AUBURN — Bonnie J. White, a Humana-Germany-Sherman Distinguished Professor in the Auburn University Department of Curriculum and Teaching, has been named interim dean of the AU College of Education.

White replaces Fran Kochan, who has served as interim dean since July 2001 and will return to a faculty position within the college.

AU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Thomas Hanley said a committee has been formed to search for a permanent dean in the College of Education and will meet later this month.

White came to Auburn in 1976 as an instructor in what was formerly known as the Department of Vocational and Adult Education, which she later also served as chair. Upon completion of her doctoral work at the University of Tennessee in 1979, she was made an associate professor.
White was named a Humana-Germany-Sherman Distinguished Professor in 2002.

White is a member of the U.S. chapter of the International Society for Business Education, which she served as president in 2003-04, and the National Business Education Association, which she has served as a member of the executive board and the strategic planning and membership committees.

The author or co-author of more than 60 publications related to research and best practices in education, White is the co-author of The Office: Procedures and Technology, a textbook currently in its fifth edition. White has received two awards for textbook excellence—the William Holmes McGuffey Award and the Textbook Excellence Award for Accounting, Business, Economics and Management.

In addition to her teaching, research and publications, White has served on several campus committees related to accreditation and as graduate program officer and program coordinator for career and technology education and business education in the Department of Curriculum and Teaching.