The University of Iowa intends to appoint Scott R. Beckner to be assistant vice president and director of public safety at the UI.

Beckner, 52, is currently the director of public safety and chief of police at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, Georgia. He will begin his UI appointment July 18 with an annual base salary of $170,000, pending approval from the Board of Regents, State of Iowa.

Rod Lehnertz, UI senior vice president for finance and operations, says he believes those across campus will find Beckner to be a collaborative leader.

“Scott Beckner brings an energy and passion for building community on college campuses that will be a welcome addition to the UI Department of Public Safety,” says Lehnertz. “I’m excited to work side by side with him to continue to help ensure the safety of the university community moving forward.”

Beckner joins the UI after nearly 30 years in law enforcement and 25 years in higher education. Before taking on the role of director and chief of police at Georgia College and State University in 2011, he served as chief of police at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia and spent 18 years working his way up through the Michigan State University Police Department in East Lansing.

Beckner says he’s eager to get to campus so he can begin to build relationships not just with with students, faculty, and staff but with the wider Iowa City community.

“While visiting the University of Iowa and the surrounding area, I was impressed with the professionalism of the police community and the university’s overall commitment to providing a safe campus for students, faculty, and staff,” says Beckner. “I am honored to become a member of the public safety team at the University of Iowa.”

Beckner earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, master’s degree in criminal justice, and juris doctorate from Michigan State University. He also graduated from the Northwestern Police Staff and Command School, where he previously worked as an adjunct professor and underwent training for executive management. Beckner has also completed professional development courses at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

Beckner is replacing Chuck Green, who retired Jan. 10, 2015. Lucy Wiederholt, who has served as interim director of public safety during the search process, will return to her role as associate director and UI chief of police, a post she has held since 2010.