St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands:--- In a letter addressed to faculty, staff, and students, University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) President Dr. Safiya George announced important leadership updates in the Academic Affairs division effective next month.
Dr. Camille McKayle, who has served as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs for the past 12 years, has just been named deputy division director for the Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM (EES) within the Directorate for STEM Education at the National Science Foundation (NSF), beginning late October. Dr. McKayle will leave her position as provost to begin the post at the NSF.
“This high-profile appointment will allow Dr. McKayle to remain at UVI while contributing to defining the Nation’s STEM agenda and sharing valuable insights with the University,” said President George. “Please join me in congratulating Dr. McKayle on this achievement and recognizing the significant contributions she has made to UVI in her role as provost.”
Under Dr. McKayle's academic leadership as provost, she oversaw the launch of UVI's first Ph.D. program in Creative Leadership for Innovation and Change, where she also served as faculty. She provided leadership for the re-launch of UVI's agriculture academic programs while creating the School of Agriculture offering certificates and associate’s and bachelor's degree programs. She also shepherded in the creation of a two-year associate's degree in general studies, thus creating a pathway for many students to earn their first college degree, even while completing high school. As provost, Dr. McKayle provided the support needed for accreditation and reaccreditation of various programs, including Nursing, Business, Education and Social Work. Dr. McKayle also launched UVI Online, UVI's 100 percent online degree programming, and supported the creation of UVI@USM, UVI's programming based at the University of St. Martin. She ensured and strengthened the infrastructure for research, including acquiring various National Science Foundation-funded centers at UVI and initiating key hires in that area. Dr. McKayle's leadership also resulted in UVI joining the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) and provided much-needed support for athletics through the creation of more secure positions for coaches.
As a search to identify a permanent provost is conducted, Dr. Kendra Harris, who has served as the dean of the School of Business and professor of Marketing at UVI for the past five years, will serve as interim provost. Dr. Harris has over 25 years of professional and higher education experience which includes working in private industry and teaching at Howard University and Cornell University. During Dr. Harris’ time at UVI, she stewarded the creation of the Construction Management program and the Executive MBA program. Dr. Harris earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from American University and an MBA from Duke University. She holds a doctoral degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing and a sub-field of diversity management from George Washington University.
Dr. Harris has appointed Dr. Paul Flemming to serve as the interim dean for the School of Business. Dr. Flemming is a professor and chair in the Management, Marketing, and Construction Management Department in the School of Business, director of the Entrepreneur Business Institute, and director and chair of the Graduate Business Studies MBA program. Dr. Flemming earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration, an MBA in business administration with honors, a Master of Public Administration from UVI, and a Ph.D. in organizations and management with a concentration in business management from Capella University.
Additionally, two new appointees will begin their roles in October in the Enrollment Management office under Academic Affairs. Dr. Nigel Edwards will serve as interim vice provost for Enrollment Management and Student Services, and Dr. Edward Alexander will serve as interim associate vice provost for Enrollment Management and director of Admissions. Dr. Edwards is a native New Yorker by way of the twin island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. He brings almost 30 years of professional experience in the higher education arena. Dr. Edwards has a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Binghamton University, a master’s in information systems from American University, and a Doctor of Education in education policy and administration from Florida State University.
Dr. Alexander has over two decades of higher education experience in student affairs and enrollment management. He has worked at both two- and four-year institutions in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands, where he served as director of admissions and registrar at the University of Virgin Islands. A graduate of St. Croix Central High School, Dr. Alexander received a Bachelor of Science in business administration with a concentration in accounting from Barber-Scotia College. He earned an MBA with a concentration in global management at the University of Phoenix and a doctorate in higher education leadership and management at Capella University.
Dr. George stated, “Having served as University president for just over a month now, I have been so inspired by the dedication of our exemplary faculty and staff and I am committed to supporting our teams by putting in place strong and experienced leaders who are focused on delivering the highest quality programs and services to our students.” She continued, “I am grateful to Dr. Harris and Dr. Flemming for taking on their new roles with enthusiasm and wisdom and am pleased to welcome Dr. Edwards and Dr. Alexander to the UVI community. I look forward to working closely with each of them to prioritize student success and elevate the student experience.”
