Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Vice Chairman of the Board of Higher Education (BHE) Uta Dr. Laloulu Tagoilelagi has resigned as of December 4, 2025. His resignation follows Governor Pulaali’i Nikolau Pula’s announcement of recess appointments to the BHE in late November of this year, days after the BHE made the decision not to renew the American Samoa Community College’s President’s contract.

Uta Dr. Laloulu’s resignation seems to have come after the newly constituted board made a decision to extend ASCC president Dr. Rosevonne M. Pato’s contract for six months, nullifying the previous board’s decision to not renew her contract.

Samoa News understands that an official memo has not yet been released announcing the extension.

In his resignation letter to the governor, Uta Dr. Laloulu thanked him for the opportunity to serve as a member of the prestigious BHE, noting that “since my tenure, we have worked diligently to make necessary changes and transformations to the institute of higher learning,” the ASCC.

He states that “the college is in much better condition today, with greatly improved morale and more productive work culture.”

Uta praises the members of the BHE he has served with, writing that he is “filled with gratitude and appreciation” for their “faithful, professionalism, dedication and hard work.”

He continued, “It was my honor working beside them in achieving numerous goals in bettering the quality of education, professional development and integrity of ASCC.”

Uta offers the letter as his intent to resign his tenure as a member of BHE on Dec. 4, 2025, citing “other professional and family obligations”.

He concludes, “I am stepping down with no regrets.”

His letter is cc’d to Lt. Gov. Pulu Ae Ae Jr., Members of the BHE and ASCC Administrators, Faculty & Staff.

Uta served on the BHE as Vice Chairperson. He was one of its eight members, who were confirmed by the House and Senate in 2021.

The board members confirmed as of 2021 were:

Reverend Elder Fouvale Asiata — Board Chairperson

Uta Dr. Laloulu Tagoilelagi — Vice Chairperson

Pualani Fui — Board Secretary

Dr. Samasoni Asaeli — DOE Director/Board of Higher Education Ex Officio

Dr. Gertrude Iuli Sala — Board Member

Rev. Iasepi Ulu — Board member

Rev. Elder Dr. Si'ulagi Solomona Jr. — Board member

Ms. Donna Talaeai — Board member/Student Representative

The appointed members serve staggered four-year terms to ensure continuity.

At the time of Uta’s resignation, four board members had been replaced by the governor in his Nov. 26, 2025 announcement of recess appointments to fill vacancies created by the expiration of their terms — Uta Dr. Laloulu was not one them.

The four members replaced were:

Rev. Elder Fouvale Asiata — term expired Aug. 1, 2025

Dr. Rev. Elder Siulagi Solomon — term expired Aug. 27, 2025

Rev. Iasepi Ulu — term expired Aug. 1, 2024

Dr. Getrude Iuli — term expired Aug. 1, 2024

Another member that has also been replaced is the DOE Director/Board of Higher Education Ex Officio, with the new DOE Director, Maefau Dr. Mary Taufete’e taking his place.

All appointments by the governor “are subject to nomination and confirmation by the Legislature at it[s] next regular session…”

For continuity, the holdover clause is in the law that established the BHE. It basically allows members with expired terms to continue to serve until their successors are appointed and confirmed.