STEPHENVILLE, TEXAS—The Texas A&M University System (TAMUS) Board of Regents approved Dr. Gary Peer as Tarleton State University’s new Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at its meeting held May 21-22. He will assume this role Aug. 1, replacing Dr. Brad Chilton as Interim Provost. The regents also approved Peer for academic tenure.
“Dr. Peer is an excellent choice for this position because of his productive career in higher education at Tarleton and with several other university systems across the country,” said Tarleton President Dr. F. Dominic Dottavio. “His prior service to Tarleton was marked by progressive thinking and dedication to the values of this university.”
Peer previously held the same position at Tarleton for six years before retiring in August 2007. After leaving, he served as a consultant to the president of Minnesota State University-Mankato to provide services for campus expansion. He is currently serving as Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
Peer has spent more than 40 years in education with experiences ranging from tenured professor to interim president at public and private universities, including Central Michigan University, Adams State College and the University of Tulsa.
At Tarleton, he helped initiate the expansion of the university into new territories, including increasing the number of degree programs at Tarleton’s Fort Worth facilities and at McLennan County Community College in Waco, Texas.
His leadership efforts contributed to the successful reorganization of varied departments within the university’s colleges of education, business and liberal and fine arts, as well as the establishment and enhancement of several new degree programs.
Peer has a bachelor’s in history and political science from Washburn University, master’s in counseling and guidance from Emporia State University and doctorate in counselor education from Indiana University-Bloomington.
He received the Outstanding Achievement Certificate and Governor’s Official Recognition for his efforts on behalf of the TAMUS Regent’s Initiative for Excellence in Education in 2004.
