCW’s Center for Marine Science. He spent five years at UNCW from 2014 to 2019 before serving as the chief academic officer and chief operating officer at Elon University, according to a news release.

UNCW, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, has an enrollment of more than 18,000 students.