March 12, 2002 – Students and faculty on both campuses of the University of the Virgin Islands have written the UVI board of trustees and its chair, respectively, objecting to the selection process that resulted in LaVerne Ragster being named on Saturday to become the institution's new president in September.
The student governments of the St. Thomas and St. Croix campuses have accused one board member of seeking to influence the votes of others in that selection process.
Auguste E. Rimpel Jr., chair of the board of trustees, said Tuesday evening that he would need a couple of days to prepare a coordinated response to the faculty and student groups.
Ragster told TV2 on Tuesday, "We're in a democracy, and people fortunately have the right to express their opinions about things that go on, and that's good." She added, "I think the board has to address any concerns about the process."
In a letter to the UVI board dated March 10, leaders of the Unified Student Government Association stated, "We feel the selection process was tainted for two reasons. The first reason, we are mindful that one of the board members was calling other board members collecting support for Dr. LaVerne Ragster. The second reason, Dr. Orville Kean did not attend any of the candidates' interview sessions, but was afforded an opportunity to vote."
Kean, who has been president of UVI since 1990, is retiring in September.
The letter was signed by Martha M. Joseph, SGA St. Thomas campus president; Marthious Clavier, SGA St. Croix campus president; Milton Connor, student representative to the board of trustees; and Nyasha Mutunhu, Miss UVI.
The students have threatened to put their protest into action.
"In light of the discrepancies highlighted," their letter stated, "we are requesting that the board of trustees reconsider its decision. We expect a written reply to the USGA by Tuesday at 5 p.m. If we do not receive a favorable response by the stipulated time, the USGA members have decided to boycott all of the UVI 40th anniversary celebrations and cancel any we have planned." Further, the letter stated, "we will publicly show our disappointment with the board members' decision."
On Monday, faculty members on both campuses held a closed, teleconferenced meeting where they voted to adopt the following resolution: "The faculty of UVI has no confidence in the board of trustees' presidential selection process and therefore no confidence in the outcome of that process."
The Faculty Executive Committee then sent a letter to Rimpel stating the resolution and giving the results of the vote on St. Thomas. The letter, dated March 11, was to be hand delivered Tuesday morning, according to executive committee chair Patricia Harkins-Pierre, who conducted Monday's faculty meeting.
According to Harkins-Pierre, "of 48 faculty members present, 47 voted by secret ballot. Thirty-two voted yes in support of the resolution, seven voted no and eight abstained."
The letter stated, "We do not consider these results to be a rejection of any particular candidate, but rather the reflection of a serious concern about the UVI board's process of selecting the next president of UVI. We would appreciate a prompt response in writing to the information we are forwarding."
The students' letter also stated that they were "disappointed that the majority of the board members decided to ignore all the letters from the constituents endorsing Dr. Robert R. Jennings," one of the other two finalists with Ragster in the selection process.
"After the presentation of Dr. Jennings, the campus' low morale level was on the rise with the thought of him being our next president," they wrote. "However, due to the board's recent decision, morale is at an all-time low. We feel that the students, faculty and staff of UVI have been ignored."
Rimpel, who returned a call Tuesday evening from Boston, where he resides, said he would need "a reasonable amount of time to pull together the information with all the documentation and legal necessities" to address the concerns raised by the students and faculty.
Rimpel also said he would have to consult with the board's attorney, Samuel H. Hall Jr., who he said was present through "the entire procedure." He said he anticipated having a "proper response" by Thursday.
In her comments on TV2, Ragster said, "What I think is appropriate is that the process brought out issues and opportunities that I would have to face as president, and that was good for me." She said the controversy has given her an "idea of some of the things that have
to be addressed.
For background on the finalist candidates, see the previous story "UVI faculty addresses presidential selection".
In addition to Rimpel, the members of the board of trustees are Alexander Moorhead, vice chair; Paul Arnold, Roy D. Jackson, Ellen Murraine, Bernard Paiewonsky, Henry C. Smock and Eleanor Thraen; Ruby Simmonds, ex-officio as Education commissioner; Jorge Galiber, ex-officio as Board of Education chair; Orville Kean, ex-officio as UVI president; Gene Emanuel, faculty representative; and Milton Connor, student representative.
Efforts to reach other board members and Ragster by telephone for comment were unsuccessful.