June 14, 2009 — The University of the Virgin Islands Board of Trustees had narrowed down the search for UVI’s next president to their top two choices when they encountered a slight glitch. Both candidates were currently earning salaries well beyond the amount allotted in UVI’s budget for the president’s salary.
In spite of the budget shortage, board members voted in March to approve a five- year contract with David Hall, who was chosen as the successor to LaVerne Ragster beginning Aug. 1. Hall is a law professor at Northeastern University.
To the rescue came Donald S. Sussman, St. Thomas businessman and member of the board of trustees. At Saturday's board meeting he presented the board with a check for $150,000 to augment the budget for the incoming president’s first year salary.
The board began Saturday’s meeting by electing a new chairman and vice chair. Alexander A. Moorehead replaces Auguste E. Rimple Jr. as chairman. Rimple has resigned from the board after serving for 13 years, 11 of those as chairman.
Attorney Henry C. Smock was elected as vice chairman.
Following an executive session Saturday, the board voted to drop opposition to the UVI faculty forming a union. For more than five years the UVI administration, acting with the approval of the board of trustees, has used legal tactics to prevent UVI faculty from forming a union. The board voted to authorize the suspension of any further opposition to the organization of the faculty gives faculty the green light to proceed with unionization. Fourteen board members voted in favor, with Ragster and Aletha Baumann abstaining. Board member Yvonne Thraen was absent.
The board also discussed the issue of “tenure-in-waiting,” which refers to faculty members being granted tenure subject to a position opening. UVI policy previously had a “ceiling” of 55 percent of full-time faculty awarded tenure in each division. That “ceiling” was removed in November upon approval of a new faculty policy manual.
UVI has twelve people that were granted tenure-in-waiting but with the ceiling now gone, the administration has not taken any action. According to Moorehead, the board “gave direction to the UVI administration based on legal counsel’s advice.” A vote was taken, which was unanimous, but Moorehead would not disclose the exact nature of the vote nor the direction given.
The board also vote to:
— Elect three permanent directors to the board of directors of the Foundation of the University of the Virgin Islands. The permanent directors are the chairman of the UVI Board of Trustees, the president of UVI and the vice president for institutional advancement of the university.
— Authorize the Research and Technology Park to use the university’s Ridge property as collateral for a loan or line of credit to be used for operating expenses.
— Approve the board of trustees to be named co-hosts of farewell events for Ragster to be held as scholarship fundraisers.
— Elect Attorney Henry C. Smock to the Research and Technology Park Board of Directors to replace Attorney Debra Watlington as a trustee-member on that board.
The board’s planning committee, led by Dr. Bernard Paiewonsky, presented it’s key performance indicators year-end report. The report was prepared and presented by Mary Ann LaFleur, director of UVI’s Office of Institutional Research and Planning. According to her report, the male population at UVI has grown from 23 percent to 27 percent following efforts to enroll more males. The university has increased scholarships and aid to students and efforts have been expanded to reach more alumni.
Ragster briefly thanked the board before presenting her last report as president of UVI. Both Ragster and Rimple were given plaques in honor of their service to the board of trustees.
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