LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) - University of Wyoming trustees on Wednesday unanimously named Tom Buchanan acting president after President Philip Dubois begins his new job as chancellor of University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Dubois' last working day will be June 10. But it's still not known when Buchanan - currently the vice president for academic affairs - will begin. The date and his pay still need to be negotiated with trustees, according to the university.

As acting president, Buchanan is expected to appoint a vice president to fill in for him.

"The trustees chose Tom for his great knowledge of the University of Wyoming, where it is now and where it is going," trustees President Judy Richards said in a release.

"He has been involved in all levels of the university and has a very short learning curve, which is important as we prepare the second round of support services planning, legislatively mandated studies, and budget preparation."

Dubois said he recommended Buchanan for acting president.

"He has been a leader in the development and execution of the university's two academic plans, and academics is and continues to be our first priority," Dubois said. "I would add that we have an outstanding group of vice presidents forming our senior leadership, and Tom works well with all of them."

Buchanan said he felt honored by the selection.

"It has been a real pleasure to watch Phil lead the university these past eight years, and it has been an honor - and an interesting job - to serve as the academic vice president," he said.

Buchanan could be acting president for a year or more - Dubois has said it could take that long to find a permanent president. Dubois has recommended hiring a professional search firm.

Buchanan holds a bachelor's degree from the State University of New York, a master's from the University of Wyoming, and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Before joining the Wyoming faculty in 1979 as an assistant professor in the Department of Geography, Buchanan taught at Pennsylvania State University and at the University of Illinois.

He was assistant professor at Wyoming from 1979-85, associate professor from 1986-91, department head from 1988-91, and was promoted to professor in 1991. He was associate dean of the UW College of Arts and Sciences from 1991-97 and became associate provost in 1997.

He was named vice president for academic affairs in October 1998.

Buchanan is an executive committee member and former president of the Northwest Academic Forum, a consortium of universities in 11 states. He has continued postdoctoral studies at the Harvard schools of law, business and graduate education.