New & Updated Items for Thursday, Sept. 20, 2012
UVI's Fall Research Symposium Planned on St. Thomas for Sunday, Sept. 23
The University of the Virgin Islands invites the community to attend the 14th Annual Fall Student Research Symposium from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 23, at the St. Thomas campus Administration and Conference Center. The symposium showcases the excellence and diversity of UVI student research and increases awareness of student research opportunities. During the summer, UVI students conduct research on both campuses along with off-island institutions such as Boston University, the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Western Michigan University, the University of Puerto Rico, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Johns Hopkins University, Michigan State University, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Texas A&M University, Southern Illinois University and the University of Southern Mississippi.
More than 40 undergraduate and graduate students will make poster presentations to display the results of their research experiences.
A news release is available on the UVI homepage - http://www.uvi.edu - and from this direct link.
Ideas & Issues Friday Forums @ Fifty Resumes on Sept. 25
UVI's Golden Jubilee Operations Committee and the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences invite the public to a special edition of Ideas & Issues Friday Forms @ Fifty. The forum will be held at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 25, and will be videoconferenced between Evans Center room 401 on the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix and the Business Administration Building room 110 on the St. Thomas campus.
The topic is "Remember Derek Walcott @ UVI - Our Time with a Nobel Laureate." Presenters are Dr. Vincent Cooper, Dr. Patricia Harkins-Pierre, Jane Coombs - faculty of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. There will be a discussion of "Marie LaVeau," an unpublished play written and produced while Walcott was playwright-in-residence at UVI, and a literary reading by Dr. Cooper (who acted in the original production), Dr. Harkins-Pierre and students. A presentation of Walcott's water color sketches of costumes, sets, and other production scenery will be on display at UVI in the Administration and Conference Center second floor conference room.
For more information, call Judith Rogers at (340) 692-4132.
UVI 'Fall Fest' Scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 27, on St. Thomas Campus
Current and prospective UVI students are invited to explore the broad array of academic and extracurricular programs that UVI has to offer at the St. Thomas campus Fall Fest 2012. This year's theme is "Gateway to Golden Opportunities." It will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 27, at the Sports and Fitness Center. Fall Fest will feature the Annual Health Fair; a Student Activities Fair with clubs, organizations and a voter's registration drive; and an Open House for prospective students. The Health Fair will run until 4 p.m.
New this year is a Majors Fair that will provide information on academic majors to prospective students and to current UVI students who are undecided, pre-major, considering changing majors, or are clarifying career paths within selected majors. There will also be information on internships and career opportunities.
Fall Fest is free and is also open to UVI faculty and staff, and the wider UVI community. There will be prizes and giveaways throughout the day.For more information call (340) 693-1087 or (340) 693-1124, or send e-mail to vrivers@live.uvi.edu or rhache2@live.uvi.edu.
Public Asked to Mark their Calendars for UVI's 'Golden Gala' Fundraisers
The final public event of UVI's 50th Anniversary Golden Jubilee celebrations will be Golden Gala fundraisers on St. Thomas and St. Croix. The entire community is invited to celebrate with UVI at the black-tie events. On St. Thomas the Golden Gala will be held at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 1 at Marriott Frenchman's Reef and Morning Star Resort. On St. Croix the Golden Gala will be held at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8 at the Divi Carina Bay Beach Resort and Casino. The public is invited to mark their calendars for "A Grand Affair to End the Year." Ticket prices and locations will be announced shortly. For more information contact Liza Margolis at (340) 693-1053 or lmargol@live.uvi.edu.
UVI Soccer Team Scores First Win
UVI's Men's Soccer scored its first win on Sept. 18 in a match against Puerto Rico's Politechnica University with a 6-1 victory. The triumph came after UVI lost its first three consecutive games in the second season of LAI soccer play. The match was played at the Paul E. Joseph Stadium on St. Croix.
The remaining season schedule as released by the Athletic Department is as follows:
Sept. 22 2:00 p.m. UVI at UMET
Sept. 26 2:00 p.m. University of Puerto Rico - Bayamon at UVI - St. Croix
Sept. 29 2:00 p.m. University of Puerto Rico - Carolina at UVI - St. Croix
Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27 Crossover Divisional Matches (based on September record)
Nov. 3 Playoffs Start
UVI's Endowed Chair in Entrepreneurship to be Featured on Talk Show
Dr. Chandra Mishra, UVI's recently appointed Kiril Sokoloff Endowed Chair in Entrepreneurship, will be a guest on the Abdul Ali Talk Show on 970 AM WSTX at 12:45 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22. Dr. Mishra is UVI's first endowed chair. At UVI, Dr. Mishra will also serve as a special assistant to the president for entrepreneurial initiatives. He will also be responsible, in part, for the development and implementation of a new Center for Entrepreneurship, overall guidance and oversight of the 13D Student Entrepreneurship Competition, and the cultivation and promotion of entrepreneurship throughout the University and the Territory. Dr. Mishra is based on the St. Thomas campus.
Dr. Mishra can be contacted at (340) 693-1310 or at chandra.mishra@live.uvi.edu.
UVI Final 2012 Phonathon Continues Through Thursday
In a last major push to reach a historic 50 percent alumni giving rate, the University of the Virgin Islands Office of Institutional Advancement is hosting its final Alumni Phonathon of 2012. Scheduled to run nightly until Sept. 20, each evening volunteers will process pledges from traditional and special alumni, and Reichhold Center for the Arts patrons. In January, Dr. Hall challenged UVI alumni to raise the alumni giving rate to 50 percent, in honor of UVI's 50th Anniversary, through a "50 for 50" campaign. If that goal is reached, UVI will be the first Historically Black College and University to hold that distinction.
Donations can be made to UVI though the secured on-line giving site at www.uvi.edu or from this direct link. Donations can also be made by calling (340) 692-4023. Checks may be mailed to: University of the Virgin Islands, Institutional Advancement Office, No. 2 John Brewers Bay, St. Thomas V.I. 00802 or University of the Virgin Islands, Alumni Affairs Office, RR1 10,000, Kingshill V.I. 00850.
For more information call the Office of Institutional Advancement at (340) 693-1047.
St. Thomas Campus Bookstore to Close Three Days for Inventory
The UVI St. Thomas Campus Bookstore will close for the annual end-of-fiscal-year inventory from Sept. 26 to Sept. 30. The bookstore will reopen for regular business hours on Oct. 1. Regular business hours are Monday to Friday. The bookstore is closed on weekends. The staff of the St. Thomas Campus Bookstore regrets any inconvenience caused by this temporary closing.
For more information call (340) 693-1560 or send a fax to (340) 693-1565.
CLEP Dates Set on St. Thomas Campus
Students are advised that the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) test dates for the Fall 2012 semester have been finalized on the St. Thomas campus. CLEP will be administered on Sept. 28, Oct. 10, Oct. 23, Nov. 8, and Nov. 16, 2012, in the CATS computer lab (CA Building Room 123). Students can register for the test at the Office of Access and Enrollment Services' front desk, located on the first floor of the Administration and Conference Center. Test candidates must report to the test site no later than 9:30 a.m. on each test day with appropriate identification and form of payment. Acceptable forms of identification include a current driver's license, state or Federal ID, a current passport, tribal ID card, naturalization card or certificate of citizenship. The cost associated with CLEP is $80.00 per test (payable to College Board) and an additional administrative fee of $15.00 (payable to UVI prior to the test date). Payment must be made in the form of check, money order, or credit card; cash will not be accepted. Students can email cmorris@live.uvi.edu for additional information.
Training Set for UVI Website Content Contributors; RSVP Required
UVI faculty and staff interested in managing their department's section of the UVI website are invited to the Website Content Contributors' Training. Participants must RSVP at least one week before the training. The Trainings will be held as follows.
St. Croix Trainings
10 a.m. to 11a.m., Oct. 19, 2012 - Level 1: Posting Basic Content
11 a.m. to noon, Oct. 19, 2012 - Level 2: Uploading Forms, Brochures & Other Documents
Noon to 1 p.m., Oct 19, 2012 - Level 2.5: Resizing & Uploading Images
2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Oct. 19, 2012 - Working Lab w/ Webmaster
St. Thomas Trainings
9 a.m. to 10 a.m., Dec. 12, 2012 - Level 1: Posting Basic Content
10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Dec. 12, 2012 - Level 2: Uploading Forms Brochures & Other Documents
1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Dec. 12, 2012 - Working Lab w/ Webmaster
During first-level training, participants will learn to log-in to SharePoint, utilize the page edit menu, navigate the tool bar menus to edit a page, layout a page, make a table, preview a webpage and publish a webpage. Tips to ease webpage maintenance will be shared throughout the training. Second-level training participants will learn to upload graphics, forms and brochures into their respective websites. If time permits, the trainer will show participants how to use Microsoft Picture Manager to edit and resize images. Participants should bring a jump drive with text, graphics and other files for posting online.
Interested persons should RSVP to UVI Webmaster Moneca Pinkett, in the UVI Public Relations Office on the St. Thomas campus, via e-mail at mpinket@uvi.edu.
Faculty Encouraged to Complete Survey on 'Faculty Research Interest'
The Office of the Provost and the Office of Sponsored Programs are working on a revision of the University's Directory on Faculty Research Interest and Scholarly Work. In the recent memo of Aug. 31 from President David Hall to the University community, Dr. Hall emphasized the importance of grants and contracts to the advancement of the University. The revision of the directory will serve to assist the Office of Sponsored Programs in identifying possible funding sources that may be of interest to faculty.
All full-time teaching and research faculty are encouraged to complete a survey that will assist in updating the directory. It is available in UVI's myCampus web portal in the Public Announcements folder under the UVI Projects tab, and from this direct link. The survey should be submitted to Dr. Angela McGhee at amcghee@live.uvi.edu, by Oct. 8.
UVI's Process Technology Program Receives Corporate Support
The Virgin Islands Waste Management Authority (VIWMA) and Seven Seas Water will partner with and support the UVI Process Technology Program by providing scholarships, internships and employment opportunities to UVI students.
VIWMA has pledged to provide two $3,000 scholarships to students enrolled in the UVI Process Technology Program annually and one internship per semester to a UVI Process Technology Program student. Graduates of the UVI Process Technology Program will be considered for employment at VIWMA Waste Water Treatment facilities in the territory. The VIWMA scholarship and internship program will be named the Sonya D. Nelthropp Environmental Sciences Scholarship and Internship Program in honor of Sonya D. Nelthropp, a former executive director and past chief planning officer of the VIWMA, who passed away earlier this year.
Seven Seas Water, which operates reverse osmosis desalination plants at the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority power plants on St. Thomas and St. Croix, has agreed to provide one annual $4,000 UVI scholarship to the Process Technology Program. Seven Seas Water will also provide at least one internship per semester to a UVI student enrolled in the program.
A news release is available on the UVI homepage - http://www.uvi.edu - and from this direct link.
Human Resources Office New Hires/Separations List Available for August 2012
The UVI Human Resources Department has released the University's New Hires, Promotions and Separations report for Aug. 1-31, 2012. The list is available to the UVI community via the HR Document Library on the HR/Benefits page of UVI's myCampus web portal - http://mycampus.uvi.edu - and from this direct link.
Do you know this week's "We Are UVI" contributor?
To find out who it is, visit "We Are UVI" at: http://weareuvi.blogspot.com. "We Are UVI" is the our Golden Jubilee blog. It features people sharing CVI/UVI stories from the past 50 years. A new submission is added each week.
This submission was posted Sunday, Sept. 16. It joins stories from Sinclair Wilkinson ('72), Rafe Boulon, Jr. ('76), Carmie Thompson ('10), Frank Mills ('67), James Rakocy, Arah Lockhart ('78), Utha Williams ('82), former UVI President LaVerne Ragster, Marthious Clavier ('02,'08), John Lucas, Maxine Nunez, Rosary Harper, Yegin Habtes, Gloria Callwood, Laurent Javois ('76), Helen Dookhan ('79, '84, '98), Curtis Gilpin ('80), Carolyn O'Neal-Morton ('85), Ali McClean ('93), Constance Gumbs ('87, '91), Malcolm Kirwan ('67), Sharleen Fahie ('86, '93), Sam Hall Jr., Richard Lippke, Randy Brown, Paul Flemming ('95, '98, '99), Kishma Allen ('09), Lawrence Lewis ('73), Aimery Caron, Quilin Mars ('08), Alvincent Hutson ('76), Vincent Cooper ('72), Dennis Parker, UVI President Emeritus Orville Kean, Richard Schrader, Albert Bryan ('04) and Jerome L. McElroy.
Computer Literacy Exam Testing Schedule Now Available Online
The exam text schedule for the upcoming Computer Literacy Exams (CLE) at UVI is now available. Students must register for the CLE via Banweb. The examination is online, and will be administered via Blackboard. All sections of the CLE must be completed and passed in order to receive a passing grade. Students must bring current photo ID to the testing room for verification.
For a full list of exam dates visit the Registrar's page on the UVI website www.uvi.edu or this direct link.
For assistance with web registration contact the Registrar's Office at (340) 692-4103/4158 on St. Croix or (340) 693-1160 on St. Thomas. Direct other questions to Dr. Tonjia Coverdale at tcoverd@uvi.edu or (340) 693-1523.
Other Current Items...
UVI Student Competition Promotes Role Swap with President; Winners Get $1,000 Scholarship
Ever wondered what it would be like to be President of the University of the Virgin Islands?
If you had a chance, what would you say or do to make a difference in the lives of UVI students, faculty and staff? UVI's first President for a Day Competition will give two UVI students - one on St. Thomas and one on St. Croix - an opportunity to trade places for one day with UVI President Dr. David Hall. All UVI students are eligible for the competition.
During the Fall 2012 semester, President Hall will swap roles with one UVI student on St. Thomas. The contest will shift to the Albert A. Sheen campus on St. Croix during the Spring 2013 semester. The winning students will also receive $1,000 scholarships. The deadline for entering the competition on St. Thomas is Oct. 1, 2012. The deadline on St. Croix will be Feb. 7, 2013.
Details on the program and application forms are available from a link button on the UVI homepage - http://www.uvi.edu - and from this direct link.
The Caribbean Writer Publishes Volume 26; Dedicated to Nature and Ecology
The University of the Virgin Islands continues the celebration of its 50th Anniversary with the release of Volume 26 of its international literary gem, The Caribbean Writer, a volume dedicated to nature and overflowing with brilliant writing and art in celebration of the natural environment.
Volume 26 boasts literary content that covers a number of genres, including poetry, personal essays, short stories and book reviews. The visually stunning cover art by Amy Laskin, from Jamaica, features a detailed painting of a croton set into a pristine, verdant, Caribbean landscape.
A news release and look at the cover art are available on the UVI homepage - http://www.uvi.edu - and from this direct link.
UVI Writing Center on St. Croix Lists Schedule; Seeks Input on Workshop Topics
The UVI Writing Center at MB 104 on the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. During the fall semester the center is planning to conduct workshops on areas that pose the most problems for students, such as subject/verb agreement, Modern Language Association (MLA) and American Psychological Association (APA) formats, and sentence structure and development. Professors are asked to suggest other areas of concern to the center. All are also invited to visit the center and become familiar with its offerings. Students are strongly encouraged to work with the center consistently, rather than only when they are in crisis. Send suggested topics for workshops via email to Writing Center Director Valerie Combie at vcombie@live.uvi.edu.
UVI Center for Students Success Encourages Students to Take Advantage of Tutorial Services
UVI's Center for Student Success issued the following information regarding tutorial services. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the services provided for their success.
St. Thomas
- CAB 118 (CATS) hours: Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 7 pm; Friday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- CSS - Library (northeast corner) variable hours: Monday through Friday, as well as on Sundays until the Library closes
Students who require tutoring in particular courses or at other times or locations should contact the Center at (340) 693-1583, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
St. Croix
Tutorials are also provided on the Albert A. Sheen Campus at various hours in both the Math Center and Writing Center. For more information, call (340) 692-4140 or 692-4183.
UVI Staff Council Seeking Nominations for Group II Officers and UVI Senate
The UVI Staff Council (UVISC) is seeking nominations for Group II officers and for UVISC representatives on the UVI Senate. Regular, professional and administrative staff members are asked to return their ballots to Staff Council Chair Raquel Silver at rsantia@live.uvi.edu or to Nominations/Elections Chair Dale Morton at dmorton@live.uvi.edu by Friday, Sept. 21.
Nominations are open for the positions of Vice Chair, Secretary/Treasurer, Regular Staff Representative-STT, Administrative Staff Representative-STT, Chair-Human Resources Committee and Chair-Membership Committee. There are also four UVI Senate positions - two STT and two STX - open for nomination.
For more information contact Raquel Silver at rsantia@live.uvi.edu.
Free Student/Teacher and Public Workshops on Ivanna Eudora Kean Aquaponics Program Planned
The VI Network of Environmental Educators (VINE), in collaboration with the VI Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (VI-EPSCoR), will host two free informational workshops introducing the Aquaponics Tilapia Farm and Garden at Ivanna Eudora Kean High School. The general public is invited to the second workshop at 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 21, at the school campus.
Workshop sessions will include tours of the facility, multiple guest speakers and demonstrations. The focus will be on aquaponics methods, the system's benefits for the USVI community and economy, and how individuals can get involved. Refreshments will be provided. Space is limited. Those planning to attend should send an email to apenn@friendsvinp.org or (340) 779-4940. They may also contact Kean High School at (340) 775-6380.
UVI RT-Park to Accept Bids for Sale of Used Vehicle
The UVI RTPark has announced it will accept sealed bids for the sale of a 2005 Ford Freestyle. Bid documents may be obtained from the UVI Purchasing Department between the hours of 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Sept. 17 through Sept. 21. The vehicle, a one-owner with 70,365 miles on odometer, will be sold as-is (no warranty), and is located at the RTPark offices on the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix, at the dorm complex (the first completed building) on the right side of the Palm Drive entrance. For more information, contact Melissa Miller at (340) 692-4200.
CELL Notes...
PRAXIS Prep Course to be Offered at UVICELL on St. Thomas in September
Registration is now open for the PRAXIS preparation course offered by the University of the Virgin Islands - Community Engagement and Lifelong Learning (UVICELL) Center in collaboration with the V.I. Department of Education.
The six-week course will be held 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays beginning Sept. 22. Classes will be held at the UVICELL Center on the St. Thomas campus.
The course is designed for secondary school teachers or elementary content area teachers (art, music, physical education, etc.) hired after the 1995-1996 school year who are required to take the PRAXIS exam. The prep course prepares teachers for the exam so that they can be designated as highly qualified in order to meet the mandates of the Federal No Child Left Behind Act. For more information or to register, call the UVICELL Center at (340) 693-1100 or visit http://cell.uvi.edu.
UVI-CELL to Offer Six-week Praxis II Preparation Course on St. Thomas
UVI's Community Engagement and Lifelong Learning (CELL) Center will offer a six-week, classroom course designed to prepare teachers to take and pass the Praxis II exam. The course will be offered from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on six Saturdays - Sept. 22 and 29, and Oct. 6, 13, 20 and 27. The course will use clear explanations, numerous examples, and graphics and animation, to prepare teachers to take the Praxis II test. Sessions take place at the CELL Center on UVI's St. Thomas campus. The fee is $500. For more information and to sign-up for the course call UVI-CELL at (340) 693-1100.
October Course to Focus on Getting the Most of Your Smart Phone or Tablet
Smart phones and tablets - the latest technological advances - are designed to make lives easier, but the novice user can be overwhelmed. To unravel the mystery of these devices, the UVI Community Engagement and Lifelong Learning (CELL) Center will conduct a course to help novice users understand their devices and use their capabilities to the fullest.
Although titled Mastering Your iPhone/iPad, the course is open to individuals with any smart phone or tablet device. The three-week course will be held 6 to 8 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays beginning on Oct. 8. The cost is $150 for 15 hours of instruction. Students will learn to master basic features and functions, efficiently operate their devices, integrate apps into their daily lives, sync with other devices and other applications, and personalize their devices. Sessions will be held at the UVICELL Center on the St. Thomas campus. For more information on the workshop, call Debra Stevens (340) 693-1108 or visit http://cell.uvi.edu.