The current and soon-to-be past president of the University of the Virgin Islands offered his last report as part of the regular agenda for a scheduled board meeting on Saturday. David Hall is stepping aside after leading UVI for 15 years.
In a thorough and thoughtful message, Hall offered highlights of campus life mixed with academic, athletic and professional achievements among the students and faculty. He also spoke about fulfilling his desire to show appreciation for everyone who worked alongside the office of the president since 2009.
“I wanted, and as part of my final semester as president, to say to certain individuals and groups on campus how much I appreciate them for this journey that we’ve been on together,” Hall said.
The outgoing president added to his final report the creation of a transitional document for use by incoming UVI President Safiyah George. “The cabinet worked with the president’s office to develop this document,” he said.
He began the report by renominating board Chairman Henry Smock and Vice Chair Oran Roebuck to serve new terms in their current positions. Both renominations received votes of unanimous support.
Hall took time to highlight student achievements and the number of faculty papers published in academic journals that occurred since the last president’s report delivered on March 9.
Board members were invited to visit every building on UVI’s St. Croix and St. Thomas campuses with completed reconstruction from hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. The list included the School of Agriculture’s Aquaponics and Small Ruminant Livestock Facility, the focus of a ribbon-cutting ceremony held in early June.
And Hall mentioned the completion of repairs to the president’s private residence, which also suffered damage in the 2017 storms. That project, Hall said, was done in time to host a reception for Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock when he served as guest speaker at this year’s student convocation.
Saturday’s board meeting also gave trustees a chance to hear more about the latest rehabilitation project — repairs to the Reichhold Center for the Performing Arts. “It’s a project that is underway, as you know, and we will talk about it more in the executive session,” Hall said.
There was even mention of the first appearance of UVI’s official mascot, Bucky, and memorable moments at the 2024 Charter Day events, Afternoon on the Green, the Service Awards program and receptions honoring top student achievers and those awarded spots on the university’s Dean’s List.
“We had appreciation events for employees on both campuses and then we had appreciation events for students on both campuses,” the outgoing president said.
