When Dr. Don C. Hines became President of Livingston University in 1994, he brought with him not only a great knowledge of the challenges of the region, but considerable knowledge of the people and the systems of the institution. His presidency began as something of a homecoming because from 1981 until 1987 Dr. Hines had served as Dean of the University’s College of Business and as a professor of economics.

Dr. Hines began his teaching career in 1968 as a graduate teaching assistant in Agricultural Economics at Mississippi State University, and went on to hold a similar assistantship at Kansas State University. From 1973 until 1981 he held various positions in the College of Business at Troy State University beginning as assistant professor and culminating as assistant Dean and Coordinator of Graduate Studies. From Troy State, Dr. Hines came to the College of Business at UWA, and when he left the COB Dean’s post in 1987 he left education to become Chief of Planning and Economic Development and Assistant Director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA). He worked at ADECA until he became Dean of the College of Business at Troy State in 1993 and then President of UWA in 1994.

Dr. Hines made many contributions to The University of West Alabama, but perhaps his most significant contributions were in the areas of technology, shared governance, and regional development.

When Dr. Hines assumed the role of President, there were very few computers on campus, and no Internet connection. Under his leadership, the University implemented the Student Information Access Fee, and the revenues from this fee made it possible for the University to begin the movement toward the use of computers in all aspects of campus life.

Dr. Hines advocated the concept of shared governance, and through his leadership in this area the University committee structure was changed so that processes and procedures were put in place that directly involved faculty and staff in the day-to-day decision making process.

Dr. Hines also worked to increase the number of doctorally qualified faculty on campus, strengthened the University’s commitment to effective planning and assessment, and facilitated the addition of a Phi Kappa Phi Chapter on campus. The Hines administration also established new academic programs to include psychology, forestry and agribusiness.

In the area of economic development, Dr. Hines challenged each academic unit to get involved in regional economic development by partnering with local agencies to help bring about economic development and community renewal. Through this initiative, a number of regional grassroots conferences were held on campus to determine the needs of the region and how the University could help meet those needs. As a statement of the University’s commitment and mission as a regional institution, Livingston University became The University of West Alabama in 1995.

From the students’ point of view, Dr. Hines may be best remembered as the president who brought collegiate rodeo to Livingston. Not only was he the driving force behind the establishment of the UWA Rodeo Team, but he led the drive for private contributions to build the rodeo complex. In fact, on many occasions Dr. Hines would complete a day in the President’s Office and then be seen either on a tractor or on a horse at the rodeo arena. The Don C. Hines Rodeo Complex is named in his honor.