Ithaca College President La Jerne Cornish announced that she appointed Chad Tessier, the associate vice president for development at the college, as the interim vice president for advancement in a Feb. 3 email to the campus community.

The appointment of an interim vice president for advancement follows Laine Norton’s departure from the college for a job at Hofstra University on Jan. 30. Cornish said in the email that Tessier will work with his colleagues across the advancement division and the college to ensure continued progress on the college’s philanthropic goals.

“Chad brings more than two decades of experience in higher education advancement and a strong record of leadership in development organizations,” Cornish said in the announcement. “I appreciate his willingness to step into this interim role and am confident in his ability to guide the division during this important period.”

Cornish said the college will launch an expedited national search with the goal of finding a permanent vice president for advancement by July 1.