To manage the far reaching strategic plan at the regional level, The University of the West Indies has selected Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the St Augustine Campus, Dr Bhoendradatt Tewarie to lead UWI’s strategic plan, effective August 1, 2007.

Dr Tewarie will become Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Planning and Development and Director of the Institute of Critical Thinking. In presenting Dr Tewarie for approval by University Council, Professor Harris stated that given the sweeping nature of changes anticipated across the Regional University during the next five years, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Planning and Development needed to have senior administrative experience, a track record of excellent and productive management, a “thought leader” committed to coordinating achievement of the bold vision that the University had set itself. Pro-Vice-Chancellor Tewarie has demonstrated all these attributes as Principal of St Augustine overseeing the growth and enhanced development of the Campus, which now has the largest full-time undergraduate enrollment of the three UWI Campuses. He has proven to be a valuable player in the Executive Management Team of the University and will be counted upon to provide insight, creativity, and networking skills to help drive the University’s strategic plan.

Professor Bridget Brereton will succeed PVC Tewarie as Campus Principal. A respected academic, she has also served as Deputy Principal of the St. Augustine Campus. She will serve as interim Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Principal of that Campus until a new Principal is found. The University will initiate an immediate regional and worldwide search for a new Principal for its St Augustine Campus with the expectation that this post will be filled in January 2008. Professor Brereton has indicated that she will not be a candidate. Professor G.S. Kochhar will remain as Deputy Principal.

The University Council also approved the appointment of Professor Clement O. Sankat as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Graduate Studies. Professor Sankat has been Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at St Augustine for six years and, two years ago, led a University-wide Task Force to review and to propose a plan for restructuring the University’s graduate programmes. This plan has been largely incorporated into the University’s 2007-2012 strategic plan, where graduate programmes will be one of the four central themes.

Mr William Iton, former Registrar of the St Augustine Campus and who is currently resident in Trinidad and Tobago, has been selected and approved as University Registrar to replace Mrs Gloria Barrett-Sobers who will retire at the end of the current academic year. Dr Camille Bell-Hutchinson was approved as Campus Registrar for Mona to replace Mr G.E.A. Falloon.

In addition to the above named individuals, the new academic year will see a new Principal of the Mona Campus – Professor Gordon Shirley; a new Pro-Vice-Chancellor for the Non-Campus Countries Board (to be renamed the “Open Campus”) – Professor Hazel Simmons-McDonald (currently Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Education at the Cave Hill Campus); and a new Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Board for Undergraduate Studies – Professor Alvin Wint (a member of the Department of Management Studies and the Mona Campus leader of the University Strategy Planning Task Force).