UVI to Resume Campus Operations This Fall; University President Announces Re-Opening Procedures During Town Hall Meeting University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) President David Hall Ph.D. addressed the UVI community on Tuesday, June 30, during a virtual town hall meeting to discuss the university’s fall 2020 semester plans and operations in light of the continued challenges posed by COVID-19. Dr. Hall outlined plans to gradually resume in-person instruction this fall with restrictions and preventative measures to ensure the safety of students, employees and the public.
In the virtual meeting hosted on Zoom, Dr. Hall also answered questions from students relative to university housing and dining services, the resumption of classes and coronavirus testing.
“The first principle we are keeping in the forefront of all our actions and decisions is to ensure the health and safety of our students and our employees,” said Hall. “Secondly, we will continue to base our decisions on the guidance provided by the V.I. Department of Health (VIDOH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC),” he said. “These principles are the bedrock for what we are trying to do to lower the risk to everyone while returning to our campuses and fulfilling our mission as a university.”
When campuses reopen in early August, all staff and students will be required to wear face masks on campus, in all common areas, in offices and when entering and exiting classrooms. The university will try to provide reusable face masks to students at the beginning of the fall semester and will make masks available at a nominal cost to ensure compliance with this requirement.
In adherence to the social distancing guidelines as set forth by the VIDOH and CDC, individuals participating in campus activities, including indoor and outdoor gatherings, classes or congregating in waiting rooms and lobbies, will be required to maintain a distance of at least six feet from each other.
More information is available in a news release on the Media Section of the UVI website – http://www.uvi.edu/
UVI School of Nursing Captures Two Prestigious National Awards The newly formed University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) Student Nurses Association (SNA) chapter captured two national awards from the National Student Nurses Association (NSNA). After the announcement of the 2020 Program Award Winners, UVI School of Nursing’s (SON) SNA was named the recipient of the Winner’s Way Award and the NSNA State Excellence Award.
Three students of the SON were also named as nominees for three prestigious awards. Valdeen Croft was nominated for the NSNA Isabel Hampton Robb Leadership Award. Shaunte Rawlins was nominated for the NSNA Core Values Award and Camille Emanuel for the NSNA Ambassador Award. All three students graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in May 2020.
“This achievement also realizes the goal of the SON to provide opportunities for students to engage in professional and leadership development opportunities that are available through the NSNA,” said Beverly Lansiquot Ph.D., dean of the School of Nursing.
SON would have been honored for these achievements at the NSNA 68th Annual Convention in Orlando Fla., in April, had the COVID-19 outbreak not occurred.
More information is available in a news release on the Media Section of the UVI website – http://www.uvi.edu/
USVI Storm Strong Program Searches for “Easy Recipes for Hard Times” The USVI Storm Strong program is calling on the U.S. Virgin Islands community to submit recipes for a hurricane-themed cookbook.
Stocking up on non-perishable food is an important part of hurricane preparation and many Virgin Islanders find creative and delicious ways to spice up their meals during and following a storm. The USVI Storm Strong team would like to know your favorite hurricane recipes for the “One Territory, One Pot community cookbook. Once completed, this cookbook will be published digitally and free to download as a PDF file from the USVI Storm Strong website. Submission details and instructions can be found at the USVI Storm Strong Website at www.usvistormstrong.org/hurricane-cookbook or by texting or calling 244-7188.
“This cookbook will be a resource created by the community, for the community and it will give families across the USVI helpful tips, tricks, and meal ideas when preparing for, facing, and recovering from, a hurricane or other natural disaster,” says Dr. Kristin Grimes, assistant professor at the University of the Virgin Islands and USVI Storm Strong team lead.
More information is available in a news release on the Media Section of the UVI website – http://www.uvi.edu/
The USVI Storm Strong Program – Play the Games and Win! The USVI Storm Strong Program has created remote learning activities that the USVI community can participate in that enables them to engage in fun disaster activities, as well as the opportunity to win cool hurricane preparedness supplies like solar battery chargers and coolers. Enter to win by Aug. 1 at https://www.usvistormstrong.org/remote-learning
These are just some of the prizes you can win by participating in our Storm Strong remote learning activities. Other prizes include battery-powered fans, first-aid kits, coolers (medication size), waterproof cases for phones, king-sized mosquito nets, handheld solar chargers, 5-gallon gas cans, crank radios and battery-powered lanterns.
For additional information, contact Howard Forbes Jr. at 513-7203.
