Cal Poly has hired the director of California State University, Sacramento’s academic advising and career center to serve as the new associate vice provost for university advising, university spokesperson Matt Lazier confirmed Wednesday.

Beth Merritt-Miller, the new vice provost has spent the past 25 years working at public universities — first as a residence hall director at California State University, Chico and most recently as an administrator at Sacramento. There, she leads multiple student affairs divisions, including academic advising, new student orientation, career services and testing services. She also is a member of the honors advisory committee.

While at Cal Poly, one of Merritt-Miller’s first projects will be leading the planning of the university’s new Academic Success Center.

Merritt-Miller earned her undergraduate degree in commercial economics at South Dakota State University, and finished her Ph.D. in higher education educational policy and leadership studies at the University of Iowa.

The associate vice provost for university advising position has been vacant since Carter Hammett-McGarry left for education jobs in Charlotte, N.C. this past July. Merritt-Miller will begin in June, Lazier said.

Sean McMinn contributed to this staff report.