New & Updated Items posted Feb. 28, 2008

Lady Bucs, Buccaneers Continue
Home Stand with Weekend Games

UVI's Lady Bucs basketball squad returns to action at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 29, when they host UPR-Aguadilla at the Sports and Fitness Center. The UVI men's and women's teams will continue their home stand on Saturday, March 1, when they take on American University (the LAI league defending champions and the best University team in the Caribbean). The women's game starts at 7 p.m. and the men's game follows at 9 p.m.

Golden Key Honour Society on St. Croix
Sets Organizational Meeting for Feb. 29

The St. Croix campus chapter of the Golden Key International Honour Society will hold an organizational meeting from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 29 in the Cafetorium. The meeting's agenda includes the election of officers, discussion of the induction ceremony set for March 20, participation in the upcoming campus Career Fair, the 2008 commencement exercises set for May 13, and a recruitment drive. Golden Key's mission is to enable members to realize their potential. For more information, contact Irene J. Ramos at 692-4236.

CVI/UVI Reunion Choir
to Perform March 1 at BCB

The CVI/UVI Reunion Choir will perform at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 1, in the auditorium of the Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School. The choir, made up of former members of the CVI/UVI choirs from the years 1978 through 1986, will perform under the direction of Gloria (McLellan) Quinlan, who is affectionately known as "Ms. G." Admission to the concert is $20. Tickets can be obtained from Reunion Choir members or from the Reichhold Center Box Office. For more information, contact Dale Morton at 693-1086 or Jennifer Toussaint at 776-2853. A news release is available on the UVI web site - http://www.uvi.edu - or from this direct link.

UVI Spring Break Set March 3-9

Spring break for students at the University of the Virgin Islands is scheduled for March 3 to 9. Classes will resume on Monday, March 10. While no classes will be held during the week, UVI administrative offices will remain open on their regular schedules.

Sponsored Programs Office to Offer
Budgeting Workshops for Faculty, Staff

The Office of Sponsored Programs will offer two, one-hour workshops on each campus for faculty and staff entitled "Proposal Budgeting" during the first week of March. Each session will review how to develop line-item budgets that comply both with federal and UVI standards. While the sessions will focus primarily on budgeting for federally-funded projects, discussion will also cover budgets for V.I. agencies, private foundations and nonprofit organizations. Information about estimating personnel costs, fringe benefits and indirect costs will be included.

The St. Thomas session is set for 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Education building room 101 on Tuesday, March 4. The St. Croix session will be held from 11 a.m. to noon in Evans Center room 713 on Friday, March 7. For more information, contact Steve Goode at sgoode@uvi.edu or call 693-1202.

Showing of Blue Planet Series Film
on March 7 to Highlight 'Year of the Reef'

The 2008 International Year of the Reef committee on St. Croix invites the public to a free family movie night from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, March 7, at the Great Hall on UVI's St. Croix campus. The film "Tidal Seas" - part of the BBC's Blue Planet series - will be shown. Information on the International Year of the Reef effort will also be available. Free popcorn and snacks will be provided. The Internal Year of the Reef Committee on St. Croix is supported by UVI's Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service and the Virgin Islands' Coastal Zone Management Program. For details, call Emily Tyner at 692-4144 or send email to etyner@uvi.edu.

'Afternoon on the Green' Set for March 9

UVI will host its annual food, fun and family event -- Afternoon on the Green -- from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 9, at the Herman E. Moore Golf Course on the St. Thomas campus. The event will feature food prepared by some of the island's best cooks, children's activities and music by Tortola's Lashing Dogs. There will also be entertainment by the Mungo Niles Heritage Dancers and the Caribbean Ritual Dancers. This year's theme is "Be Seen on the Green for Cultural Cuisine." A news release is available on the UVI web site - http://www.uvi.edu - or from this direct link.

Rotaract Club Sets Car Wash on March 15

UVI's Rotaract Club will conduct a car wash at Tutu Park Mall (in front of the Innovative office) from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 15. The event is part of the club's participation in World Rotaract Week activities. Prices are $7 for cars and $10 for vans. Larger vehicles will cost more. Tickets will be made available before the event to secure your space. Senior citizens qualify for discounts (with identification). For details, call Sharifa Maloney at 626-9268.

UVI's Cynthia Richards to be Honored as
St. Thomas-St. John 'Librarian of the Year'

Cynthia Richards, Public Services Librarian at UVI's Ralph M. Paiewonsky Library, will be honored in March by the St. Thomas-St. John Library Association (STSJLA) as Librarian of the Year. Richards has worked in both public libraries and public school libraries in addition to the Paiewonsky Library, where she has been a full-time librarian for eight years and a part-time librarian for more than 20 years. Richards will be recognized for the contributions that she has made to libraries in the territory at the STSJLA's first annual Women's and USVI History Month luncheon at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 16, at Pilgrim Terrace. Tickets are $50 for the general public and $40 for (dues-paid) members of STSJLA. Tickets are available in the Paiewonsky Library. For details, contact Bethany Wilkes at 693-1372.

UVI Students Named to 'Who's Who'

Five students from the University of the Virgin Islands St. Thomas campus will be featured in the 2008 edition of Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. The students have been selected as national outstanding campus leaders based on their academic achievement, service to the community, leadership in extracurricular activities and potential for continued success. The students are nursing major Jahtara Francis, psychology major Aisha-Jamila Mussington, business administration major Athalia Edwards and accounting majors Ucilla Leah Austrie and Cathandra Yolanda Martin. A news release is available on the UVI web site - http://www.uvi.edu - or from this direct link.

Mathematics Placement Test
to be Offered May 8 at UVI

The University of the Virgin Islands has announced that the Mathematics Diagnostic and Placement Test will be administered on May 8. The test is required for all incoming students who scored below 490 on the math section of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). UVI advises students planning to enroll in summer session or fall semester classes to take the test in May. Doing so will allow students who may need a non-credit math course to take it in the summer and be ready for college-level courses in the fall. Parents, teachers and school counselors are asked to urge their students to take this test in May. Students applying for UVI's SummerBridge program can also use the test to demonstrate eligibility.

The Mathematics Diagnostic and Placement Test will be offered at 4:30 p.m. on May 8 on both the St. Thomas and St. Croix campuses. The test will be offered in Classroom Administration Building (CA) rooms 305 and 306 on St. Thomas. On St. Croix the test will be administered in the Nursing Division's room R-100. For details, contact Dr. Rosalie Dance at 693-1253.

Presidential Search Notes ...

UVI Community Invited to Meet
with Presidential Search Firm

On March 12 through 14, consultants from Isaacson, Miller - the national executive search firm retained by the UVI Board of Trustees to assist in the search for the University's next President - will visit UVI's St. Thomas and St. Croix campuses. The goal will be to learn more about the University and the challenges and opportunities that will face a new President. Dr. Auguste E. Rimpel, Jr., chair of UVI's Board of Trustees, announced the presidential search in an email message to the University community on Friday, Feb. 22. (Click to read the text of Dr. Rimpel's announcement.)

Dr. Rimpel has also invited members of the University community - students, faculty and staff - to participate in meetings with members of the search firm to share their thoughts. An email including the meeting schedule with specific individuals and open sessions for faculty, staff and students on both campuses has been sent by email to the UVI community. It is also available on the UVI Announcements page of the UVI web site - http://announce.uvi.edu - or from this direct link.

Other Current Items ...

ACA Sets Development Conference
on UVI's St. Croix Campus on Feb. 29

The St. Croix chapter of the American Counseling Association of the Virgin Islands will hold a professional development conference from 7:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 29, at the Great Hall in the North West Wing on UVI's St. Croix campus. Dr. Christine Moll, a leader in the American Counseling Association, will be the keynote speaker. Guest presenters include Carolyn Weinstock and other local professional panelists. Registration is $55 for members, $70 for non-members and $45 for retirees and students. The cost includes lunch and associated continuing education credits. For details, contact Doris Farrington-Hepburn, ACA-VI president, at 692-4187 or send faxes to 692-4008 or email to dfarrin@uvi.edu.

ECS Offers Scholarships, Research Experiences; Applications Due March 1

The Emerging Caribbean Scientists Programs (ECS) offer a variety of scholarships, research experiences, and tutoring assistance to St. Thomas and St. Croix students enrolled in UVI STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and psychology degree programs. The application deadline for scholarship and research programs is March 1, 2008. Applications for 2008 ECS Programs are available online from this - applications link.

Spring Get-A-Way to Jost Van Dyke
Slated for March 1; Space Limited

Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands will be the destination for the St. Thomas campus Student Activities Office "Spring Get-A-Way." Scheduled for Saturday, March 1, the excursion will depart the Tortola Wharf in Charlotte Amalie at 9 a.m. and return at 4 p.m. Ticket prices are $40 for UVI students, $60 for UVI faculty and staff, $80 for non-staff and non-students and $25 for children under 12. An eco-tour to Jost Van Dyke's bubbling pool is available for an extra $50. Space is limited to the first 149 persons to sign up. For details, contact the Student Activities office on St.Croix at 692-4228 or St.Thomas at 693-1111. Pictures of the last Jost Van Dyke trip are available on the Student Activities web site: http://studentactivity.uvi.edu.

GRE Study Sessions Continue on St. Croix

UVI's St. Croix campus Psychology Club is sponsoring Graduate Record Exam (GRE) study group sessions for individuals interested in preparing for the GRE. Meetings, which are not limited to psychology majors, will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. on March 1 and March 15, in Evans Center room 902. Additional sessions will be scheduled if necessary. For details, contact Dr. Aletha Baumann at 692-4178.

Other Current Items ... (cont.)

March 3 is Application Deadline
for UVI's New MMES Program 

Monday, March 3, is the application deadline for the fall semester cohort of UVI's new Master of Marine and Environmental Science (MMES) degree program. The MMES degree is designed to prepare students for a wide array of exciting and regarding careers in the education, government, non-profit and private sectors. Two study tracks are offered - scientific research and resource management. Details are available from the MMES web site - http://mmes.uvi.edu - or from program coordinator Dr. Sylvia Vitazkova at 693-1427.

GERS Pre-Retirement Workshop
Schedule Announced

The next pre-retirement workshops sponsored by the Government Employees' Retirement System (GERS) are scheduled as follows: March 5 on St. Thomas (9 a.m. to 11 a.m.), April 2 on St. John (9 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and April 16 on St. Croix (all day). The workshops are designed to help GERS members to locate resources and assistance in relation to pending retirement. Topics include GERS, Social Security, Medicare and GHI Benefits, and Financial Planning. Details are available from the GERS web site - www.usvigers.com.

FBLA Awards of Excellence
Dinner Dance Set March 8

The UVI chapter of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) - Phi Beta Lambda - will host its Awards of Excellence Dinner Dance at 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 8, at the Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort. The evening will honor members of the community who have been instrumental in the pursuit of success for all FBLA members. The honorees are Cecilia Walters-Smith, Elmo Adams and Senator Shawn-Michael Malone. Following the honoring ceremony, the audience will be entertained by CeCe Peniston, a Grammy-award-winning artist and Spectrum Band. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased from any FBLA-PBL members, Modern Music and the campus book store. For more information call Professor Aurelia Donald (340) 693-1316.

Regalia Order Deadlines

St. Thomas campus: Members of the faculty and staff who need regalia must place orders with the Bookstore no later than Feb. 29 . Late orders will be subject to additional charges. For more information, contact Mervin Taylor at 693-1560.

St. Croix campus: The St. Croix campus Bookstore will offer measurement for commencement regalia (caps and gowns) through March 14. Measurements completed after March 14 will incur a $15 shipping charge. After March 21 there will be a $25 express shipping charge. Students need to present receipts from the business office to take part. For details, call the Bookstore at 692-4162.

St. Croix Campus to Host Charter Month
Shadow Our Students Program on March 13

A Shadow Our Students (S.O.S.) program connecting high school students with UVI students is scheduled for Thursday, March 13, on the University's St. Croix campus. The program, part of UVI's Charter Month activities, is sponsored by the Office of the Provost, the Campus Executive Administrator's office and the Student Government Association. During the day, high school seniors from various St. Croix high schools will have the chance to shadow UVI students as they participate in class, go to lunch and socialize. UVI students interested in participating should visit the Student Government Office in Evans Center room 707 or call 692-4191.

UVI to Administer Noel-Lovetz
Student Survey in March

UVI's Office of Institutional Research and Planning has announced that it will administer the Noel-Levitz 2008 Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) Survey from March 24 through 28.

The SSI is the first survey of its kind to measure student satisfaction and the importance of campus issues to students. UVI will benefit from consulting and data services provided by Noel-Levitz by identifying where attention is needed, especially in the area of student retention and enrollment. An initial overview of the survey and details of the requirements for UVI students, faculty and staff are included in this Noel-Levitz 2008 Student Satisfaction Survey document. For more information, call the Office of Institutional Research and Planning at 693-1013.

Annual UVI Queen Mary 5K
Walk/Run Set for March 14

The seventh Annual UVI Queen Mary 5K Walk/Run - a UVI Charter week event - is scheduled for Friday, March 14. The entire UVI community - students, alumni, faculty and staff - and members of the general public are encouraged to participate. The run will start at 6 a.m. at Sunshine Mall and conclude on UVI's St. Croix campus. Awards will be presented to the top male and female finishers. Light refreshments will be served at the end of the event. Transportation will be provided to the Sunshine Mall. Registration forms are available in the St. Croix Campus Executive Administrator's office. Registration is $12 for UVI faculty, staff and others, and $7 for students and children. For details, contact Irene Ramos at 692-4000.

MBA Comprehensive Exam at UVI
Set April 11; Signup Deadline March 14

UVI's Business Administration Division will offer the MBA Comprehensive Examination from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Friday, April 11, on the University's St. Thomas and on St. Croix campuses. The rooms to be used will be announced at a later date. The deadline for registration is Friday, March 14. Applications are available in the Business Administration Division offices on St. Thomas and St. Croix. For details, call Jacinthe Proctor at 693-1300 or Renise Johnson at 692-4150.

UVI Scholarship Application
Deadline is March 14

March 14 is the deadline for students to apply for UVI scholarships for the fall 2008 and the spring 2009 semesters. A variety of scholarships are available, from one-year awards to four-year scholarships. Scholarships are limited to U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Specific requirements for high school, undergraduate and graduate applicants can be obtained from the University's Financial Aid, Institutional Advancement and Student Activities offices on the St. Thomas and St. Croix campuses. Details, as well as online application forms, are available from the Financial Aid section of the UVI web site - http://www.uvi.edu or from this direct Financial Aid/Scholarship link. Details are also available on St. Croix at 692-4193 and on St. Thomas at 693-1090 or from the Office of Institutional Advancement at 693-1040.

Hammond to Bring 'Lover's Rock'
to the Reichhold on March 15

The "King of Lover's Rock," Beres Hammond returns to Reichhold Center for the Arts at 8 p.m. on Saturday, March 15. Hammond is known for his sultry voice and hypnotic lyrics. Among his numerous hits are: "Groovy Little Thing," "What One Dance Can Do," "Tempted To Touch," "Putting Up Resistance," "No Disturb Sign," "They Gonna Talk," "Rock Away" and "Music is Life." Tickets -- $25, $36 and $45. A news release is available from the UVI web site - http://www.uvi.edu - or from this direct link.

Workshop on 'Managing Visitor Use
in Protected Areas' Set March 26-28

A workshop on managing visitor use in marine and coastal protected areas is planned for March 26 through 28 on St. Thomas. It will be presented by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coastal Services Center. Included will be an overview of the human dimensions of protected area management, examples of visitor use and associated impacts to natural resources and visitor experiences, and suggestions to help managers address the people side of resource management. In addition to training sessions, presentations will be made by Hubert Brumant, director of the Magen's Bay Authority, Elba Richardson, a concessions specialist at the Virgin Islands National Park, and Sybille Sorrentino, owner of VI Ecotours. Days one and two of the workshop will take place at UVI's Small Business Development Center at Nisky Center. An optional field exercise is planned for day three. Workshop registration is now open and available to all at this Workshop Registration link. For more information, contact Sylvia Vitazkova at 693-1427.

Accounting Association Seeking
to Honor Anniversary Couples

The UVI Accounting Association is looking for couples on St. Thomas who will have celebrated their golden or silver wedding anniversaries on or before April 1, 2008. Nominated couples that are selected will be honored at a dinner dance and presented with awards and gifts. To nominate a couple, contact Prof. Sharon Simmons at 693-1314 or send email to ssimmon@uvi.edu. The Accounting Association's Anniversary Committee is asking for the names, phone contact information, anniversary dates and reason for nominating your special couple.

Ongoing Items ...

Summer Session Dates, Fall Semester
Information Available on UVI Web Site

Dates and detailed registration information on UVI's two 2008 summer sessions, as well as for the upcoming fall semester are available on the UVI web site. UVI's Summer Session I is scheduled for May 19 through June 23. Summer Session II will run from June 25 through Aug. 1.

UVI's fall semester classes begin on Aug. 18 and end on Dec. 3. Direct links to this information is available from the Academics link and the BUCSS - Banner Utilization Central for Self Service - button on the UVI home page: http://www.uvi.edu.

Online registration for both summer sessions and the fall semester begins on March 17. Students must confer with advisors on course selection and obtain personal information numbers before they can register online.

Access and Security Plan Set for Smart
Classrooms, Video Conference Rooms

UVI has established an access and security plan for the 26 smart classrooms and video conference rooms that are in use on the St. Thomas and St. Croix campuses. The Security Department will collaborate with the University community in administering the plan. The plan lists all smart classrooms and video conference rooms, guidelines for use and specifies which individuals have authorized access. It is available from the Policies and Procedures page of the UVI Security web site and from this direct link. For more information, contact the Security Department at 693-1530 on St. Thomas or 692-4155 on St. Croix.

UVI CELL Notes ...

Basic Computing Course
for Beginners Starts March 9

UVI's Community Engagement and Lifelong Learning (CELL) Center will offer a course for individuals interested in learning the basics of using a computer. Classes will be held 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. every Wednesday, from March 5 to April 9. Sessions will be held at the UVI campus on St. Croix. The course will cover the basics of computing such as working with windows, using the Internet, emailing, safe computing and much more. The information will be presented in an easy to understand format, with hands-on exercises. For details or to register, call 693-1100 or visit UVI-CELL online at http://cell.uvi.edu.