New & Updated Items posted Nov. 29, 2007

UVI Receives Reaffirmation
of Accreditation from Middle States

In keeping with the established practice of reporting significant University accomplishments to internal stakeholders, the Office of the President has released a statement pertaining to the University of the Virgin Islands' application to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education for reaffirmation of accreditation. At its session on Nov. 15, 2007, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education acted to reaffirm accreditation to the University of the Virgin Islands until the year 2017, with follow-up. The next self study evaluation will be conducted in 2016. The complete text of the internal news release is available from the UVI Announcements page of the UVI web site http://www.uvi.edu. It is also available from this direct link. (Note: This link is only available to individuals accessing the Internet via the UVI computer network.)

Venue Change Announced
for UVI Christmas Concert

The venue for the 2007 edition of the annual UVI Christmas Concert has been changed to the Dining Pavilion on the University's St. Thomas campus. The concert is scheduled for 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 1. It will feature the UVI Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Martin J. Lamkin, and the UVI Steel Pan Ensemble, under the direction of Shenelle Warner. The concert was originally set at UVI's Reichhold Center for the Arts.

The concert will now be free and open to the public. Individuals who have purchased tickets should feel free to return them to the ticket outlet or to the individual from whom they were purchased for a refund. The UVI Christmas Concert is a production of the Music Program of UVI's Humanities and Social Sciences Division. For more information call 693-1340.

BANNER Training Offered for Electronic
Check and Purchase Requisitions

The UVI Accounting Office has announced that training on the BANNER system's electronic processing of check and purchase requisition system will be offered from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 29, in Business 110 on the St. Thomas campus and Evans Center 401 on the St. Croix campus. Since Nov. 15, all BANNER end users have been required to electronically process check and purchase requisitions. Requisitions entered into the system must be approved by department/division heads and principal investigators through the BANNER approval queue. For more information, call 693-1430.

Leonor Dottin Appointed
State Director for SBDC

Leonor D. Dottin has been appointed State Director for the Small Business Development Center at the University of the Virgin Islands. She has served as Associate State Director of the SBDC since 2006. As the new State Director, Ms. Dottin will manage the federally subsidized University of the Virgin Islands program, promoting the development of small business in the Virgin Islands. In her new role as State Director, her goal is to make the SBDC network more accessible to businesses in the community by providing additional SBDC counselors and increasing fundraising efforts to allow for the opening of additional satellite service centers throughout the Territory. A complete news release is available from the UVI home page - http://www.uvi.edu - or from this direct link.

Free Showing of 'Day After Tomorrow'
Set on St. Croix Campus for Nov. 30

The UVI Environmental and Marine Science Club will host a showing of the film “The Day After Tomorrow” on the St. Croix campus in Evans Center room 401 (Theatre) at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 30. The event is free and open to the public. Baked goods and snacks will be sold before the showing. Contact Emily Tyner at 692-4144 for details.

St. Croix Bookstore Announces
Book Buy-back Period for Dec. 3-10

The UVI Bookstore on the St. Croix campus has scheduled a book buy-back period for Monday, Dec. 3 through Monday, Dec. 10. The Bookstore is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. For details, call 692-4162.

Evans Center Elevator Out of Service

Repairs to the elevator in the Melvin Evans Center on UVI's St. Croix campus are continuing. While the elevator remains out of service, employees in Evans Center offices are reminded to assist patrons, when needed, at the ground level. Individuals who need assistance, should contact offices in question directly or call the Counseling and Placement Office at 693-4180 for assistance.

Other Current Items ...

Applications Being Accepted
for National Student Exchange Program

UVI's Counseling and Placement Centers on the St. Thomas and St. Croix campuses are accepting applications for the National Student Exchange Program (NSE) through Dec. 7. The program includes more than 200 schools in the mainland United States, along with Hawaii, Guam, Alaska, Canada and Puerto Rico. It offers an opportunity to explore a different culture, enroll in courses not presently offered at UVI, explore graduate schools, and make new friends. Applications are available at the UVI Counseling and Placement Centers. For details on St. Thomas, contact Counseling Supervisor/NSE Coordinator Andrea Hamm at 693-1136 or ahamm@uvi.edu. For details on St. Croix, contact Counseling Supervisor/NSE Coordinator Doris Farrington-Hepburn 692-4187 or dfarrin@uvi.edu.

Free Workshop on Sustainable Land
Development Set for Nov. 30

The VI-EPSCoR program at the University of the Virgin Islands will host a free workshop on sustainable land development featuring Dr. Gaboury Benoit of Yale University's Environment School on Friday, Nov. 30, on St. Thomas. EPSCoR is the federally funded Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research in the Virgin Islands. The workshop is designed for natural resource managers, scientists, developers, local and federal policy makers and anyone with an interest in sustainable land development. The workshop is scheduled for 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and will begin in UVI's Small Business Development Center training facility at Nisky Center. While the workshop is free and open to all interested parties, space is limited. Interested individuals should register by email - to svitazk@uvi.edu - by Nov. 27. A news release is available from the UVI home page - http://www.uvi.edu - or from this direct link.

Nominations Open for Who's Who Among
American Colleges & Universities

Nominees for inclusion in the Who's Who Among Students at American Colleges and Universities publication are being accepted by UVI's Counseling and Placement Centers. This prestigious designation is bestowed upon senior students who have achieved a GPA of 3.2 or higher and have demonstrated campus involvement and/or leadership skills. In addition to receiving local and national recognition, Who's Who nominees are automatically eligible for the Who's Who Among Students scholarships. Nomination applications are available at UVI Counseling and Placement Center. Nomination applications and supporting documents must be received Nov. 30 on UVI's St. Croix campus. (The deadline for nominations on the St. Thomas campus was Nov. 26.) Interested individuals should contact St. Thomas campus Counseling Supervisor/Who's Who Coordinator Andrea Hamm at 693-1136 or ahamm@uvi.edu. Interested individuals on St. Croix should contact Campus Counseling and Placement Supervisor/Who's Who Coordinator Doris Farrington-Hepburn at 692-4187 or dfarrin@uvi.edu.

Second Annual Woodworkers
Expo Set for Dec. 7-9 on St. Croix

Other Current Items ... Cont.

Flexible Spending Account Enrollment
Period Continues Through Dec. 8, 2007

UVI Director of Employee Benefits & Immigration Services Valena Veda Richards has announced that enrollment is now open in the University's flexible spending account program for unreimbursed medical expenses for 2008. The deadline to enroll in the program is Dec. 7, 2007. Details have been sent by email to UVI employees.

UVI-CES to Hold Free Holiday Baking
Workshops on St. Thomas and St. Croix

The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program of UVI's Cooperative Extension Services will hold free workshops on making sweet breads and fruit cakes on St. Thomas and St. Croix. Morning and afternoon sessions of each workshop are offered. The schedule is as follows:

• St. Thomas: Sweet Bread Workshop - Dec. 12 &13, from 10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the UVI Cooperative Extension Service Office in the New House Building on the St. Thomas Campus.
• St. Croix: Sweet Bread Workshop - Dec. 5, from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
• St. Croix: Fruit Cake Workshop - Dec. 6, from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Space for all workshops is limited. To register on St. Thomas, contact Blanche Mills at 693-1072 or 693-1080. To register on St. Croix, contact Jo-An Josiah at 692-4083 or 692-4094.

UVI End-of-Year Recess Schedule Set

UVI President Dr. LaVerne E. Ragster has approved the University's 2007-2008 Administrative end-of-year holiday recess. UVI offices will be closed for the holiday recess from Friday, Dec. 21, 2007, through Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2008. Offices will re-open on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2008.

In observance of the St. Croix Christmas Festival and Three Kings Day holidays, UVI offices will also be closed on Friday, Jan. 4, 2008, and Monday, Jan. 7, 2008, respectively.

Online Registration Under Way
for Spring 2008 Semester

The University of the Virgin Islands has posted class schedules and detailed registration information for its 2008 Spring Semester classes on the UVI web site. The Spring Semester on the St. Thomas and St. Croix campuses begins on Monday, Jan. 14, 2008 and ends on Sunday, May 4, 2008. Returning students can register on-line through Tuesday, Dec. 18. Students should consult with their advisors for course approval and to obtain PIN assignments that are needed for online registration. Registration of new students is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2008. Details are available from the BUCSS link on the UVI home page - http://www.uvi.edu - or from this direct link.

Student Worker Request Forms
Being Accepted for Spring 2008

The St. Thomas campus Office of Student Employment is accepting Request for Student Worker forms for the Spring 2008 semester. Supervisors that have students with existing Student Record of Appointments (SROA) that continue through the Spring 2008 semester, should not complete a request form, however, you must complete the student evaluation form as requested. For assistance, contact Mary Myers at mmyers@uvi.edu or 693-1088 or Verna Rivers at vrivers@uvi.edu or 693-1087.

Fiscal Year 07-08 Operating Budget
Is Now Available on the UVI Intranet

A presentation detailing Revision I of the University's Fiscal Year 2007-2008 Operating Budget has been posted to the archives section of the UVI Announcements page - http://announce.uvi.edu. It is also available to individuals on the UVI computer network at this link. The $46,717,224 budget was approved by the UVI Board of Trustees at their Nov. 3, 2007, meeting on St. Thomas. The presentation details the budgeting process, major budget events and assumptions, Vision 2012 objectives, accomplishments of fiscal year 2007 and goals for fiscal year 2008. For more information, contact Shirley Lake-King at 693-1403.

November Issue of Dateline: UVI
Covers Ag Fair, New Trustees

The November issue of the monthly newsletter Dateline: UVI is available on the UVI website. This month's issue features a look at the 25th St. Thomas/St. John Ag Fair, the election of new faculty and student trustees, UVI students sweeping the VI Idol competition and a preview of the 2007 Paradise Jam. To read Dateline: UVI visit the UVI website at www.uvi.edu or this direct link.

Commuters Connected Newsletter
Now Available Online

The November issue of the Commuters Connected newsletter is now available from the STUDENTS link on the UVI home page - http://www.uvi.edu - or from this direct link. The newsletter, which is also distributed in hard copy form, is for St. Thomas campus students who commute to class.

UVI United Way Campaign Goal
Set at $20,000 for 2007-2008

The 2007-2008 United Way Campaign is now underway, according to an email to University faculty and staff from UVI's Acting Director of Human Resources Yvonne Lawrence. The University community contributed $11,131 to the 2006-2007 Campaign. The goal for 2007-2008 is $20,000. It will require generous support of the UVI family to make this goal a reality. Tax-deductible contributions can be made as a one-time amount or through payroll deductions. UVI United Way 2008 coordinators are Yvonne Lawrence (Ext. 1424) Nereida Washington (Ext. 4161), Desha Brathwaite (Ext.1462) and LilyMae Durante (Ext. 1144). Each is available to assist with concerns you may have. United Way forms were included in recent UVI pay envelopes. They may be returned with cash and or check to the Human Resources Department for further processing.

Theme Suggestions Sought
for 2008 Afternoon on the Green

The Afternoon on the Green Committee invites the UVI community to contribute ideas for the 2008 event's theme. The annual friendraiser will mark its 19th year on the green when it gets underway on March 9, 2008. Please be creative. The person or area that contributes the winning theme will be entitled to Afternoon on the Green tee shirts. Some ideas to date: "Lean and Mean at 19 on the Green" and "Create a Scene at the 19th Afternoon on the Green." Send suggestions via email to pjohnso@uvi.edu.

VI-WRRI Issues Call for Proposals
on Water Resources Projects

The Virgin Islands Water Resources Research Institute (VI-WRRI) at the University of the Virgin Islands has issued a call for project proposals for the 2008-2009 U.S. Geological Survey Water Institute Program. Proposals that address water resources issues in the U.S. Virgin Islands are being sought. All UVI faculty and staff are eligible to apply for these funds through the VI-WRRI. Collaborations with non-UVI personnel are allowed. Approximately $80,000 will be available for USVI projects. Projects in the $15,000 to $20,000 range are preferred. For details, contact the VI-WRRI 693-1062 or at hsmith@uvi.edu.

USVI Agriculture and Food Fair
Set for Feb. 16-18 on St. Croix

The Agriculture and Food Fair of the U.S. Virgin Islands will be held Feb.16-18, 2008, on St. Croix. The theme is "The Business of Agriculture: The Way Forward." All articles for the Agriculture and Food Fair bulletin should be submitted to Clarice Clarke at cclarke@uvi.edu by Dec. 14, 2007. Please send all graphics for articles as separate attachments.

SBDC Notes ...

SBDC Seminars to Cover
Writing Effective Business Plans

UVI's Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will present seminars on writing effective business plans on Wednesday, Dec. 5 and Wednesday, Dec. 12. The first seminar is titled "Writing an Effective Business Plan - Part I: The Narrative." The second is titled "Writing an Effective Business Plan - Part II: The Financials." Both sessions are scheduled for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the SBDC Training Facility at Nisky Center on St. Thomas. The presenters are SBDC State Director Leonor Dottin and Business Counselor II Daryl Edwards. Admission is $20 for each seminar at the door. Individuals who pre-register will receive a $5 discount. UVI students, staff and faculty, and veterans of the U.S. military with proper i.d. will be admitted free; however, pre-registration is required. The seminars are recommended for business owners or potential business owners. To pre-register or for more information call 776-3206.

Intramural Notes ...

St. Croix Archery Championship

UVI's St. Croix Campus Intramural Archery Fall 2007 Championship took place on Nov. 21.

Individual Men's Results: 1. Jon Scriber 182, 2. Kaleem Chism 148, 3. Chris Adams 146, 4. Chris Cockrell 142, 5. Lamar Doward 120

Individual Women's Results: 1. Jenel Charlery 180, 2. Amy Scibek 176, 3. Charnette Tyson 158, 4. Jaynae Edney 148, 5. Kelly-Ann Joseph 114, 6. Oridisi Garcia 78

Co-ed Team Results: 1. J. Charlery/K.Chism 328, 2. A. Scibek/C. Cockrell 318, 3. C. Tyson/L. Doward 278, 4. K. Joseph/C. Adams 260