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J.D. Mosley-Matchett, who has served as the interim provost and vice president of academic affairs at the University College of the Cayman Islands since May 2020, has been named to the permanent post.

Mosley-Matchett, a professor with a broad background -- including a doctorate in business administration, a law degree and experience as a private business owner – has been with UCCI since 2009 and previously served as an interim dean of academic affairs and director of graduate studies.

UCCI President and CEO Stacy McAfee said among the approximately 40 candidates the university considered for the job, Mosley-Matchett was the best fit.

“J.D. brings a unique set of competencies,” said McAfee. “She’s a strong administrator who embraces the data that informs decision making. She’s comfortable making complex decisions.”

As vice president and provost, Mosley-Matchett will oversee the internal operations of UCCI, while McAfee focuses on more external matters, such as partnering with industry and other educational institutions. McAfee said Mosley-Matchett knows the internal operations of the university and is well liked among faculty and staff.

“She’s also a scholar,” McAfee said, noting that Mosely-Matchett was chosen as the top presenter at last year’s conference for the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education.

Mosley-Matchett is a member of the IACBE’s board of commissioners and was instrumental in shepherding UCCI through its two current accreditations. That experience, McAfee said, will be important as the university has just embarked on another, higher-profile accreditation bid, this one with the U.S.-based Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. 

“I think my experience with accreditation has been key,” said Mosley-Matchett about being named as provost.

But the time she has already spent working closely with McAfee was also important.

“This validates my interpretation of the president’s vision,” she said. “Working with the president is amazing. She is a bundle of energy. I thought I was a hard worker, but she never stops.

“She is very much a visionary,” she added. “I’ve seen her make changes that I never could have anticipated could be made in any previous administration. Being part of that is exciting.”

In addition to leading the accreditation effort, Mosley-Matchett said she hopes to more closely analyze the practices of UCCI to learn which past initiatives have been successful and which have not.

“I tend to be a number cruncher,” she said. “I’m really in my element when I’m allowed to do these kinds of things. In the past, there hasn’t been a whole lot of analytical thinking about our practices. Unless we step back and assess what’s happening as we go along, we risk tripping ourselves up in the future.”

Mosley-Matchett said she struggled with the decision of whether to apply for the vice president/provost position. In the end, she said, she felt an obligation to take on the role.

“I have gained so much by being part of the Cayman community and UCCI,” she said, “I needed to give back.”