Complex sentence: Prior to becoming chancellor, Mautz served as an academic administrator at the University of Florida for eighteen years, rising to become the vice president of academic affairs before he was appointed chancellor of the State University System.
Split into simpler sentences: Prior to becoming chancellor, Mautz served as an academic administrator at the University of Florida. He went on to serve at Florida for 18 years, rising to become the Vice President of Academic Affairs before he was appointed Chancellor of the State University System.