SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. (AP) — A. Gabriel Esteban has been appointed president of Seton Hall University.

He has been Seton Hall’s interim president since Monsignor Robert Sheeran stepped down from the presidency in July.

Estaban previously served as the university’s provost. In that role, he was responsible for developing the university’s strategic plan as well as overseeing its eight colleges and schools.

To allow his appointment, the Board of Trustees made an exception to a bylaw of the Catholic university that required the president to be a priest.

The university Board of Regents announced the appointment Tuesday.

Seton Hall has 9,500 undergraduate and graduate students. Estaban is its 20th president.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)