Former MSU Provost Recommended as Austin Peay State University President

Dr. Alisa White, former provost at Midwestern State University, is expected to be named the next president of Austin Peay State University by the Tennessee Board of Regents on June 2. White led the academic affairs division at MSU from 2010-2012.

"We are so pleased for Alisa," said MSU President Jesse W. Rogers. "We have been privileged to have many extraordinary faculty and staff members work for Midwestern State University. Alisa is one such individual. I have no doubt that she will make a fine president for the students, faculty, and staff of Austin Peay."

While at Midwestern State, White helped to revise program assessment methods, helped to develop a strategic enrollment management team, developed a plan to fund the Nursing Simulation Center, and developed a proposal to fund an interdisciplinary engineering degree.

Since 2012 White has served as provost and vice president of Academic Affairs at The University of Texas at Tyler. There she secured $4 million in funding from the UT system to establish a comprehensive course redesign initiative to increase student learning, engagement, and satisfaction while allowing the campus to more efficiently plan schedules and classroom space. She also oversaw the development of the university's pharmacy college and established an International Programs office, center for Executive Education and an Office for Academic Innovation and Student Success.

In addition to overseeing those efforts and the university's colleges and graduate school, White has been responsible for research and technology transfer, institutional effectiveness, honors programs, the library, and more at UT-Tyler.

White's resumÚ reflects her impressive rise through the academic ranks in higher education. She has more than 25 years of experience in higher education and has served as graduate adviser; department chair; dean; acting associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, curriculum, and instruction; and provost at a wide range of institutions, including The University of Texas at Tyler; Midwestern State; The University of Texas at Arlington; The University of West Georgia; Louisiana State University in Shreveport; and the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

White holds a Ph.D. in mass communications from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, a Master of Science in Library and Information Science, and a Bachelor of Arts in Business from Lee College in Cleveland, Tenn.

White was selected after a national search that resulted in 79 applicants from around the country. Twelve candidates were interviewed, and four finalists were selected and visited the campus. White will join Austin Peay on June 30.