House lauds USU's Hall

Outgoing Utah State University President Kermit Hall has a chuckle as members of the Utah House commend him for his work at USU. Hall starts Feb. 1 as the president of New York's state university at Albany. USU provost Stan Albrecht has been named as Hall's successor. Hall, who was USU president for four years, worked to improve the university's quality for students and faculty. USU's freshman retention rate improved from 61 percent to 75 percent during his tenure. Enrollment in doctoral programs rose 25 percent. He's also noted for having milked a cow in each of Utah's 29 counties, a public relations stunt to highlight USU's agricultural heritage.