Virginia Arthur, the executive vice president and provost of Metropolitan State University, has been appointed president of the St. Paul-based university.

Arthur, who has been an administrator at Metro State since 2012, will succeed Devinder Malhotra, the interim president since 2014.

Arthur was previously an associate provost at the University of Northern Iowa.

Her appointment was approved Wednesday by the board of trustees of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.

The board also named Faith Hensrud, vice chancellor of the University of Wisconsin Superior, as president of Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College.

She will succeed Richard Hanson, who is retiring after six years.