Peter White Fine Violins Reproductions of 16th to 17th century fine Italian violins

Albuquerque Journal - May 1,2009
UNM Professor Named Higher Education Chief

By Martin Salazar
Journal Staff Writer

Gov. Bill Richardson has appointed a University of New Mexico faculy member to be the state’s next higher education secretary.

Peter White will begin his new job May 11. He replaces Reed Dasenbrock, who resigned to become vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Hawaii, Manoa.

A professor of English and American studies, White has worked at UNM since 1977. He has also been UNM’s vice provost for undergraduate education and dean of University College.

He is credited with helping to increase freshman enrollment and setting a freshman retention record. He also established and expanded programs that fostered recruitment and retention, and created the first major in Native American studies at UNM. White is director of the New Mexico Musical Heritage Project and teaches violin-making.

He said in a new release that he and the governor agree a plan is needed to “streamline and modernize the general education requirements in our colleges and universities to improve the undergraduate educational experience and to help student progress more quickly toward a major, a degree and a career.”

The Governor’s Office had said a nationwide search would be done to fill the $180,000-a-year post, but decided instead that White was “a perfect match.”