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APSU Board appoints Whiteside as interim president, sets zero tuition increase

Whiteside
Dannelle Whiteside

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. 鈥 The Austin Peay State University Board of Trustees announced the appointment of Dannelle Whiteside as interim president, effective Aug. 10, in a called meeting today. On June 18, Sam Houston State University named Dr. Alisa White, APSU鈥檚 current president, as the only finalist in its presidential search. If confirmed by the Texas State University System Board of Regents, White will assume her new role at Sam Houston in early August.

鈥淪everal outstanding candidates were considered for the interim presidency and Dannelle was the board鈥檚 consensus pick,鈥 Mike O鈥橫alley, chair of the APSU Board of Trustees, said. 鈥淒annelle鈥檚 background and experience makes her an excellent choice for this critical time in the University鈥檚 history.鈥

Whiteside has served APSU as Vice President for Legal Affairs, General Counsel and Secretary to the Board since 2017. Prior to coming to Austin Peay, Whiteside served as General Attorney for the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, General Counsel for the Tennessee State Board of Education and District Policy Advisor for Metro Nashville Public Schools.

Whiteside received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, with honors and received her bachelor鈥檚 degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, graduating Summa Cum Laude.

In addition to the selection of interim president, the board also announced a zero tuition increase for the 2020-21 academic year.

鈥淲e know that many of our students have been impacted financially in recent months due to COVID-19,鈥 Mitch Robinson, vice president for Finance and Administration, said. 鈥淲e are doing all that we can to keep the cost of obtaining a degree as low as possible while not sacrificing educational quality. This is the second straight year that APSU has had the lowest tuition and mandatory fee increase of public universities in Tennessee.鈥

The University plans to return to face-to-face classes in the Fall, with classes beginning Aug. 24.

For additional information, please contact Bill Persinger at persingerb@apsu.edu or 931-221-7459.

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