The University of the Virgin Islands logo at the entrance of the St. Croix Campus.
Faculty members of the University of the Virgin Islands on April 6 filed a "no confidence" vote in the UVI Presidential Search process during a regularly scheduled faculty meeting.
The faculty is requesting the inclusion of at least two full-time, tenured faculty members with a minimum of five years of service at UVI in the search committee, which currently includes no faculty representation, according to a release issued by the faculty Tuesday afternoon.
The resolution, approved by an overwhelming majority with a vote of 65-1-2 (yes-no-abstain), has been sent to the UVI Board of Trustees. It highlights the lack of faculty involvement in the search process and emphasizes that faculty inclusion is a standard industry practice.
Current UVI President, Dr. David Hall, who began his tenure on August 1, 2009, will not seek the position again. His contract is set to expire on July 31, 2024, after serving 15 years as the institution's leader. Dr. Hall's 2019 contract included an annual salary of $350,000, with potential performance-based bonuses.
The UVI Board of Trustees said in February that it intended to seek feedback and suggestions from all university community stakeholders. At the time, the board said it aimed to "leverage the most diverse perspectives to identify candidates best suited to UVI and our community needs."
UVI told the Consortium Tuesday afternoon that it was working on a statement in light of the faculty's press release.
UVI said in February that the Presidential Search Committee was comprised of "a diverse group of individuals with various experiences and perspectives." Their responsibilities include developing formal criteria for the search process, engaging the university community and stakeholders, conducting a comprehensive search with external search firm support, and identifying, interviewing, and vetting potential candidates.
The committee will ultimately present a formal recommendation to the Board of Trustees for consideration.
Correction: April 13, 2023 at 6:12 a.m.:
The UVI Faculty has issued a correction on the results of the No Confidence vote count it previously provided, stating that the correct tally is 65-1-2 (yes-no-abstain), and not 66-1-1. The story has been updated to reflect the correct information.
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