In the regular session of its quarterly meeting Saturday, in the Medical Simulation Center on the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix, the University of the Virgin Islands Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve two new academic degree programs – a Professional Science Master’s in marine and environmental science and an Associate of Arts in general studies.
The new master’s degree is a two-year program designed to prepare students to enter the workforce as marine and environmental science professionals. It offers persons currently working as educators, natural resource managers, ecotourism specialists, and others an opportunity to enhance their professional skills and develop a working understanding and experience in marine and environmental science research, according to the press release.
“These professional science master’s degrees have been around for quite some time nationally,” said UVI Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Camille McKayle. “They are usually degrees where you might not expect students are going to get a Ph.D. but are going into the workforce.”
UVI’s current master’s in marine and environmental science is thesis-based, requiring students to conduct original research and formally present it. The new program will be course-based, allowing students in their second year to take elective courses and participate in a professional internship or gain additional job experience for those already working in the field, the press release stated.
“We think this will encourage a more diverse student cohort as a number of students did not, for various reasons, do a thesis and are in the community working and being productive as marine science professionals and this type of degree will actually allow students to finish a master’s with internship and work experience,” explained McKayle.
Additionally, the program will highlight internationally recognized current research and use cutting-edge 21st-century methodology and equipment. Guest professors, presenters, and workshop project leaders from across the nation will provide depth and breadth to the program content and add diverse, quality experiences for students, the release stated.
The new associate degree program, housed in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, will give students who have not chosen a degree program a path to explore multiple fields and make an informed decision about what field they would like to pursue while working toward a degree, it said.
“There is a trend of students graduating with a high school diploma and getting an associate degree in general studies. What we have created here is a way for students, whether they are using UVI as a stepping stone to get somewhere else or want to augment their high school diploma, this new degree program will give students additional opportunities,” said McKayle.
During the meeting, UVI President David Hall highlighted the achievements of UVI students and faculty as well as various university initiatives. As is customary during the board meetings, Hall presented the President’s Appreciation Award in recognition of the excellence and commitment of those employees and UVI units that have performed exceptionally within the past quarter.
The President’s Appreciation Award for this term was presented to Beverley A. Lansiquot, dean of UVI’s School of Nursing, and the faculty of the School of Nursing. Lansiquot, who began her association with UVI as a nursing student at the College of the Virgin Islands over 50 years ago, will be retiring at the end of July 2024. Lansiquot’s leadership and the dedication of the faculty have greatly contributed to the success of the nursing program at UVI. Her advocacy was instrumental in ensuring the institution received funding for a Bachelor of Science in the nursing program on the Albert A. Sheen Campus, according to the release.
UVI’s nursing students continue to outperform the national average on the rigorous national standardized licensure exams which is due in large part to the quality and rigor of the nursing program at UVI and that of the faculty and the leadership of Lansiquot. In fact, 100 percent of the BSN graduates on St. Croix passed the National Council Licensure Exam on the first sitting during the most recent period, it said.
In other business, the board voted unanimously to request a fiscal 2024 appropriation of $38.9 million to cover salaries, benefits, equipment, supplies, and incidental expenses of the university for its operations and programs. This includes the cost to provide legislatively mandated programs and a multitude of other programs such as the Hospitality and Tourism program, the BSN program on the Albert A. Sheen Campus, the Agriculture Science and Aquaculture program, UVI Center for Excellence in Leadership and Learning programs, and programs designed to prepare high school students for college, the release stated.
The board last met in regular session on Oct. 21, 2023. A complete list of board meetings is available on the Board of Trustees page on the UVI website www.uvi.edu and from this direct link.
For more information, contact pr@uvi.edu.
