Hall began his tenure as president of the University of the Virgin Islands on Aug. 1, 2009. He succeeds Dr. LaVerne E. Ragster, whose presidency began in 2002.

Inaugural festivities will commence on Wednesday, March 3, with an open house 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Northwest Wing Great Hall on the UVI St. Croix campus. UVI alumni, faculty, staff and students, as well as friends of the university, are invited to meet him.

Public events continue on Thursday, March 4, with a Symposium on Spirituality and Professionalism in the Administration and Conference Center from 2-5 p.m. on the St. Thomas campus. Hall will join select UVI panelists to discuss the role of spirituality in a number of professions including nursing, law, psychology, business, and the teaching of mathematics and science. Presenters will provide their perspectives on how a spiritual approach can influence individuals to make significant gains in their professions. Panelists will also look at ethics and accountability in the workplace. A question and answer period will follow, and at the conclusion, panelists will discuss the next steps in the development of a Center for the Study of Spirituality and Professionalism at UVI.

On Saturday, March 6, the public is invited to join members of the UVI Board of Trustees, invited guests, and delegates from academic institutions within the region and abroad for the installation of Dr. David Hall at the Reichhold Center for the Arts. The installation ceremony will be broadcast live at 6:30 p.m. over WTJX Public Television. In order to attend the event, members of the public will need to obtain tickets, which are free. They can be obtained at the Reichhold Center box office, at V.I. Bridal and Tuxedo in the Tutu Park Mall on St. Thomas, or in the UVI Bookstore on the St. Croix campus. Seating will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.

On Sunday, March 7, the university has planned “An Inaugural Feast,” which is the theme of the 21st annual Afternoon on the Green fundraising event. Cooks are still being sought to contribute dishes to the event, which each year generates support for academic programs at UVI. The day is filled with food, entertainment and family fun. To contribute a dish, please call 693-1040.

A Charter Day Open House will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, March 16, in the Administration and Conference Center on the St. Thomas campus. The Charter Day ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. at the same location and will be simultaneously transmitted to the Great Hall of the St. Croix campus via videoconference.

At 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 18, Steve Perry, Ph.D., the principal of Capital Preparatory Magnet School in Hartford, Connecticut, will speak as part of the Alfred O. Heath Lecture Series. Perry appeared on CNN’s “Black in America” series and has become a national figure in the education debate as it pertains to African-American and Latino families. The lecture will take place in the Reichhold Center. Admission is free.

At 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 28, in the cafetorium on the St. Croix campus will play host to the annual Cultural Extravaganza, showcasing a variety of the territory’s cultural entertainers all under one roof. Admission is free.

For further information on the inauguration of David Hall or any of the events, call the UVI Inauguration hotline at 693-1240 or click on the home page of the UVI Web site at www.uvi.edu