DETROIT (Michigan News Source) — Wayne State University decided the best candidate for president was already in the building.

In a unanimous 7-0 vote Feb. 24, the Board of Governors elevated interim President Richard Bierschbach to the permanent role, making him the university’s 14th president and the first internal promotion to the top job in more than five decades.

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Bierschbach, who has led the law school since 2017, stepped in last fall after former President Kimberly Andrews Espy resigned. Though the board conducted a national search, it ultimately chose continuity.

During his tenure as dean, Wayne Law climbed from No. 100 to No. 55 in national rankings. Bierschbach now takes the helm as Wayne State works to stabilize enrollment, which has declined 11% over the past decade, though it has ticked upward the past three years.

“We need to relentlessly pursue excellence,” Bierschbach said after the vote.