New & Updated Items posted March 20, 2008

UVI to Close for Recess March 21-23

UVI will close for recess from March 21 through 23. Classes will resume and administrative offices will reopen on their regular schedules on Monday, March 24.

Remaining Charter Month Activities List

• March -- Charter Day Library Displays - both Campuses
• March 21 -- 6 p.m. - Poet and educator Nikki Giovanni is the featured speaker at the Alfred O. Heath Distinguished Speaker Series.
• March 28 -- 8 p.m. - The Morgan State University Choir performs at Island Center on St. Croix. - STX
• March 29 -- 8 p.m. - The Morgan State University Choir performs at the Reichhold Center. - STT

Celebrated Poet, Activist Nikki Giovanni
to Give Heath Lecture on March 21

World-renowned poet, writer, commentator, activist and educator Nikki Giovanni will be the featured speaker at the University of the Virgin Islands Alfred O. Heath Distinguished Speakers Series. The event, part of UVI's Charter Week activities, is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday, March 21, at the Reichhold Center for the Arts on UVI's St. Thomas campus. A videotape replay of the presentation will be presented on UVI's St. Croix campus at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 27, in the Great Hall of the North West Wing building. A news release is available from the UVI home page - http://www.uvi.edu - or from this direct link.

Golden Key International Honour Society
to Induct 24 Members on St. Croix

The Golden Key International Honour Society on UVI's St. Croix campus will induct 24 new members at 6 p.m. today (Thursday, March 20) in a ceremony in the Great Hall of the North West Wing building. The inductees are: Diane DaCosta, Rebeca Mizejewski, Jenelle Alsuran, Shanet Alexander, Wayne Petersen, Mary Mootoo, Renako Wells, Deborah Little, Noel Stewart, Derica Webster, Melina Moore, Daneeze Silcott, Sharmane Simon, Rosetta Romain, Scott Cave, Amaris Chew, Nickaya Armantrading, Eva Francis, Sarah Griffin, Sherifa Hodge, Alanna Hayden, Charissa-Ann Joseph, Leana Timothy and Andres Velazquez. For more information, contact Hedda Finch-Simpson at 692-4228.

Lady Bucs Finish 2008 Season
In Sixth Place Among 15 Teams

UVI's Lady Bucs varsity basketball squad concluded their 2008 season in sixth place among the 15 teams in the LAI women's league. The Lady Bucs had 10 wins and nine losses overall, with an 8-6 league record. In first-round playoff action, the Lady Bucs dropped two matchups against UPR-Rio Piedras, losing the final game at home, 64-38. Head Coach Curtis Gilpin noted that early, season-ending injuries to Nicole Fleming and Teal Hetrick, and a sprained ankle that sidelined Elisha Jno-Baptiste, hampered the Lady Bucs for the bulk of the season. Gilpin added that coaches are looking forward to next season, especially since the "Freshmen Rule" resolution - which will allow freshmen to play on the varsity team - was passed at a league meeting last week in Puerto Rico.

The 2008 Lady Bucs roster included Nicole B. Fleming, Afiya Fredericks, Teal Hetrick, Elisha Jno-Baptiste, Precious Laurent, Shanell Petersen, Angelina Prince, Tiffany Reddick and Shantell Adams.

UVI to Host Second Caribbean Law Fair
on St. Thomas and St. Croix Campuses

Delinquency Prevention Program Awards
Three Scholarships to UVI Freshmen

The Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Program (JDPP) recently awarded scholarships to three University of the Virgin Islands freshmen. Khamila Benjamin, Kandice Victoria and Chene Warner each received a $1,000 scholarship from JDPP toward their UVI education. V.I. Police Officer Steven Payne, the founder of JDPP, made the presentation. A news release and photo are available from the UVI web site - http://www.uvi.edu - and from this direct link.

UVI Alum Dr. Trevor Connor
Receives National Recognition

University of the Virgin Islands alumnus Dr. Trevor A. C. Connor, DDS, was recognized as an Associate Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. He is one of 417 dentists nationwide who hold such membership. A leading expert in implant care, Dr. Connor earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from the then College of the Virgin Islands in 1983. He has a dental practice in Sugar Estate on St. Thomas. A full news release and photo are available from the UVI web site - http://www.uvi.edu - and from this direct link.

Faculty-Staff vs Students Jeopardy
Set for March 25 on St. Croix

As part of the Faculty-Staff vs Students Competition Week, UVI's Office of Student Activities on St. Croix will host a Jeopardy Challenge at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 25 in the Cafetorium. For details, contact Kelly-Ann Joseph at 692-4228.

Presentation on 'Youths in Crisis'
Set March 27 on St. Thomas Campus

UVI students, staff and faculty are invited to attend a presentation titled "Youths in Crisis ... What Matters?" by Thomas Douglas. The presentation is set for 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 27, in Chase Auditorium (B-110) on the St. Thomas campus. Douglas is president of the Julia Williams Multipurpose Outreach Center and serves as the national training director for the Institute for Social Justice and the lead trainer for Faith Based Initiatives. Formerly, he was the Executive Director of Harlem Directors Group, an outreach organization for those at risk, infected or affected by the HIV/AIDS. Douglas has a seat on AIDS Action, a national advocacy organization, and has more than 17 years of professional experience in community outreach and program development. The presentation is sponsored by UVI's Drug and Alcohol Prevention Committee in collaboration with the Substance Abuse, HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis Prevention Program. For details, call 693-1120.

Student Employment Appreciation Week
Set on St. Thomas; Nominations Sought

The week of April 7 through 11 has been designated Student Employment Week on UVI's St. Thomas campus. Students will be recognized for their dedication, desire and determination. Nominations are now being accepted for the student employee of the year and the "Lighter Side" awards. Click here for details of the award process and a nomination form. The deadline for making submissions is 1 p.m. on Tuesday, April 1. The award winners will be announced on Thursday, April 10. There will be a reception for the student employees and supervisors immediately following the award presentations. For more information, contact Mary Myers at 693-1088 or send email to mmyers@uvi.edu.

UVI Employee of the Year
Nominations Sought by March 28

Next Friday, March 28, is the deadline for full-time UVI employees to submit nominations for individuals they think should be honored as UVI's 2008 employees of the year on the St. Thomas and St. Croix campuses. The objective of the program is to recognize employees who have made demonstrated contributions to the improvement of the quality and performance of the University. Employees of the year will be recognized during Service Awards ceremonies set for April 17 on St. Thomas and April 18 on St. Croix. Each will receive a $200 savings bond, an engraved plaque, and fruit and flower baskets. Employee of the Year program rules and regulations - including selection criteria and a nomination form - are available from the HR Section of the UVI Announcements web page - http://announce.uvi.edu - or from this Employee of the Year link. The material is also available from the Forms section of the Human Resources web site - http://hrweb.uvi.edu/forms. For more information contact UVI's Human Resources Office at 693-1410.

Staff Council Seeks Committee Members

The UVI Staff Council is seeking members to serve on its Standing Committees. Each of the four committees has a number of assigned responsibilities outlined in the bylaws. Now, after several months of work by the Executive Committee, tasks are being assigned to each committee to fulfill the mission of the Staff Council. Employees are asked to contact committee chairpersons directly to indicate interest and willingness to serve. A description of the role each committee plays and the names of the committee chairpersons is available from this Staff Council Membership link.

Other Current Items ...

UVI Seniors Sought for Learning
Assessment Test; Cash Awards Offered

UVI is seeking seniors who will graduate in May of 2008 to participate in the Collegiate Learning Assessment test. The test is organized by the Council for Aid to Education, a national, nonprofit organization. The tests - which measure critical thinking, analytic reasoning, problem solving and written communication - will be administered beginning today (Monday, March 17) , and continuing through Thursday, March 27, on the St. Thomas and St. Croix campuses. Cash awards will be given to participants who score 65 percent or above. Participants who score 80 percent or above will be given $300, and $100 will go to participants who score 65 to 79 percent. Interested graduating seniors should contact the following individuals: Linda Wymer (693-1346 / lwymer@uvi.edu) or Dr. Lonnie Hudspeth (693-1315 / lhudspe@uvi.edu) on St. Thomas, or Jewel Ross-Brathwaite (692-4123 / jbrathw@uvi.edu) on St. Croix.

Other Current Items ... (Cont.)

Summer Internship in Agriculture
Available at UPR-Mayaguez

UVI's Agricultural Experiment Station has announced that it has funding to support the attendance of one student from UVI at a four-week summer internship/course in agriculture at the University of Puerto Rico. The course goal is to provide an experience in Caribbean tropical agriculture to students from member institutions of Cari-Pac Consortium. For more information, contact Dr. Bob Godfrey, assistant director of UVI's Agricultural Experiment Station at 692-4042. Program details are also available at this link (PDF file).

Seminar on Plant Nutrition
Offered March 25 at UVI

A seminar on plant nutrition - "Understanding how plants feed" - will be offered at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 25, at the UVI Administration and Conference Center (ACC) on the St. Thomas campus. The seminar is designed for members of the Virgin Islands agricultural community and for anyone with an interest in developing local farming. The event has been organized by UVI's Cooperative Extension Service and the V.I. Department of Agriculture.

For details contact Dr. Richard Pluke at 776-7600, the Department of Agriculture at 774-5182 or the Cooperative Extension Service at 693-1080.

UVI to Administer Noel-Levitz
Student Satisfaction 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.

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 details, contact Sylvia Vitazkova at 693-1427.

Morgan State University Choir
to Perform at Island Center, Reichhold

Reichhold Center for the Arts and the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts present the return of the Morgan State University Choir to the Virgin Islands. The choir performs on Friday, March 28, at Island Center on St. Croix and Saturday, March 29 at the Reichhold Center on St. Thomas. Both shows start at 8 p.m.

Tickets are $15 and $25 on St. Croix and are available at Alliance Clothing, Urban Threadz and UVI Bookstore. On St. Thomas, tickets are $15, $18 and $25 and are available at Modern Music, UVI Bookstore, V.I. Bridal & Tuxedo, Urban Threadz, Essentric Shoe Boutique, Island Video (Nisky), Home Again (Red Hook) and the Reichhold Center Box Office at 693-1559.

UVI Physical Plant Announces
Drinking Water Change on St. Thomas

UVI's Physical Plant has announced to the St. Thomas Campus community that effective today (Monday, March 17) the delivery of bottled, drinking water will be performed by Virgin Beverages, Inc. If any additional drinking (bottled) water services are needed, such requests should be forwarded to the Physical Plant department at extension 693-1500. The department added that individuals should not to contact the vendor directly.

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.

CELL Notes ...

CELL to Host One-Day Excel Workshop

The University of the Virgin Islands' Community Engagement and Lifelong Learning (CELL) Center will hold a one-day workshop for individuals interested in becoming proficient with the features and techniques of Microsoft Excel. The workshop will be held 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 27, on UVI's St. Croix campus.

In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn the basics of using Excel tools and commands, learn shortcuts to save time, and master the formulas that make working with Excel much easier.

For more information or to register, call 693-1100 or visit UVI CELL on-line at http://cell.uvi.edu.

UVI CELL Reschedules
Basic Computing Course

The University of the Virgin Islands' Community Engagement and Lifelong Learning (CELL) Center is rescheduling its Basic Computing for Beginners course. Classes will be held 1-3 p.m. every Wednesday from April 2 to May 7 on UVI's St. Croix Campus. The course is designed for individuals interested in learning the basics of using a computer. Participants will learn the essentials of computing such as working with windows, using the internet, emailing, safe computing and much more. For more information or to register, call 693-1100 or visit UVI CELL on-line at http://cell.uvi.edu.

Real Estate Sales Course
to be Offered on St. Thomas

Individuals interested in learning more about the real estate industry are encouraged to register for the Real Estate Sales course offered by the University of the Virgin Islands' Community Engagement and Lifelong Learning (CELL) Center. Classes will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays beginning April 19. All sessions will be held at the UVI-CELL Center on the St. Thomas campus.

The Real Estate Sales course is designed to prepare individuals for the Real Estate Salesperson licensing examination. A variety of topics will be covered including Real Estate Theory, Mathematics, USVI Rules, and Regulations and all applicable sections of the VI Code.

For more information on the course, call 693-1100 or visit UVI-CELL on-line at http://cell.uvi.edu.

Building High-Performance Teams
Is Subject of Next Cell Workshops

The University of the Virgin Islands's Community Engagement and Lifelong Learning (CELL) Center will host workshops titled "Building High-Performance Teams" on Friday, April 4. The day-long sessions, which begin at 8:30 a.m., will be offered on both St. Thomas and St. Croix. It is the third in a 10-part series of management skills workshops designed to help managers develop and refine the skills needed to manage their workforces more effectively. On St. Croix, the workshop will be held at the Joseph A. Simpson Building at #23A Hospital Street in Frederiksted. On St. Thomas, the workshop will be held at the UVI-CELL Center on the UVI campus.

The workshops are being held in collaboration with the American Management Association (AMA). Participants may elect to complete six of the workshops offered to obtain a Certificate in Management Skills in the Workplace from UVI and the AMA. For details or to register, call 693-1100 or visit UVI-CELL on-line at http://cell.uvi.edu.

SBDC Notes ...

Women in Business Forum
Slated for March 26 on St. Thomas

A "Women in Business Forum" is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26, on St. Thomas, as part of UVI's Charter Month activities. Panelists will include Terri Brown of MLB Creative, Gloria Gumbs of The Gumbs Group, Chanell Rohan of Spoyled Rotton and Sharon Simmons, CPA and JD. Cynthia Jerry of the New Image Foundation Corporation (NIFC) will be the moderator. The forum is being hosted by the NIFC in collaboration with UVI's Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Admission is free, but pre-registration is requested. To pre-register or for more information contact the SBDC at 776-3206.