Dr. Alisa White will serve as interim dean of The University of Texas at Tyler College of Arts and Sciences for the 2006-07 academic year, Dr. Richard Osburn, UT Tyler provost, announced.

White will take office Aug. 1 and serve until a permanent dean is hired. She currently serves as chair of UT Tyler’s communication department where she oversees journalism, speech communication and graduate degrees in interdisciplinary studies.

“Dr. White is well-respected within the college and across campus, and will provide uninterrupted leadership when she replaces Dean Donna Dickerson, who will become UT Tyler dean of graduate studies on Aug. 1,” said Osburn.

Prior to UT Tyler, White taught at UT Arlington for seven years where she was associate professor and graduate adviser. She has also taught at the State University of West Georgia, Louisiana State University in Shreveport, where she served as department chair of communication and professional studies; Han Young Theological University in Korea and the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

She has authored and co-authored refereed publications and earned tenure at three universities.

Her professional experience in media industries includes part ownership of a medium-market radio station in Tennessee and conducting market research for public relations and advertising firms in Louisiana and Georgia. In addition, she serves on the board of directors for the Foundation for Advertising Education of the Southwest, 10th District American Advertising Federation.

White earned her bachelor of arts degree in business at Lee University, and earned a master of science in library and information science and a Ph.D. in mass communication from the University of Tennessee.

One of the 15 campuses of the UT System, UT Tyler offers excellence in teaching, research, artistic performance and community service. More than 70 undergraduate and graduate degree programs are available at UT Tyler, which has an enrollment of more than 5,700 high-ability students at its campuses in Tyler, Longview and Palestine.