July 14, 2008     
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FBLA Wins Eight Awards
at Annual National Competition

Congratulations to UVI's Phi Beta Lambda chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) which garnered eight awards at the FBLA's annual national leadership conference/competition in June. Following a year of preparation and fund raising, the chapter sent 20 students to to compete in 18 categories. Attending were: Toriefa Alexander, Shanitta Bedminster, Paul Remy, Kimika Woods, Krystal George, Latifah Pratt, Renelle Stephens, Jermaine Baptiste, Malon Angol, Sharifa Skelton, Desiree Burton, Sherwin Pilgrim, Lemuel Ryan, Brian Thomas, Syvonne Richardson, Celia Sebastien, Kishma Freeman, Burnette Williams, Wendell Ronan and Jennifer Simon.

Taking first-place awards were Remy in E-Business, and Richardson and Bedminster in Digital Video Production. Seventh-place awards were won by Bedminster in Computer Applications, and Pilgrim and Woods in Small Business Management. Thomas and Baptiste took eighth-place awards in Business Ethics.

UVI's Chapter of FBLA has expressed its thanks to all who helped make the competition possible.

UVI Students Urged to Apply
for Thurgood Marshall Scholarships

UVI students are encouraged to apply for Thurgood Marshall Scholarships for the 2008-2009 academic year. More information is available from this Web site: www.thurgoodmarshallfund.org. Details are also available from UVI's Thurgood Marshall Fund Scholarship Coordinator Ardrina Scott-Elliott at 340-693-1043.

Fall Semester Orientation Schedules
Now Available from UVI Web Site

Fall orientation schedules for new and transfer students are now available from the Student Life Services page of the UVI web site and from these direct links: St. Thomas ScheduleSt. Croix Schedule. UVI's fall 2008 semester classes will begin on August 18 and continue through December 10.

AES/CES Win Grant to Study
Trees on Both UVI Campuses

UVI's Agricultural Experiment Station, in conjunction with the Cooperative Extension Service, was recently awarded a grant from the Virgin Islands Urban and Community Forestry Program from the V.I. Department of Agriculture. Study co-authors Brian Daley (biotechnology-agroforestry) and Carlos Robles (natural resources management) were awarded more than $19,000 for equipment and to create a comprehensive spatial database of the trees on both UVI campuses. Using hand-held GPS units, and with assistance from UVI students, they will mark and identify all campus trees and record their size and condition. The results will produce a planning tool that will assist in the management of existing, valuable, urban trees on both campuses. It will also help in the determination of what kinds of trees to plant in the future and where to plant them. For more information, contact Daley at 692-4078 or Robles at 693-1083.

Basic Safe Boating Class
to Begin July 14 on St. Thomas

The U.S. Power and Sail Squadron's basic boating class will be offered starting today (Monday, July 14) at UVI's MacLean Marine Science Center. Classes will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays, from 6 to 8 p.m. through July 30. The course is free, however, there is a $75 materials fee that covers a book, electronic charting DVD and navigational tools. For details or to sign up, call Captain Tom McCoy at 690-0729.

St. Thomas Summer Exercise Schedule

Note changes in italic are effective July 14, 2008

UVI's Student Activities Office has organized a free summer exercise program on the St. Thomas campus. The following classes are offered on the schedule below. They take place in the UVI Recreation Center (next to the tennis courts). For details, call 693-1111 or 693-1120.

  • Yoga: Cancelled for remainder of summer
  • Aerobics: 5 to 6 p.m. - Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays
  • Pilates: 7:30 to 8:15 a.m. - Wednesdays & Fridays
  • Cardio and Abs: 5 to 6 p.m. - Tuesdays & Thursdays
  • Kickboxing: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. - Tuesdays & Thursdays

Music Camp Students Presenting
Free, Public Concerts Each Wednesday

Twenty-nine junior and senior high school musicians attending the UVI Summer Band Camp are giving a series of free, public concerts from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. each Wednesday in July at St. Thomas' Emancipation Garden. The camp, under the direction of UVI Prof. Austin A. Venzen, takes place in the Music Building on UVI's St. Thomas campus. It includes students from St. Thomas, St. Croix and Antigua. The UVI community and the general public are encouraged to attend the concerts. The camp also features four instrumental ensembles, one of which performs each Sunday at a different church on St. Thomas. The camp is sponsored by the Law Enforcement Planning Commission, the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts and UVI. For more information, contact Prof. Venzen at 693-1192.

Voting for Staff Council Officers
Extended to Friday, July 18

Ballots for officer positions in the UVI Staff Council (UVISC) have been distributed to all employees via campus mail. The UVISC has announced that the deadline for casting ballots (indicated as July 11 on the ballot itself) has been extended to Friday, July 18. Ballot boxes for the completed forms are available as follows:

  • St. Croix: Library, Physical Plant and Business Office
  • St. Thomas: Administration and Conference Center, Library and Physical Plant.

The following positions will be filled: Chair; Vice Chair; Secretary; Professional Staff Representative STT, Human Resources Committee Chair, Communications Committee Chair, Membership Committee Chair and Nominations/Elections Committee Chair. A list of the current UVISC officers is available from the Committees section of the UVI Staff Council web site.

Free Workshop on Financial Literacy
Planned for Individuals with Disabilities

A free workshop on financial literacy for Virgin Islands residents who have disabilities and their family members will be held on St. Croix on Monday, July 21. The workshop, slated for 10 a.m. to noon, will take place in the Sunshine Mall office of UVI's Small Business Development Center (SBDC). The session is presented by the Virgin Islands University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities and the Virgin Island Assistive Technology Foundation (VIATF) in partnership with Banco Popular and the SBDC.

The workshop is designed to assist individuals who have credit problems, or no credit, and who are interested in obtaining loans in order to purchase assistive technology equipment or services. The following areas will be covered:

  • Establishing credit for the first time
  • Credit building techniques
  • Accessing low-interest loans
  • Budgeting techniques to reduce debt and increase savings
  • Repairing damaged credit
  • Securing insurance coverage on loans

Representatives from the VIATF, Banco Popular and the SBDC will be on hand to answer questions and provide individualized assistance. For details, contact Diane Hampton at 692-1919 or Deborah Samuel-Sinclair at 692-5270.

UVI Community Invited to Picnic
with South Atlantic Region Alumni

All UVI alumni, their friends and families, and the general public are invited to attend the 2nd Annual Alumni Picnic from 2 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, July 27, in Lithonia, Georgia. The event is hosted by the UVI South Atlantic Region Alumni Chapter and will be held at the Bransby Outdoor YMCA.

This Virgin Islands styled picnic promises to be fun and will include activities such as tennis, sand court volleyball, a three-on-three basketball tournament, sack races and a moonwalk. Attendees can also enjoy the use of the pool. All are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or a blanket. DJ Patrick will provide the music and mocko jumbies will perform. Barbeque, food and drinks will be on sale.

UVI alumni and Virgin Islanders who live in or will be visiting Georgia are encouraged to attend. For directions, send a request to uvi_sarac@yahoo.com. For more information call 340-693-1040. A news release is available from the UVI web site - www.uvi.edu - or from this direct link.

UVI New Hires/Separations
Report Posted for May

The UVI Human Resources Department has released the University's New Hires, Promotions and Separations report for June 1-30, 2008. The list is available to individuals accessing the Internet via the UVI computer network from the HR section of the UVI Announcements web page or at this direct link.

Business Computer Lab Closed;
CA Building Lab Hours Extended

Due to upgrade and renovation projects taking place in the academic buildings on the upper portion of the St. Thomas campus, Information and Technology Services (ITS) has announced that during Summer Session II the computer labs in the Business Building will be closed and there will be no video conferenced classes held on the upper campus. ITS has shifted staff to provide increased support in the Classroom Administration Building (CAB) computer labs. Please take note of the following schedules for Summer Session II:

St. Thomas Campus

CA Building Computer Lab Hours of Operation:

  • Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Sunday, 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.

A technician will work from the ITS office in the CA Building computer lab to provide support for evening video conferenced classes, since all video conferenced classes will be held on the lower campus. A technician will be available until 10 p.m.

Summer Library Hour Update

St. Thomas campus:

  • Monday-Thursday: 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.
  • Friday: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
  • Saturday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
  • Sunday: 1 p.m. - 8 p.m.

St. Croix campus:

  • Monday-Thursday: 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.
  • Friday, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
  • Saturday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
  • Sunday: 1 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Questions, concerns and inquires should be directed to the Help Desk at helpdesk@uvi.edu or at 340-693-1466.

Summer Upgrades Under Way
on St. Thomas Campus

UVI St. Thomas Campus Executive Administrator John D'Orazio has announced that the St. Thomas campus will undergo a series of physical projects and upgrades during the summer. One of these upgrades includes the renovation of the upper campus restrooms. The project, which began on June 25, is expected to be completed in approximately six weeks. Signs will be posted as to which restrooms will be operational during this time.

Other campus projects and upgrades include door and hardware replacements in the upper academic buildings, smartcard access for student laundry services, science building renovations and residence hall furniture upgrades. There will also be a request for qualifications for the Brewer's Bay restroom and shower. A complete list of projects and upgrades is available from this direct link.

Library Renovations Blog Available

The Ralph M. Paiewonsky Library is undergoing a series of renovations. Check out the library renovations web log (blog) to stay up to date with the latest improvements: http://www.sttlibraryren.blogspot.com/. You can also access the blog through the libraries' website: http://library.uvi.edu/.

Tuition, Room Rate, Fees to Increase;
Financial Aid Counseling Offered

New and returning students needing assistance with identifying funding options in light of a five percent University tuition increase that will take effect at the beginning of the Fall 2008 semester should contact the University's Financial Aid Office at 340-693-1090 on St. Thomas, on St. Croix at 340-692-4193, or by email at mgilchr@uvi.edu. For scholarship information students should contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at 340-693-1043 or by email at aelliot@uvi.edu.

More information is available from these links on the UVI web site: Financial Aid | Cost of Attendance.

Email Reminder for UVI Students

Student email addresses ending in .. @uvi.edu are no longer functional. Students are asked to update their Blackboard accounts with an email address of their choosing. Students may request a UVI student email account with Google Mail. Please contact the Help Desk to request an account or with additional questions and concerns, 693-1466 or send email to helpdesk@uvi.edu.

UVI Community Encouraged to Support
Bucs in St. Thomas Co-Ed League Play

The UVI community is encouraged to support UVI's Buccaneers basketball team that is participating in the Housing, Parks and Recreation Co-Ed League on St. Thomas. Games are played at 9 p.m. in the Charlotte Amalie High School gym. The league schedule is as follows:

  • July 14, 2008   UVI vs Police
  • July 18, 2008   UVI vs Airport
  • July 23, 2008   UVI vs VIPA

Reminder: Performance Incentive Award
Nominations Are Being Accepted

All UVI employees are reminded that nominations for the University's 2008 Performance Incentive Awards program are now being accepted. The goal of the program is to promote consistent and exceptional performance by recognizing the achievements of those who have exceeded personal, unit, and organizational goals, and who have contributed significantly to the progress of UVI and the Virgin Islands community. Employees are encouraged to nominate individuals they feel have met these criteria.

Details of the 2008 program and links to online nomination forms are available from the "University Employee Compensation Program" area in the Archives section on the UVI Announcements web page - http://announce.uvi.edu. Information is also available from this direct link. The nomination process continues through August 20, 2008.

UVI's Eastern Caribbean Center
Conducting 2008 V.I. Community Survey

The Eastern Caribbean Center of the University of the Virgin Islands is conducting the 2008 Virgin Islands Community Survey (VICS) during the months of May, June and July. This scientific survey of a sample of households is a follow-up to the one conducted in 2007 that collected information similar to that gathered in the census of 2000. VICS data for 2008 will be gathered on two topics - population and housing. A news release is available on the UVI web site - http://www.uvi.edu - or from this direct link.

CELL Offers Personal Computer
Summer Courses on St. Thomas

UVI's Community Engagement and Lifelong Learning (CELL) Center is offering two, five-week summer courses on computers on the University's St. Thomas campus. Basic and intermediate courses will be offered. Each course costs $200. A late fee of $25 will be charged for those who sign up after the posted registration deadlines. To register, or for additional information, call UVI-CELL at 693-1100 or visit http://cell.uvi.edu.

The basic computer course will be offered on Mondays and Wednesdays from July 23 through Aug. 11. The course will teach basic skills needed to operate a computer and use commercial software packages. Participants will explore Windows, word processing functions, spreadsheet basics, using the Internet, email and much more. The registration deadline for the intermediate course is Friday, July 11.

The intermediate course is scheduled for Mondays and Wednesdays from Aug. 28 through Sept. 8. This course will allow students to explore advanced topics such as troubleshooting PCs, the internal structure of a PC, using system tools to maintain peak performance and much more. The registration deadline for the advanced course is Friday, Aug. 1.

CELL to Offer Taxi and Tour
Certification Program in August

A six-week certification program for Virgin Islands taxi and tour operators will be offered by UVI's Community Engagement and Lifelong Learning (CELL) Center beginning on August 7. The program, with classes from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursdays, covers the areas of customer service, V.I. history and culture, points of interest and presentation skills. The training costs $250 and includes materials. Students are required to pass a 100-question exam and to demonstrate presentation skills in order to receive certification.

The program was developed by UVI's CELL Center and is endorsed by the U.S.V.I. Hotel and Tourism Association and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association. To register, call the UVI-CELL Center at 693-1100 or visit http://cell.uvi.edu.

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