The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) has appointed Sharlene J. Harris vice president of Information Services and Institutional Assessment. In this senior leadership position, Harris is responsible for managing the university’s use of technology and information resources and for directing ongoing assessment initiatives across the institution.
She also has oversight over the development and maintenance of information resources that support student learning, faculty research and administrative planning. She also helping to design and manage the systems and programs needed to support UVI’s mission, goals, objectives and strategic initiatives.
“I have been extremely impressed with the leadership she has provided for the Information and Technology Services component, and for the university,” said UVI President Dr. David Hall. “Her leadership, dedication and insights were extremely valuable as we recovered from the devastation of hurricanes Irma and Maria. She, along with an outstanding ITS team, made a tremendous difference in our ability to maintain core technology during this major challenge.”
Harris served in the position on an interim basis following the untimely passing of Tina M. Koopmans, the UVI’s former vice president for Information Services and Institutional Assessment, in 2017. President Hall said Harris has a vast and deep knowledge of ITS from her many years of experience in that unit. She also possesses a deep appreciation for the broader challenges the university faces.
“I am confident that with her leadership UVI will transform our institutional assessment processes and become a national leader in the use of educational technology,” said Hall.
Harris has played an integral role in the university’s strategic planning and accreditation review processes, helping her colleagues embrace the critical challenge by guiding both academic and administrative units through the successful development of the strategic planning process.
“Her ability to weave together a framework that included all voices and perspective, and still move the plan to completion in a timely and thoughtful manner was outstanding,” Dr. Hall said.
“With responsibility for information services, assessment and strategic planning under the Information Services and Institutional Assessment (IS&IA) umbrella, we have an opportunity to touch every unit of the University from the introduction of new technologies, to training and assessment on the overall effectiveness of all we do,” said Harris. “IS&IA is well poised to help other units achieve their goals, while implementing processes that encourage and support innovative ways of thinking and doing things.”
From 2013 to 2017 she was the UVI’s assistant chief information officer. Prior to that, she served as the manager of enterprise data and user services with ITS, where she had responsibility for the Enterprise Resource Planning system (ERP) and related applications. She also previously served as territorial director of Libraries under the V.I. Department of Planning and Natural Resources.
Harris earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and Library Science from Ohio Dominican College and a Master of Science in Library Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The vice president for Information Services and Institutional Assessment serves as a member of the President’s Cabinet.
