Senior Appointments confirmed by The UWI

May 7, 2012:                             

KINGSTON, Jamaica - At the annual business meeting of the Council of The University of the West Indies, held on Friday, 27 April 2012, at the Mona Campus, The UWI’s supreme governing body approved the appointment or re-appointment of several senior managers. Principal of the Cave Hill Campus, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles and Principal of the Mona Campus, Professor The Honourable Gordon Shirley were both reappointed, with acclamation, for another five-year term; Principal of the Open Campus, Professor Hazel Simmons-McDonald was also reappointed with acclamation, but for a period of two years as she is due to retire in 2014.

Also reappointed were the University Registrar, Mr C. William Iton for a further period of five years and the Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Ms Patricia Harrison, for another three-year term. Professor Yvette Jackson, Coordinator for Graduate Studies at the Mona Campus, was elevated to the position of Pro Vice-Chancellor for Graduate Studies, succeeding the incumbent, Professor Ronald Young who retires at the end of the current academic year.

Several Deans were also appointed or reappointed. Dr David Berry will assume the position of Dean of the Faculty of Law at the Cave Hill Campus, on August 1, 2012 on the retirement of the current Dean, Professor The Honourable Velma Newton, for a term of four years; Professor Joseph A. Branday was re-appointed Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences at Cave Hill for a further two years up to July 31, 2014. Dr Justin Robinson, currently Head of the Management Studies Department at Cave Hill, will succeed Dr George Belle as Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the Cave Hill Campus, for four years effective August 1, 2012.

At the Mona Campus, Dean of the Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences (renamed Science & Technology), Professor Ishenkumba Kahwa, was reappointed to serve a further four years in the position, until July 31, 2016. The Faculty of Social Sciences will get a new Dean, however, since the incumbent Professor Mark Figueroa will have served two consecutive terms. Professor Evan Duggan, currently Executive Director of the Mona School of Business, will succeed Professor Figueroa as Dean of the Faculty for two years until his retirement in 2014.

Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Education at the St Augustine Campus, Professor Funso Aiyejina, has been reappointed to the position for a further four years, effective August 1, 2012, while the Faculty of Social Sciences at that campus will get a new Dean in the person of Mr Errol Simms, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Management Studies, who will serve a three year term. Mr Simms will succeed Dr Hamid Ghany, who served in the position for two consecutive terms, when he steps down on July 31, 2012. The new Faculty of Science and Technology at the St Augustine Campus will be headed by Professor Indar Ramnarine as of the start of the new academic year, August 1, 2012. Ramnarine who is Professor of Ichthyology in the Department of Fisheries Management and Aquaculture, has been Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Science and Agriculture since 2008. Also taking up a new Dean’s post on August 1, 2012 is Dr Carlisle Pemberton who was named Acting Dean of the new Faculty of Food and Agriculture at St Augustine by the Vice Chancellor. Dr Pemberton, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Economics & Extension will fill the post for one year.