Alisa White, president of Sam Houston State University, has been elected chair of the Board of Directors at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). White assumed the chair during the association’s annual conference in Puerto Rico. Ora H. Pescovitz, president of Oakland University (MI), was named chair-elect.
Throughout her impressive career, White has been a strong advocate for underrepresented students. As a result of her deep commitment to creating equitable experiences, Sam Houston State University (SHSU) has been nationally recognized for its student success initiatives, including participation in AASCU’s Student Success Equity Intensive.
Since taking the helm at SHSU in 2020, White secured a $32 million state investment from the Texas legislature for the university’s College of Osteopathic Medicine and $23 million in pledges and gifts in FY23.
Before joining Sam Houston State University, White served as president of Austin Peay State University (TN) and vice president for academic affairs at the University of Texas at Tyler and Midwestern State University (TX).
White earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Lee College (now Lee University) in Cleveland, TN, and a master’s degree in library and information science and a doctorate in mass communication from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
President White said, “I am excited to partner with AASCU President and CEO Charles Welch, the AASCU Board of Directors, and higher education leaders of regional public universities to represent a sector of more than 500 state colleges, universities and systems on issues that shape public policy and ensure affordable, high-quality educational opportunities for all students.”
