Carol Harter
First woman appointed President of UNLV, founder of Black Mountain Institute
Date of Birth: June 1, 1941
Place of Birth: Geneseo, New York
Arrival in Las Vegas: 1995
Work/Contribution: Education
Carol C. Harter was born in Geneseo, New York. She earned a bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. in English and American literature from the University of New York at Binghamton. She began a career in academia at Ohio University as a faculty member, and published well-regarded books and articles in the field of literature studies. During her time at Ohio University, she began to move into higher education administration, first as dean and then vice president of the university. From there, she became president of the State University of New York at Geneseo. In 1995, she moved to Las Vegas to begin her tenure as UNLV’s president. She was UNLV’s first woman president and remains its longest-serving president.
During her 11 year tenure, Harter oversaw unprecedented growth at the university, spearheading the construction of 17 new buildings, including Lied Library. She guided the creation of over 100 new degree programs, most notably the School of Dental Medicine and the William S. Boyd School of Law. As the university’s first female president, Harter’s administration increased the number of women in administrative and faculty positions. She took an active role in promoting gender equality on campus and in the community, supporting the creation of the Women’s Research Institute of Nevada and other programs. Harter consistently advocated for the university to become more student-oriented and searched for ways for UNLV to improve its service to the community. In 2006 she stepped down as president to become the executive director of the Black Mountain Institute at UNLV, an international literary center that strives to create cultural dialogue and understanding on current issues.
Sources: Eugene Moehring, UNLV: A History, (Reno: University of Nevada Press, 2007); UNLV Website, “Past Presidents and Campus Leaders”, http://president.unlv.edu/history/presidents/harter, 2011; Black Mountain Institute Website, “Black Mountain Institute: Staff,” http://www.blackmountaininstitute.org/aboutUs/staff.php, 2011.
During her 11 year tenure, Harter oversaw unprecedented growth at the university, spearheading the construction of 17 new buildings, including Lied Library. She guided the creation of over 100 new degree programs, most notably the School of Dental Medicine and the William S. Boyd School of Law. As the university’s first female president, Harter’s administration increased the number of women in administrative and faculty positions. She took an active role in promoting gender equality on campus and in the community, supporting the creation of the Women’s Research Institute of Nevada and other programs. Harter consistently advocated for the university to become more student-oriented and searched for ways for UNLV to improve its service to the community. In 2006 she stepped down as president to become the executive director of the Black Mountain Institute at UNLV, an international literary center that strives to create cultural dialogue and understanding on current issues.
Sources: Eugene Moehring, UNLV: A History, (Reno: University of Nevada Press, 2007); UNLV Website, “Past Presidents and Campus Leaders”, http://president.unlv.edu/history/presidents/harter, 2011; Black Mountain Institute Website, “Black Mountain Institute: Staff,” http://www.blackmountaininstitute.org/aboutUs/staff.php, 2011.