Administration, Research

and Public Service

Research and Public Service

The University of the Virgin Islands addresses two of the major elements of its Mission, Research and Public Service, through the strategic efforts of the units in the Research and Public Service Component. Collectively, the Agricultural Experiment Station (AES), the Cooperative Extension Service (CES), the Eastern Caribbean Center (ECC), the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), the Research Publications Unit (The Caribbean Writer) the Water Resources Research Institute (WRRI) and the Center for Marine and Environmental Studies (CMES) are principally responsible for defining and solving problems through research and providing quality services that address needs identified by the community.

Agricultural Experiment Station (AES)

The Agricultural Experiment Station is one of the two units that carry out the Land-Grant functions of the University. AES, which is located on St.Croix, conducts basic and applied research to meet the needs of local and regional Caribbean agricultural communities in increasing production, improving efficiency, developing new enterprises, preserving and propagating endangered plant species, and protecting the natural resource base. The station is actively involved in 25 projects in agronomy, animal science, aquaculture, biotechnology, forestry, and horticulture.

Cooperative Extension Service (CES)

The Cooperative Extension Service is the second unit that carries out Land-Grant functions. Through the federal network of the Land-Grant University System, the Cooperative Extension Service is empowered as an agency for public education and information dissemination. The function - sharing research-based information to help improve the quality of life - gives CES a primary role in UVI's outreach activities and provides a vital link between the Virgin Islands community and the university.

Furthermore, CES is an educational outreach unit whose mission is to discover, integrate, disseminate and apply knowledge about agriculture, pest management, family and consumer science, 4-H/youth development, environment and natural resources, and community and rural development as a basis for sustainable improvement in the lives of people throughout the Virgin Islands and the wider Caribbean.

Eastern Caribbean Center (ECC)

The Eastern Caribbean Center is an outreach division that oversees the domestic and international activities of the University. It also facilitates collaboration in research among local, national and regional institutions and organizations toward fulfilling the mission of the University and improving the quality of life for people within these areas. The ECC social research unit compiles and analyzes social and economic data, and also supports and extends the work of the U.S. Bureau of the Census. The survey research unit designs and carries out scientific sample household and telephone surveys. The Conservation Data Center (CDC) systematically compiles, analyzes and disseminates natural resource data to make it readily accessible to government and non-governmental organizations in making conservation and development decisions. The CDC also identifies and evaluates threats to natural areas and makes recommendations for addressing these threats.

Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

The UVI Small Business Development Center provides small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs practical assistance to grow and prosper in a contemporary economy. As an advocate for small businesses, UVI-SBDC delivers counseling services, training, and technical support to the business community of the Virgin Islands. Since its establishment in 1985, UVI-SBDC has played a vital role in the development of local businesses and the reduction of failure among existing ones. It is part of a close network of public and private business organizations committed to fostering the economic stability and growth of small businesses in the territory. Members include the U.S. Small Business Administration, the V. I. Government Development Bank and the local Chambers of Commerce.

Research Publications Unit

The primary publication of the Research Publications Unit is The Caribbean Writer. The Caribbean Writer is an international literary anthology with a Caribbean focus, published by UVI. The anthology premiered in 1987 to provide an outlet for writers in the Caribbean and to encourage new writing. The editorial board consists of UVI humanities division faculty and the advisory editorial board is a distinguished group of established Caribbean writers. The website, <rps.uvi.edu/Caribbean Writer> has become a global resource for Caribbean Literature.

Water Resources Research Institute (WRRI)

The Water Resources Research Institute conducts research throughout the U.S. Virgin Islands. Its meteorological observatory, which provides real time weather data that can be accessed through the internet and a water quality laboratory on the St. Thomas Campus serve as resources for the Virgin Islands community. Current WRRI research includes investigating ways to reduce non-point source pollution to the critical nearshore marine environment of the islands. This includes identifying methods of erosion control, development of methods for coastal water quality assessments and finding innovative ways to treat domestic wastewater as alternatives to traditional septic tank systems. Other WRRI activities include dissemination of information promoting conservation of the islands' water resources and providing environmental research training experiences for students and others.

Center for Marine and Environmental Studies (CMES)

The Center for Marine and Environmental Studies addresses environmental problems unique to tropical island communities and advances knowledge and learning in coastal marine systems through research, education and outreach programs. Based in the Marine Science Center on St. Thomas, the CMES Environmental Research Unit works to identify methods of conserving fisheries and marine and coastal areas that provide support for sustainable natural resource management in the region. The Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service (VIMAS), a part of the national Sea Grant Program, collaborates with public and private sector institutions to disseminate information on St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John. The Virgin Islands Environmental Resource Station (VIERS), currently managed by Clean Islands International, provides unique learning opportunities through environmental education and research programs and activities.

Office of Institutional Research and Planning

The Office of Institutional Research and Planning (IRP) gathers data on the University and provides information useful for making strategic decisions. IRP produces an annual Institutional Data Summary which contains the latest statistics on enrollment, student and faculty characteristics, University income and expenditures, and related topics. For some topics, historical data are provided to establish trends. Brief reports are sometimes issued on topics of general interest, or in response to special requests of other university units.

IRP keeps abreast of events and trends in the Virgin Islands, the Caribbean region and beyond to note factors which might impact the future of the University. The results are made available to persons planning for the future of the University. IRP provides annual reports to the National Center for Education Statistics and the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, and participates in surveys conducted by other external agencies. Linkage to other universities is maintained through the Internet and by membership in the Association for Institutional Research and in the Society for College and University Planning.