Notre Dame administrators congratulated vice president and associate provost Carol Mooney on her new appointment, but have not yet begun an active search for her replacement.
"[University Provost Nathan] Hatch has this under consideration right now, ... but no search committee has been named as of today," University spokesman Matt Storin said Tuesday.
Mooney has held her office since 1996. She is the second high-level administrator to leave within the past year; executive vice president Father Timothy Scully resigned last spring, and his office has not yet been filled.
In a statement, University President Father Edward Malloy said the members of the Notre Dame community are "personally and professionally pleased for Carol."
"Through her work in the Provost's Office and the Law School, ... her contributions ... have left an indelible mark on the University," Malloy said.
Before becoming vice president, Mooney was significantly involved in the Notre Dame law school, but Hatch said the law school will not be greatly affected by her departure.
"...Since she's been in the provost office for seven years, she has had less involvement," Hatch said of Mooney's relationship with the law school.
He said that Mooney, as a "wonderful feminist and devout Catholic," is "superbly positioned to lead a Catholic women's college."
Hatch said the search for a new associate provost would most likely not be limited to female candidates.
In his statement, Malloy said, "We'll miss her wise counsel, but look forward to working in collaboration with her in the years ahead."
Mooney will become president on June 1 and Hatch said the University hopes to have found a replacement near that date.
"We'll start acting quickly, because we'll want to replace her by this summer," Hatch said.