Peter Witte has been named the interim chair of the Commission on Accreditation for the National Association of Schools of Music.

Conservatory dean named interim chair of national accreditation commission

University of the Pacific's dean of the Conservatory of Music has been named the interim chair of the Commission on Accreditation for the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).

The appointment means Peter Witte is also on the association's executive committee and board of directors and will serve in the interim position until the association's next elections in November 2019.

"This prestigious recognition of leadership in Dean Witte's discipline mirrors that of his leadership in the Conservatory of Music and Pacific," said Maria Pallavicini, Pacific's provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. "It is satisfying to once again see someone from Pacific chosen for a leadership position on the national level."

Witte was elected associate chair of the commission and is filling a vacancy created when the commission's chair, Michael Wilder, was elected NASM vice president. Wilder is the dean of the Conservatory of Music, Arts and Communication at Wheaton College in Illinois.

"Pacific is a charter member of the National Association of Schools of Music, and our continued engagement in NASM is, I believe, a form of musical citizenship," Witte said. "Together, the association ensures that innovative and resourceful musicians are helping to shape higher education. I am grateful to serve on NASM's commission. They are wonderful colleagues."

NASM was founded in 1924 to secure a better understanding of music education standards among colleges and universities that teach music, to establish standardized method for granting credit, and set and maintain basic standards for granting degrees and credentials. NASM's Commission on Accreditation evaluates membership applications based on the association's standards.