Since the late 60s, the University of the Virgin Islands has used funding made available through the Title III, Part B program and its predecessor to develop the institution's infrastructural capacity (physical, fiscal and administrative) to better serve its students and the Virgin Islands community. With the inclusion of the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA) grant program in 2010, the institution has been able to strategically address institutional challenges.
Some of the projects that have been funded in whole or in part by the UVI Title III and SAFRA programs include:
- UVI Center for Student Success - In October 1997, the UVI Freshman Center and Development Program began serving the freshman population. Funded in part by Title III through its Comprehensive Freshman Year Experience Program, the Center is designed to facilitate the students' transition to college life. In 2006, the Freshman Center was transformed to the Campus Advising and Tutorial Services (CATS) Center, which provides advising and tutorial services for all students in need. CATS was later incorporated into the Center for Student Success-a unit that integrates the institutional initiatives and services to support student retention, persistence and success.
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Construction of the Music Suite in 1998 -
Title III funds were added to a grant from the US Department of the Interior to provide
a state-of-the-art facility for music majors at the University, replacing the wing
of the metal hangar building that previously housed the Music Program, and which was
severely damaged by Hurricane Marilyn in 1995. -
Development of the Inter-campus communication system in 1997- This communication system benefits the University by delivering learning opportunities between campuses and into the community.
This decreases the University's costs for expenses such as travel for inter-island
conferences, and additional staff for lecture classes on both islands. -
Creation of Minors in Environmental Sciences and Health Sciences-Led by Dr. Paul Jobsis, this project created two new minors in Environmental Sciences and Health Sciences during the 2012-17 Part B grant cycle. Students in a variety of disciplines are now able to take courses that expose them to educational opportunities that were previously unavailable at the University of the Virgin Islands, making their degrees much more marketable in the workplace.
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Advancing Learning Environments - Supported by funds from the SAFRA grant program, this project increased the number of technology based classrooms at the University, increasing the number of technology-based classrooms on both campuses from 49 to 80.
- St. John Academic Center-In early 2011, with support from the SAFRA grant program, UVI established its first academic presence on the island of St. John. With classrooms in Cruz Bay that are linked by video-conferencing technology to classes on St. Croix and St. Thomas, students that reside on St. John are able to take several of their classes on that island, thereby reducing the need to travel to St. Thomas.
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Teaching Radio Broadcasting – The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) expanded its broadcast
journalism offerings with Title III support for the creation of a student radio station—WUVI.
This on-air laboratory allows students to obtain hands-on experience in all aspects
of operating a radio station, providing skills that are transferrable to the workplace
after graduation.
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ESL (English as a Second Language) Undergraduate Endorsement- This project enhanced the undergraduate teacher education program in the School of Education by including an ESL component in the form of a concentration to its elementary education program. The project supported preparation for teachers' certification and assisted the School of Education with the accreditation mandates recommended by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).