FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — The chancellor of Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education is leaving to become the president of the University of Mary Washington.

Judy Hample was selected as the new president by the Board of Visitors of the Fredericksburg school. She has been chancellor of Pennsylvania's 14-campus, 110,000-student public university system since August 2001.

Hample said in a statement that she was drawn to the school for several reasons, including "its impressive history, its public mission and its vision for the 21st century."

She succeeds William Frawley, who was fired by UMW's Board of Visitors nearly one year ago, after he was charged with driving under the influence twice in a two-day span. He was later convicted of the charges in Fredericksburg and in Fairfax County.

In June, Hample gave notice that she planned to resign from the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education by July 31, 2008, citing a desire to pursue other opportunities.