March 16, 2009 — The University of the Virgin Islands Board of Trustees has chosen a law professor and administrator currently working in New England as the university's next president.
David Hall, a professor and former administrator at Northeastern University School of Law in Boston, will take over as UVI president Aug. 1, replacing LaVerne Ragster, who steps down June 30 after seven years at the helm. The board announced Hall's selection at the conclusion of its quarterly meeting Saturday on St. Croix.
"He is eminently qualified for the position," board chair Alexander Moorhead said in the University's public announcement. "He has a deep interest in the university and we look forward to a long and mutually rewarding relationship."
Born and raised in and around Savannah, Ga., Hall holds both a doctorate of juridical science and LL.M. degree from Harvard Law School, a J.D. and M.A. from the University of Oklahoma, and a B.A. from Kansas State University. He currently serves as a law professor at Northeastern and before that had a career as an administrator in the law school and at the university, he said to the gathering in the Great Hall of UVI's St. Croix campus. He was appointed provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Northeastern University in 1998 and served in that capacity for four years.
Before his appointment as provost, Hall was dean of Northeastern's law school, served as associate dean of academic affairs for the law school, and was a tenured professor at the law schools of the University of Mississippi and the University of Oklahoma.
When visiting UVI's two campuses in January, Hall said the university stood out as a special opportunity to him for several reasons.
"Number one, you cherish the role students play at the university," he said. "It is good to see the university value that student experience. Students I've talked to have told me they do not feel like a number. One said, 'If I'm not in class, my professor calls me to see why not.' I think that's important." Focusing on students as individuals rather than subjects improves education, he said.
"When we ask students to divorce themselves from their culture and values and try to impose new values without recognition of the whole person, we impede the educational process," he said. "Yet when we ask students to bring all of who they are to the educational process and we use those insights to build an inspiring and educational process, we increase the chances of educational success."
Hall emphasized the role of universities as an engine for benefiting the communities in which they're set, in addition to their mission of educating their students.
"A second compelling aspect of the university is you are concerned about the rest of the surrounding area," he said. "I think that's just being good neighbors. Northeastern has that as part of its mission, and I have seen the results of that. … UVI is an example of that. You have the UVI Center for Lifelong Learning and other programs."
He also endorsed more cooperation with the public K-12 school system, "if, for no other reason, because the public school system here is where the student body is coming from. So that is a selfish imperative."
The personal relationship between professors and students is as important as financial resources, he argued.
"Growing up in all-black, segregated educational institutions in Georgia, I learned to appreciate the role of teachers in inspiring students to succeed," he said. "Despite resource limitations and social stigma, we were taught and inspired by teachers who did not allow us to place artificial limits on our dreams."
(See "Candidate for UVI President Touts School's Values.")
More than 70 applications were received during the search process, and more than 300 educational leaders throughout the mainland and Caribbean were contacted, according to UVI. (See "UVI Down to Two Finalists for President.")
The board approved a five-year contract for Hall beginning Aug. 1.
In other business, the UVI board authorized legal counsel to continue with an objection to the election that was filed Tuesday with the Public Employee Relations Board. In November 2006, UVI faculty voted on whether to have the local chapter of the American Association of University Professors act as their collective-bargaining agent. The ballots then sat in sealed envelopes for more than two years, when UVI administration filed for a writ of review in V.I. Superior Court, and the court stayed the election pending the outcome of that case. In late February, the court ruled the ballots must be counted, and 72 faculty voted to have AAUP be the collective-bargaining agent, while two voted against. (See "UVI Faculty Votes Overwhelmingly for Union.") UVI is continuing the objection to the union.
On Saturday the UVI Board of Trustees also approved a technology fee increase from $50 to $90. The increase will be phased in over two academic years, with increases of $25 and $15 in fall 2009 and fall 2010 semesters, respectively.
UVI Chief Information Officer Tina Koopmans said technological improvements precipitated the increase, including wireless network access in all of the university's residence halls, free student access to Microsoft Office applications, 24-hour access to computer labs, and the addition of videoconference and smart classroom facilities. A student Technology Fee Committee will be established to decide how best to use the $150,000 generated by the technology fee increase, Koopmans said.
The board approved the university's Fiscal Year 2010 V.I. government appropriations request for $34.5 million, as well as UVI's Fiscal Year 2010 operating budget of $49 million.
The next meeting of the UVI Board of Trustees will take place in June on the St. Thomas campus.
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