May 2, 2006
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Undergraduate life at the University of Alabama at Birmingham has undergone tremendous change over the past three decades. One person who has not only seen, but overseen, this transformation is Vice President for Student Affairs Virginia “Jenny” Gauld. This, too, will change when Gauld retires on Sept. 1.
“I have had the opportunity to see what had been a wonderful university evolve into a spectacular university,” said Gauld, who joined UAB in 1977. “I hopefully have been able to make a difference in the lives of our students through the years and helped to create a foundation that will carry forward for a very long time.”
Gauld was instrumental in transitioning the campus from a “commuter school” to one that provides full service to traditional and non-traditional students. Dramatic changes occurred under Gauld’s watch: Enrollment grew from 13,122 to 17,584—a 34 percent increase--and the average age of UAB freshmen dropped from well over 20 years of age to just 18 this year. Some 57 percent of students attended UAB full time in 1977; today, approximately 70 percent are full time.
These trends spurred changes in campus life at UAB. More student organizations and activities developed, and a master campus plan envisioned a campus green and additional residence halls. Those dreams are being realized. Last year, a new campus recreation center opened and 15th Street was closed between 9th and 11th avenues, heralding the beginning of the campus green. Student housing now can accommodate more than 2,000 students on campus, and residence hall construction is continuing. The new Dining Commons opens this summer, providing students, faculty and staff an array of food options in close proximity to classes, residences and offices.
“As this university has changed, there are some values that we have never wavered from,” Gauld said. “One of those that is most prominent in my thoughts is the value we place on a diverse student body. I think this emanates from our beginnings as a university that focused on students going back to school to get degrees and better their lives. But we have been able to move beyond that to appreciate how much stronger a university we are by having so many different perspectives that are represented by our students, faculty and staff.”
UAB’s students are 26.3 percent African-American, approximately 60 percent female, and hail from every state and 89 countries.
“Jenny Gauld is one of the most recognizable people on this campus and she has been so important to leading UAB’s transformation over the years,” said UAB President Carol Z. Garrison. “She has been instrumental in anticipating what our students will need and dedicated to seeing that we provide it.”
A native of Gadsden, Ala., Gauld earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Emory University. She then completed her master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling and doctorate in higher education at the University of Alabama. She held various positions since joining UAB in 1977, including associate vice president and director of enrollment management, before being named to her current position in 1990.
She has served on several professional and civic organizations, including the National Conference for Community and Justice, the Cahaba Girl Scout Council, the Women's Fund and the YWCA of Central Alabama Board of Directors. She has been honored by many groups, including the YWCA and Girls Incorporated. She was named one of Birmingham’s Most Influential Women by the Birmingham News and one of the Top Ten Birmingham Women by the Birmingham Business Journal.
“Jenny is a person of tremendous vision, but unlike some visionaries, she also can implement the plan,” said longtime dean of the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences Tennant McWilliams. “She always has been attuned to the needs of the entire university, not just the area for which she was responsible. This has been instrumental in her ability to maintain that broad vision and to implement dramatic plans.
“One of the most enduring qualities about Jenny is her ability to make difficult decisions, but always to be a warm, caring human being who recognizes the human impact those decisions will have. This has helped her develop great trust throughout the university, and is something I always will take away from working with her.”
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