Cavanaugh to leave helm of State System of Higher Education

(Harrisburg) -- The man who heads the 14-university Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is leaving to take a job in Washington, D.C.

The agency says John Cavanaugh will depart at the end of February to run the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area.

The state system's executive vice chancellor, Peter Garland, will take over on an acting basis after Cavanaugh leaves.

In June, the system's board voted to extend Cavanaugh's contract to 2015. He's held the top job since 2008.

The system has about 115,000 students and its campuses include Millersville, Bloomsburg, Kutztown and Shippensburg.