‘Keepin’ It Clean in 2017’ Participants Honored for Recycling Initiatives Seventh and eighth grade students from the Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School (BCB) as well as fourth and fifth grade students from Lockhart Elementary School were honored for their participation in campus-wide recycling initiatives to remove thousands of single-use water bottles, plastic bags and hundreds of aluminum cans from their schools and neighborhoods during the latter part of spring 2017.
The “Keepin’ It Clean in 2017” project was funded through a grant to the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program, that paired UVI Masters in Marine and Environmental Science (MMES) students, Kristen Ewen and Vernita Smith, with Topaze Lake of Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School (BCBMS) and Juelis Hodge of Lockhart Elementary School and their students.
Combined, the students removed over 2,500 plastic water bottles, 1,300 plastic bags, and 900 aluminum cans. In a short video PSA created by Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School students and their teacher, Topaze Lake, several students shared the goals of the recycling drive and were later shown assessing those goals by counting the amount of plastic water bottles, plastic bags, and aluminum cans collected. The items were shipped to Terracyle, a stateside company, which recycles and upcycles materials into products that can be reused, like shoes and benches.
More information is available in a news release on the News section of the UVI Web site http://www.uvi.edu/
Middle States Commission Re-affirms Accreditation with High Praise The University of the Virgin Islands accreditation has been reaffirmed by the Middles States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), the accrediting body for institutions of higher education in the Middle States region. The commission notified the University of the reaffirmation of their accreditation in a June 26th letter.
The commission acknowledged the institution’s participation in their new Collaborative Implementation Project in the June 26, letter from the Commission. As part of the accreditation process the University submitted a self-study report and underwent a Site Evaluation Team visit on March 19-22, 2017. The MSCHE commended the institution for the quality of the self-study process and report.
Dr. Hall recognized the Administrative Leader of the self-study and reaffirmation of accreditation process, and Editor-in-Chief Tina M. Koopmans. Also recognized, were the Steering Committee Co-Chairs, Dr. Frank Mills and Dr. Magdalene Tobias. The Standard Subcommittee Chairs were Professor Aubrey Washington, Attorney Nandi Sekou, Dr. Glenn Metts, Dr. Stephen Moore, Dr. Lonnie Hudspeth, Dr. Adam Parr, and Judith Rogers. The University’s next accreditation visit is not until 2025-2026.
More information is available in a news release on the News section of the UVI Web site http://www.uvi.edu/
VI SBDC to Host Free Seminar Series The Virgin Islands Small Business Development Center (VI SBDC), will hold a new seminar series from July 12 to 21, 2017. The series will give the Virgin Islands a jump start in stimulating business in the territory. Admission is free, but preregistration is required. A limited number of established businesses will be selected to have individualized consultation with The Willson Company and VI SBDC business advisors.
The seminars are scheduled from 8-10 a.m. at the VI SBDC Training Facility at Nisky Center. Business consultations will happen at the selected individual business locations in the afternoons. The seminars will be held at the VI SBDC Training Facility, second Floor, East Wing, Nisky Center, Suite 720, and St. Thomas. The audience will consist of established business owners, business managers, and employees. Please feel free to register at the online portal: https://sbdcvi.ecenterdirect.com/events
For more information contact Network Marketing Coordinator, Mary Joe Williams at 776-3206, or via e-mail at mwillia@uvi.edu.
Register Now for University Buccaneers Basketball Camps UVI presents the Bucs Basketball camps this summer, which are designed to focus on the interest and needs of basketball players by stressing fundamentals and team concepts. The camp will specifically ensure personal instruction in a positive, Christian environment. This camp will provide the finest instruction for children in grades k-12. The Fundamental Camp begins on Aug. 3-5, the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix and Aug. 10-12, on the St. Thomas Campus 8 a.m. to noon. The inaugural price is only $75.
Registration is on Aug1 and 2, at the St. Croix Location: Educational Complex; and on August 8 and 9 in SFC on the St. Thomas Campus, VIP Room 211. Pre-Registration Times are 7-9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p. m. Also, there will be a $5 discount when you pre-register for the inaugural camp.
Members in this club will receive the following: free official Junior Bucs T-shirt; free admission to all Men’s/ Women’s Home Basketball games; special Birthday Recognition (during Halftime of the UVI games); and one free basketball clinic (fall only, summer camps are not included).
For more information contact the Athletics Depart at 693-1199.
UVI School of Education to Offer New Course Are you interested in becoming a Speech Language Pathologist and would like to know more about the profession? Consider enrolling in the Special Topics Introduction to Communication Disorders Course in Fall Session 2017.
For more information, contact Dr. Karen Brown, speech language pathologist at karen.brown@uvi.edu or 693-1173.
Hurricane Preparedness Manual for 2017 Available Online The UVI Emergency Management Committee encourages all UVI employees to become familiar with the Hurricane Preparedness guidelines as outlined in the 2017 Hurricane Preparedness Manual. The manual contains the six phases of preparedness levels outlining the responsibilities of each phase and those of the emergency preparedness team, representatives, coordinators, facilities management and administration. Identify the coordinators or representatives in your areas and review the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook. The 2017 Hurricane Preparedness Manual is now available for access by the University community from the Emergency Preparedness page of the UVI Web site http://www.uvi.edu
NOAA’s prediction as of May 25 calls for an above-normal hurricane season. Employees are also strongly encouraged to prepare emergency plans and emergency kits for their families. Review FEMA’s basic checklist as outlined at https://www.ready.gov/kit and prepare your personal Emergency Supply Kit.
For additional information on UVI Emergency Preparedness Plans, contact the campus coordinators, Nereida Washington at nwashin@uvi.edu for the Albert A. Sheen Campus and Charles Martin at cmartin@uvi.edu for St. Thomas Campus. Be prepared, monitor your favorite weather station and contact UVI Hotlines for hurricane related news releases at 692-4168 on St. Croix or 693-1016 on St. Thomas.
Students, Employees Urged to Sign Up for UVI’s Rave Emergency Notification System The beginning of the annual Atlantic Hurricane Season is the perfect time for all UVI students and employees to sign up for UVI’s Rave emergency notification system which is used to share critical information via text messages and e-mail. Participants simply add their cell phone numbers and e-mail addresses to the “Personal Information” page in UVI’s BanWeb accounts. Those who have already added information to the system are encouraged to periodically check their details in case updates are needed. UVI will periodically issue Rave system test announcements.
UVI Announces Summer CLEP Testing Schedule The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) is pleased to announce CLEP exam dates for the Summer 2017 semester. The College Level Exam Program (CLEP) is a computer-based exam taken by college students with previous knowledge of the subject matter and is taken in lieu of college courses. Students can earn college credit by achieving qualifying scores on any of the 33 exams offered by CLEP.
Students interested in taking the CLEP exam should first consult their academic advisors. To register for the exam, students should visit the College Board Web site at https://clep.collegeboard.org/register/exam. Once the online registration has been completed, students should then contact the appropriate testing center to schedule an appointment.
Testing Centers are located at the UVICELL Center on their respective islands. On St. Croix, the UVICELL Center is located at 23A Hospital Street Frederiksted. On St. Thomas, the testing site is located at the UVICELL Center on the UVI St. Thomas Campus.
The CLEP testing schedule is as follows:
St. Croix:
- 12:30 p.m. – Thursday, June 15
- 12:30 p.m. – Tuesday, July 11
- 12:30 p.m. – Thursday, July 13
St. Thomas
- 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. – Wednesday, June 28
- 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. – Wednesday, July 26
For testing fees, eligible courses or more information on the CLEP exam, contact the UVICELL Center at 693-1100 on St. Thomas or 692-4230 on St. Croix. Students may also visit the UVICELL Web site at http://cell.uvi.edu/programs/clep-testing.aspx.
