March 10, 2003 – The University of the Virgin Islands Bulletin Board issued today has these announcements:
Inaugural Week Public Events
The following public events are among the activities leading up to the inauguration of Dr. LaVerne Ragster as the University's fourth president on Sunday, March 16. For more details, visit the Inaugural Page and Inaugural Schedule on the UVI Web Site. More information is also available in Source articles in Schools, Things To Do, and Community/ Other sections.
Exhibits, continuing Monday, March 10, through Sunday, March 16
Intellectual, Literary and Arts Exhibits – Daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Intellectual and literary work of past and current UVI faculty will be featured at the UVI libraries on both campuses.
Virgin Islands Art Exhibit – Daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
A special display of artwork created by Virgin Islanders is featured in the VIP Room of the UVI Sports and Fitness Center. The exhibit includes a "family corner" chronicling the life and ancestry of Dr. Ragster through art. Dr. Ragster was toasted by members of the university community and her own family at an informal grand opening of the exhibit at noon on Monday. Professor Gene Emanuel served as master of ceremonies, UVI Queen Alba Harrigan presented Dr. Ragster with a corsage, UVI student Ervin Dorsett, Jr. performed an original musical selection and Professor Hilda Joyce provided a reading from one of her works.
Reichhold Center's 25 Year Retrospective – Daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
A display showcasing a quarter century of growth at the Reichhold Center for the Arts, St. Thomas' premier performing arts forum, is being featured at the Reichhold Center's gallery on the St. Thomas campus.
Public forum on the Political Status of the U.S. Virgin Islands
On Wednesday, March 12, from 8 to 10 p.m., a public forum on the Political Status of the U.S. Virgin Islands will be featured as a special edition of WTJX TV's "Face to Face." Addie Ottley moderates. Panelists include: retired UVI professor Dr. Ruth Beagles, who served as a delegate on the Fourth Virgin Islands Constitutional Convention; Dr. Paul Leary, a retired UVI professor and author of "Major Political Documents of the United States Virgin Islands;" Basil Ottley, former editor of Pride Magazine; and former V.I. Sen. Violet Anne Golden. Venue: Chase Auditorium (room B-110), with videoconference link to the Theater (room EC 401) on St. Croix. The program will be broadcast live on WTJX public television.
* * * * *
Special Note to Forum Attendees:
The public forum will be broadcast live; please arrive by 7:30 p.m.
Engineers from WTJX, V.I. Public Television, remind the university community that the broadcast of the forum from Chase Auditorium and EC401 scheduled Wednesday, March 11, will be a live event. Therefore, those who wish to attend in Chase Auditorium are urged to arrive by 7:30 p.m. Seating in Chase will end at 7:55 p.m. sharp. Once the show has begun, no one seated in the front of the auditorium will be allowed to leave until the end of the broadcast at 10 p.m. Latecomers to Chase Auditorium may be denied entry. Overflow rooms which won't be featured on-camera will be available in Teacher Education room 101 on the St. Thomas campus and in Evans Center room 713 on the St. Croix campus.
* * * * *
Faculty Colloquium on Friday, March 14, from 3 to 5 p.m.
A presentation by Dr. Roy E. McClean, a native St. Thomian and graduate of Eudora Kean High School, on the role that the Virgin Islands and UVI have played in his personal development. Dr. McClean graduated from the College of the Virgin Islands in 1985. He later earned a doctorate in chemistry and now serves as professor of chemistry at the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. Venue: The Theater (room EC 401) on the St. Croix campus, with a videoconference link to Chase Auditorium (room B-110) on St. Thomas.
Cultural Extravaganza on Saturday, March 15, from 7 to 9 p.m.
Music, art, poetry and dance from the Virgin Islands and the Caribbean will be presented at the Sports and Fitness Center, St. Thomas campus. Performing will be UVI's Concert Band and Concert Choir, the Louis Taylor Trio, the Caribbean Chorale, Roan Creque and quadrille dancers. Poetry and dramatic choral readings are also planned.
All events are free.
UVI Scholarship Applications for 2003-2004 Now Available
Applications for scholarships to UVI are now available for high school, undergraduate and graduate students for the 2003-2004 school year. Applications are available at the Financial Aid Offices on UVI's St. Thomas and St. Croix campuses. For more information contact the Financial Aid Offices at 693-1090 on St. Thomas and at 692-4193 on St. Croix.
Applications, along with letters of recommendation, must be returned to UVI by 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 1. April 30 is the admissions deadline for the 2003-2004 school year.
VIMAS Offers Workshop for Teachers on 'Sound in the Sea' Web Site
The Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service (VIMAS) at the Center for Marine and Environmental Studies will sponsor a workshop to show teachers how to best use a unique website titled "The Discovery of Sound in the Sea." Nancy Craven of the Teacher's Institute at the University of Rhode Island's Office of Marine Programs, which sponsors the web site, will present concepts and material dealing with the use of non-vocal sound by marine animals in a format that increases student literacy.
The workshop is set for 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on March 12 in room 101 of the classroom and administration (CA) building on UVI's St. Thomas campus. The workshop, which is free, is limited to 10 participants. For details contact Mayra Suárez-Vélez at 693-1392. More information is available in the St. Thomas and St. John Source article in Schools section.
UVI-Queen Mary Walk/Run Slated March 14
UVI's St. Croix campus invites alumni, students and faculty as well as the Virgin Islands community to participate in the second annual UVI-Queen Mary Highway Walk/Run on Friday, March 14.
The Walk/Run, which is part of the campus' celebration of Charter Day and the inauguration of Dr. Ragster as UVI's fourth president, begins promptly at 6 a.m. (assembly time 5:30 a.m.) in the K-Mart parking lot in Sunshine Mall. It proceeds along the Queen Mary Highway to the university's St. Croix Campus, ending at approximately 8 a.m.
The registration fee is $15 for adults and $12 for students and children. Participants will receive a commemorative T-shirt and towel. Light refreshments will be provided on conclusion of the walk/run. Commemorative prizes will be awarded to the top finishers.
Registration forms are available from the chancellor's office or on-line.
SBDC Offers Spanish Language Business Plan Seminar March 18
UVI Small Business Development Center will conduct a Spanish language version of a seminar entitled "Small Business Fundamentals: Developing A Business Plan (Narrative)" from 5:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 18, at the UVI-SBDC Training Center in the Sunshine Mall on St. Croix. For details and to pre-register by Friday, March 14, call 513-3405 or UVI-SBDC at 692-5270.
Workshops to Focus on Effective Sediment and Erosion Control Plan Training
Workshops on Developing an Effective Sediment and Erosion Control Plan Training will be conducted from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 18, in Room 133 of the Research and Extension Center on UVI's St. Croix campus and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 20, at the SBDC Training Room upstairs in Nisky Center on St. Thomas. The program is sponsored by the UVI Cooperative Extension Service, DPNR Coastal Zone Manageme nt Program and V.I. Resource Conservation and Development Council, Inc.
The workshop is designed for individuals associated with the design and implementation of sediment and erosion control measures and plans. The deadline to register for the workshops is Wednesday, March 12. Workshop sessions are limited to 40 participants. For more information contact Julie Wright at 693-1082 or Faye Williams at 692-9632 extension 101.
UVI Jazz Ensemble, Pianist Mulgrew Miller to Perform March 20
The UVI Jazz Ensemble will present a concert at 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 20, in the Little Theatre on the University's St. Thomas campus. The concert will feature performances by renowned jazz pianist Mulgrew Miller and vocalist Danielle Greenaway. A native of the Mississippi delta, Miller is considered one of the leading pianists of his generation. He has produced more than 400 recordings and has performed around the world.
Miller's UVI concert will include such classic jazz pieces as "Bye Bye Blackbird," "Take the A Train," "'Round Midnight," and "St. Thomas." Vocalist Greenaway will perform "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" and "Blue Skies." Also performing will be pianist/vocalist Detra Davis, who will be featured on "God Bless the Child." The ensemble is conducted by Martin J. Lamkin.
The concert is sponsored by the Music Department of UVI's Humanities Division. It is funded in part by the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional sponsorship by Best Western-Emerald Beach Hotel. Admission is $10. Tickets are available from the UVI Humanities Division, the Music Department and Jazz Ensemble members.
More information about Miller is available in the St. Thomas and St. John Source article in the Music section.
For more on the University of the Virgin Islands, visit the website at www.uvi.edu.

Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

March 10, 2003 – The University of the Virgin Islands Bulletin Board issued today has these announcements:
Inaugural Week Public Events
The following public events are among the activities leading up to the inauguration of Dr. LaVerne Ragster as the University's fourth president on Sunday, March 16. For more details, visit the Inaugural Page and Inaugural Schedule on the UVI Web Site. More information is also available in Source articles in Schools, Things To Do, and Community/ Other sections.
Exhibits, continuing Monday, March 10, through Sunday, March 16
Intellectual, Literary and Arts Exhibits – Daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Intellectual and literary work of past and current UVI faculty will be featured at the UVI libraries on both campuses.
Virgin Islands Art Exhibit – Daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
A special display of artwork created by Virgin Islanders is featured in the VIP Room of the UVI Sports and Fitness Center. The exhibit includes a "family corner" chronicling the life and ancestry of Dr. Ragster through art. Dr. Ragster was toasted by members of the university community and her own family at an informal grand opening of the exhibit at noon on Monday. Professor Gene Emanuel served as master of ceremonies, UVI Queen Alba Harrigan presented Dr. Ragster with a corsage, UVI student Ervin Dorsett, Jr. performed an original musical selection and Professor Hilda Joyce provided a reading from one of her works.
Reichhold Center's 25 Year Retrospective – Daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
A display showcasing a quarter century of growth at the Reichhold Center for the Arts, St. Thomas' premier performing arts forum, is being featured at the Reichhold Center's gallery on the St. Thomas campus.
Public forum on the Political Status of the U.S. Virgin Islands
On Wednesday, March 12, from 8 to 10 p.m., a public forum on the Political Status of the U.S. Virgin Islands will be featured as a special edition of WTJX TV's "Face to Face." Addie Ottley moderates. Panelists include: retired UVI professor Dr. Ruth Beagles, who served as a delegate on the Fourth Virgin Islands Constitutional Convention; Dr. Paul Leary, a retired UVI professor and author of "Major Political Documents of the United States Virgin Islands;" Basil Ottley, former editor of Pride Magazine; and former V.I. Sen. Violet Anne Golden. Venue: Chase Auditorium (room B-110), with videoconference link to the Theater (room EC 401) on St. Croix. The program will be broadcast live on WTJX public television.
* * * * *
Special Note to Forum Attendees:
The public forum will be broadcast live; please arrive by 7:30 p.m.
Engineers from WTJX, V.I. Public Television, remind the university community that the broadcast of the forum from Chase Auditorium and EC401 scheduled Wednesday, March 11, will be a live event. Therefore, those who wish to attend in Chase Auditorium are urged to arrive by 7:30 p.m. Seating in Chase will end at 7:55 p.m. sharp. Once the show has begun, no one seated in the front of the auditorium will be allowed to leave until the end of the broadcast at 10 p.m. Latecomers to Chase Auditorium may be denied entry. Overflow rooms which won't be featured on-camera will be available in Teacher Education room 101 on the St. Thomas campus and in Evans Center room 713 on the St. Croix campus.
* * * * *
Faculty Colloquium on Friday, March 14, from 3 to 5 p.m.
A presentation by Dr. Roy E. McClean, a native St. Thomian and graduate of Eudora Kean High School, on the role that the Virgin Islands and UVI have played in his personal development. Dr. McClean graduated from the College of the Virgin Islands in 1985. He later earned a doctorate in chemistry and now serves as professor of chemistry at the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. Venue: The Theater (room EC 401) on the St. Croix campus, with a videoconference link to Chase Auditorium (room B-110) on St. Thomas.
Cultural Extravaganza on Saturday, March 15, from 7 to 9 p.m.
Music, art, poetry and dance from the Virgin Islands and the Caribbean will be presented at the Sports and Fitness Center, St. Thomas campus. Performing will be UVI's Concert Band and Concert Choir, the Louis Taylor Trio, the Caribbean Chorale, Roan Creque and quadrille dancers. Poetry and dramatic choral readings are also planned.
All events are free.
UVI Scholarship Applications for 2003-2004 Now Available
Applications for scholarships to UVI are now available for high school, undergraduate and graduate students for the 2003-2004 school year. Applications are available at the Financial Aid Offices on UVI's St. Thomas and St. Croix campuses. For more information contact the Financial Aid Offices at 693-1090 on St. Thomas and at 692-4193 on St. Croix.
Applications, along with letters of recommendation, must be returned to UVI by 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 1. April 30 is the admissions deadline for the 2003-2004 school year.
VIMAS Offers Workshop for Teachers on 'Sound in the Sea' Web Site
The Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service (VIMAS) at the Center for Marine and Environmental Studies will sponsor a workshop to show teachers how to best use a unique website titled "The Discovery of Sound in the Sea." Nancy Craven of the Teacher's Institute at the University of Rhode Island's Office of Marine Programs, which sponsors the web site, will present concepts and material dealing with the use of non-vocal sound by marine animals in a format that increases student literacy.
The workshop is set for 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on March 12 in room 101 of the classroom and administration (CA) building on UVI's St. Thomas campus. The workshop, which is free, is limited to 10 participants. For details contact Mayra Suárez-Vélez at 693-1392. More information is available in the St. Thomas and St. John Source article in Schools section.
UVI-Queen Mary Walk/Run Slated March 14
UVI's St. Croix campus invites alumni, students and faculty as well as the Virgin Islands community to participate in the second annual UVI-Queen Mary Highway Walk/Run on Friday, March 14.
The Walk/Run, which is part of the campus' celebration of Charter Day and the inauguration of Dr. Ragster as UVI's fourth president, begins promptly at 6 a.m. (assembly time 5:30 a.m.) in the K-Mart parking lot in Sunshine Mall. It proceeds along the Queen Mary Highway to the university's St. Croix Campus, ending at approximately 8 a.m.
The registration fee is $15 for adults and $12 for students and children. Participants will receive a commemorative T-shirt and towel. Light refreshments will be provided on conclusion of the walk/run. Commemorative prizes will be awarded to the top finishers.
Registration forms are available from the chancellor's office or on-line.
SBDC Offers Spanish Language Business Plan Seminar March 18
UVI Small Business Development Center will conduct a Spanish language version of a seminar entitled "Small Business Fundamentals: Developing A Business Plan (Narrative)" from 5:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 18, at the UVI-SBDC Training Center in the Sunshine Mall on St. Croix. For details and to pre-register by Friday, March 14, call 513-3405 or UVI-SBDC at 692-5270.
Workshops to Focus on Effective Sediment and Erosion Control Plan Training
Workshops on Developing an Effective Sediment and Erosion Control Plan Training will be conducted from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 18, in Room 133 of the Research and Extension Center on UVI's St. Croix campus and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 20, at the SBDC Training Room upstairs in Nisky Center on St. Thomas. The program is sponsored by the UVI Cooperative Extension Service, DPNR Coastal Zone Manageme nt Program and V.I. Resource Conservation and Development Council, Inc.
The workshop is designed for individuals associated with the design and implementation of sediment and erosion control measures and plans. The deadline to register for the workshops is Wednesday, March 12. Workshop sessions are limited to 40 participants. For more information contact Julie Wright at 693-1082 or Faye Williams at 692-9632 extension 101.
UVI Jazz Ensemble, Pianist Mulgrew Miller to Perform March 20
The UVI Jazz Ensemble will present a concert at 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 20, in the Little Theatre on the University's St. Thomas campus. The concert will feature performances by renowned jazz pianist Mulgrew Miller and vocalist Danielle Greenaway. A native of the Mississippi delta, Miller is considered one of the leading pianists of his generation. He has produced more than 400 recordings and has performed around the world.
Miller's UVI concert will include such classic jazz pieces as "Bye Bye Blackbird," "Take the A Train," "'Round Midnight," and "St. Thomas." Vocalist Greenaway will perform "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" and "Blue Skies." Also performing will be pianist/vocalist Detra Davis, who will be featured on "God Bless the Child." The ensemble is conducted by Martin J. Lamkin.
The concert is sponsored by the Music Department of UVI's Humanities Division. It is funded in part by the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional sponsorship by Best Western-Emerald Beach Hotel. Admission is $10. Tickets are available from the UVI Humanities Division, the Music Department and Jazz Ensemble members.
More information about Miller is available in the St. Thomas and St. John Source article in the Music section.
For more on the University of the Virgin Islands, visit the website at www.uvi.edu.

Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

March 2, 2003 – A series of events is planned as part of the celebrations at the University of the Virgin Islands leading up to the inauguration of the fourth president, Dr. LaVerne Ragster, at the Reichhold Center for the Arts on the March 16 Charter Day, which customarily features special UVI activities.
The week begins with the annual "Afternoon on the Green" from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 9, on the St. Thomas campus' golf course. Afternoon on the Green, the Virgin Islands' best outdoor party, features cuisine from around the world prepared by some of the Virgin Islands' finest cooks.
Other events of the week:
Intellectual, literary and arts exhibits, Monday, March 10, through Sunday, March 16, daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
— Intellectual and literary work from past and current UVI faculty will be on display at the Ralph M. Paiewonsky Library on the St. Thomas campus and the Melvin Evans Library on the St. Croix campus.
— The Reichhold Center for the Arts on St. Thomas will present a visual arts display titled "Reichhold Center's 25 Year Retrospective," showcasing the center's growth over the past 25 years.
A Public Forum on the Political Status of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Wednesday, March 12, from 8 to 10 p.m.
The public forum will take place as a special edition of WTJX's "Face to Face" with Addie Ottley as moderator. The four invited panelists who will participate in the discussion are: retired UVI professor Dr. Ruth Beagles, who served as a delegate on the Fourth Virgin Islands Constitutional Convention; Dr. Paul Leary, a retired UVI professor and author of "Major Political Documents of the United States Virgin Islands;" Basil Ottley, former writer for Pride Magazine and The Street Speaker; and former V.I. Sen. Violet Anne Golden.
A question-and-answer period will follow the discussion.
The venue will be UVI's St. Thomas campus Chase Auditorium (room B-110), with videoconference link to the Little Theater (room EC 401) on the St. Croix campus and live broadcast to the WTJX television audience.
Faculty Colloquium, Friday, March 14, from 3 to 6 p.m.
Dr. Roy E. McClean will appear as distinguished presenter at the Faculty Colloquium. McClean, a native St. Thomian and graduate of Charlotte Amalie High School, graduated from the College of the Virgin Islands in 1985 with a bachelor's degree in chemistry with physics. He earned his doctoral degree in chemistry and presently is a professor of chemistry at the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. He will trace his own educational career and speak of the role that the Virgin Islands and the University have played in his personal development. McClean, affectionately known as "Kiddo," will also provide a glimpse into his exciting chemical research.
McClean will speak from the Little Theater (room EC 401) on the University's St. Croix campus, with videoconference link to the Chase Auditorium (room B-110) on the St. Thomas campus.
A question-and-answer period will follow the discussion.
Cultural Extravaganza, Saturday, March 15, from 7 to 9 p.m.
The Cultural Extravaganza will feature music, art, poetry and dance from the Virgin Islands and the Caribbean. The event will be held at the Sports and Fitness Center on UVI's St. Thomas campus. Scheduled to perform are UVI's Concert Band and Concert Choir, the Louis Taylor Trio, the Caribbean Chorale and Roan Creque. There will also be quadrille dancers and a poetry and drama choral reading.
Also part of the Cultural Extravaganza is an art exhibit which will be on display in the Sports and Fitness Center VIP room. The exhibit will feature the work of local artists. There will be a "family corner" chronicling Dr. Ragster's life and ancestry through art.
All events are free. For more information visit UVI's Web site at www.uvi.edu.

Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

March 2, 2003 – A series of events is planned as part of the celebration at the University of the Virgin Islands leading up to the inauguration of fourth president, Dr. LaVerne Ragster, at the Reichhold Center for the Arts on the March 16 Charter Day, which customarily features special activities.
The week begins with the annual "Afternoon on the Green" from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 9, on the St. Thomas campus' golf course. Afternoon on the Green, the Virgin Islands' best outdoor party, features cuisine from around the world prepared by some of the Virgin Islands' finest cooks.
Other events of the week:
Intellectual, literary and arts exhibits, Monday, March 10, through Sunday, March 16, daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
— Intellectual and literary work from past and current UVI faculty will be on display at the Ralph M. Paiewonsky Library on the St. Thomas campus and the Melvin Evans Library on the St. Croix campus.
— The Reichhold Center for the Arts on St. Thomas will present a visual arts display titled "Reichhold Center's 25 Year Retrospective," showcasing the center's growth over the past 25 years.
A Public Forum on the Political Status of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Wednesday, March 12, from 8 to 10 p.m.
The public forum will take place as a special edition of WTJX's "Face to Face" with Addie Ottley as moderator. The four invited panelists who will participate in the discussion are: retired UVI professor Dr. Ruth Beagles, who served as a delegate on the Fourth Virgin Islands Constitutional Convention; Dr. Paul Leary, a retired UVI professor and author of "Major Political Documents of the United States Virgin Islands;" Basil Ottley, former writer for Pride Magazine and The Street Speaker; and former V.I. Sen. Violet Anne Golden.
A question-and-answer period will follow the discussion.
The venue will be UVI's St. Thomas campus Chase Auditorium (room B-110), with videoconference link to the Little Theater (room EC 401) on the St. Croix campus and live broadcast to the WTJX television audience.
Faculty Colloquium, Friday, March 14, from 3 to 6 p.m.
Dr. Roy E. McClean will appear as distinguished presenter at the Faculty Colloquium. McClean, a native St. Thomian and graduate of Charlotte Amalie High School, graduated from the College of the Virgin Islands in 1985 with a bachelor's degree in chemistry with physics. He earned his doctoral degree in chemistry and presently is a professor of chemistry at the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. He will trace his own educational career and speak of the role that the Virgin Islands and the University have played in his personal development. McClean, affectionately known as "Kiddo," will also provide a glimpse into his exciting chemical research.
McClean will speak from the Little Theater (room EC 401) on the University's St. Croix campus, with videoconference link to the Chase Auditorium (room B-110) on the St. Thomas campus.
A question-and-answer period will follow the discussion.
Cultural Extravaganza, Saturday, March 15, from 7 to 9 p.m.
The Cultural Extravaganza will feature music, art, poetry and dance from the Virgin Islands and the Caribbean. The event will be held at the Sports and Fitness Center on UVI's St. Thomas campus. Scheduled to perform are UVI's Concert Band and Concert Choir, the Louis Taylor Trio, the Caribbean Chorale and Roan Creque. There will also be quadrille dancers and a poetry and drama choral reading.
Also part of the Cultural Extravaganza is an art exhibit which will be on display in the Sports and Fitness Center VIP room. The exhibit will feature the work of local artists. There will be a "family corner" chronicling Dr. Ragster's life and ancestry through art.
All events are free. For more information visit UVI's Web site at www.uvi.edu.

Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

March 2, 2003 – A series of events is planned as part of the celebration at the University of the Virgin Islands leading up to the inauguration of fourth president, Dr. LaVerne Ragster, at the Reichhold Center for the Arts on the March 16 Charter Day, which customarily features special activities.
The week begins with the annual "Afternoon on the Green" from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 9, on the St. Thomas campus' golf course. Afternoon on the Green, the Virgin Islands' best outdoor party, features cuisine from around the world prepared by some of the Virgin Islands' finest cooks.
Other events of the week:
Intellectual, literary and arts exhibits, Monday, March 10, through Sunday, March 16, daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
— Intellectual and literary work from past and current UVI faculty will be on display at the Ralph M. Paiewonsky Library on the St. Thomas campus and the Melvin Evans Library on the St. Croix campus.
— The Reichhold Center for the Arts on St. Thomas will present a visual arts display titled "Reichhold Center's 25 Year Retrospective," showcasing the center's growth over the past 25 years.
A Public Forum on the Political Status of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Wednesday, March 12, from 8 to 10 p.m.
The public forum will take place as a special edition of WTJX's "Face to Face" with Addie Ottley as moderator. The four invited panelists who will participate in the discussion are: retired UVI professor Dr. Ruth Beagles, who served as a delegate on the Fourth Virgin Islands Constitutional Convention; Dr. Paul Leary, a retired UVI professor and author of "Major Political Documents of the United States Virgin Islands;" Basil Ottley, former writer for Pride Magazine and The Street Speaker; and former V.I. Sen. Violet Anne Golden.
A question-and-answer period will follow the discussion.
The venue will be UVI's St. Thomas campus Chase Auditorium (room B-110), with videoconference link to the Little Theater (room EC 401) on the St. Croix campus and live broadcast to the WTJX television audience.
Faculty Colloquium, Friday, March 14, from 3 to 6 p.m.
Dr. Roy E. McClean will appear as distinguished presenter at the Faculty Colloquium. McClean, a native St. Thomian and graduate of Charlotte Amalie High School, graduated from the College of the Virgin Islands in 1985 with a bachelor's degree in chemistry with physics. He earned his doctoral degree in chemistry and presently is a professor of chemistry at the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. He will trace his own educational career and speak of the role that the Virgin Islands and the University have played in his personal development. McClean, affectionately known as "Kiddo," will also provide a glimpse into his exciting chemical research.
McClean will speak from the Little Theater (room EC 401) on the University's St. Croix campus, with videoconference link to the Chase Auditorium (room B-110) on the St. Thomas campus.
A question-and-answer period will follow the discussion.
Cultural Extravaganza, Saturday, March 15, from 7 to 9 p.m.
The Cultural Extravaganza will feature music, art, poetry and dance from the Virgin Islands and the Caribbean. The event will be held at the Sports and Fitness Center on UVI's St. Thomas campus. Scheduled to perform are UVI's Concert Band and Concert Choir, the Louis Taylor Trio, the Caribbean Chorale and Roan Creque. There will also be quadrille dancers and a poetry and drama choral reading.
Also part of the Cultural Extravaganza is an art exhibit which will be on display in the Sports and Fitness Center VIP room. The exhibit will feature the work of local artists. There will be a "family corner" chronicling Dr. Ragster's life and ancestry through art.
All events are free. For more information visit UVI's Web site at www.uvi.edu.

Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

March 10, 2003 – Mary's Pilgrims are coming again to St. Thomas, aboard the cruise ship Costa Victoria, on Wednesday, March 19. Approximately 150 Pilgrims from many different countries will be bringing gifts for the needy.
All are invited to participate with them in a day of prayer. There will be a morning procession from Emancipation Garden to Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral, where the Pilgrims will have devotions, talks, a concelebrated Mass at 12:15 p.m. and a Healing Service. Everyone is invited.
This cruise, billed the "Marian Cruise Conference XIV," will continue on to the Dominican Republic, Bahamas, and Venezuela. Other cruise destinations planned for this year include Spain, Lourdes, Italy, Slovakia, and Rome. All Marian cruise conferences are accompanied by several priests, who are available for counseling and confessions, said the Web site.
Go to Mary's Pilgrims Web site for more information.

Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

March 10, 2003 — University of Oklahoma junior and St. Croix Educational Complex graduate Laverne Jones has continued her successful indoor track season at the Big 12 Conference Indoor Track Championships.
She produced 14 points for the Sooner women, finishing second in the 60-meter dash in 7.35 and third in the 200-meter dash in 23.60. Both times were NCAA provisional marks. Jones finished second in the 60 by just .03 seconds.
Both times qualify her for the World Indoor Championships which will be held the same weekend as the NCAA Championships at the end of March. It is likely that Jones will compete in the NCAA event for the indoor championships.
It's also likely she will join the V.I. team for the CAC [Central American and Caribbean] Senior Championships, the Pan American Games and the World Championships later in the summer. Jones is currently world ranked and is listed as sixth in the Caribbean in the 60 and 200 meters.
For more information contact the Virgin Islands Track and Field Federation at 777-0258 or log to the Federation Web site.

Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

March 10, 2003 — "Bye Bye Blackbird." "Take the 'A' Train." "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square." "God Bless the Child."
Those are just a few of the jazz classics to be presented Thursday, March 20, when jazz pianist Mulgrew Miller will be in the spotlight at a concert by the University of the Virgin Islands Jazz Ensemble. Featured on vocals will be Danielle Greenaway and pianist/vocalist Detra Davis, said a release from UVI Jazz Ensemble conductor Martin Lamkin.
The concert will be at 8 p.m. at UVI's Little Theatre on the St. Thomas campus. Tickets, available from the UVI Humanities Division, the Music Department and Jazz Ensemble members, are $10.
Much has been written about Miller's ever-evolving style, according to biographical information included with the release. Hailing from Greenwood, a small town in the Mississippi delta, Miller presents music tinged with the blues/gospel flavor of his beginnings. He studied formally from age eight and performed as a teenager, before arriving in New York with the Duke Ellington Orchestra in 1977.
As a teen, he heard his first jazz record by Oscar Peterson. "I was blown away," Miller is quoted on several Internet sites. "I knew right then that I would be a jazz pianist."
In the summer of '97 he toured Japan with a group of ten pianists called "100 Gold Fingers." He maintains a full agenda including workshops, recordings, commissioned composing, tours and duos with Danish jazz bassist, Niels Henning Ørsted Pedersen. He has produced more than 200 recordings, recently coming out with "Mulgrew Miller and Wingspan," his first recording as leader in seven years, for the new MaxJazz label.
The concert is sponsored by the Music Department of UVI's Humanities Division. It is funded in part by the V.I. Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional sponsorship is provided by Best Western-Emerald Beach Hotel.
In keeping with his full agenda, Miller will offer a free clinic at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 19, in the choir room of the Music Building on the St. Thomas campus. The public is invited.

Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

March 10, 2003 — "Bye Bye Blackbird." "Take the 'A' Train." "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square." "God Bless the Child."
Those are just a few of the jazz classics to be presented Thursday, March 20, when jazz pianist Mulgrew Miller will be in the spotlight at a concert by the University of the Virgin Islands Jazz Ensemble. Featured on vocals will be Danielle Greenaway and pianist/vocalist Detra Davis, said a release from UVI Jazz Ensemble conductor Martin Lamkin.
The concert will be at 8 p.m. at UVI's Little Theatre on the St. Thomas campus. Tickets, available from the UVI Humanities Division, the Music Department and Jazz Ensemble members, are $10.
Much has been written about Miller's ever-evolving style, according to biographical information included with the release. Hailing from Greenwood, a small town in the Mississippi delta, Miller presents music tinged with the blues/gospel flavor of his beginnings. He studied formally from age eight and performed as a teenager, before arriving in New York with the Duke Ellington Orchestra in 1977.
As a teen, he heard his first jazz record by Oscar Peterson. "I was blown away," Miller is quoted on several Internet sites. "I knew right then that I would be a jazz pianist."
In the summer of '97 he toured Japan with a group of ten pianists called "100 Gold Fingers." He maintains a full agenda including workshops, recordings, commissioned composing, tours and duos with Danish jazz bassist, Niels Henning Ørsted Pedersen. He has produced more than 200 recordings, recently coming out with "Mulgrew Miller and Wingspan," his first recording as leader in seven years, for the new MaxJazz label.
The concert is sponsored by the Music Department of UVI's Humanities Division. It is funded in part by the V.I. Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional sponsorship is provided by Best Western-Emerald Beach Hotel.
In keeping with his full agenda, Miller will offer a free clinic at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 19, in the choir room of the Music Building on the St. Thomas campus. The public is invited.

Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

March 9, 2003 – A major deadline in the territory's high school reaccreditation process was missed on Feb. 28, when inspectors from the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools postponed scheduled walk-through tours of Charlotte Amalie and Ivanna Eudora Kean High Schools on St. Thomas and Central High School on St. Croix.
Middle States made the postponement decision because its accreditation team had not yet completed its review of a mandatory self-evaluation carried out by the V.I. Accreditation Territorial Task Force.
"The timetable for visits, etc., was revised," Mary Ann Keeley of Middle States' Region 6 in Puerto Rico said. "Middle States is in the process of organizing a team visit for the commissioner's and district offices in response to their self-study," she said.
Juel Anderson, Education Department public information officer, said a two-day work session in January produced the self-study evaluations of 29 members of the V.I. task force. "There were specific things they asked us for," Anderson, a member of the task force, said.
Anderson said she could not discuss the contents of the self-evaluations. She said the evaluators were told not to keep copies of their responses for their records.
Officials involved with the accreditation process, meeting last fall at Marriott Frenchman's Reef Beach Resort on St. Thomas, explained that accreditation is not so much an evaluation by outside authorities as it is a goal-setting process by those who are considered stakeholders in their local education system. The task of the accreditation team is to observe as those stakeholders meet the goals they have set for themselves.
Anderson and Keeley both said that evaluation of the self-study reports is an important first step in the process, but neither would give a timeline for its completion.
"At this time, dates for this visit and the candidacy visits to each of the four schools have not been confirmed," Keeley said.
Middle States withdrew the previous accreditation of the three schools in November of 2001, citing various shortcomings that had not been addressed despite years of warnings.
Anderson said the territory's fourth public high school, St. Croix Educational Complex, which has never been accredited, is not going through the process at this time. But she said representatives of the school were invited to the self-study work session so they could observe the process.
Education Commissioner Noreen Michael heads the task force. The other members include: Superintendents William Frett for St. Thomas-St. John and Terrence T. Joseph for St. Croix; the principals of the four schools — Jeanette Smith-Barry at CAHS, Lydia Lettsome at Eudora Kean, Kurt Vialet at Educational Complex and Kent Moorehead at Central High; Jorge Galiber, Board of Education chair; Vernelle de Lagarde and Tyrone Molyneaux, American Federation of Teachers local presidents; Rosa White and Carver Farrow of the Educational Administrators Association; Alscess Lewis-Brown, Education human resources director; Margarita Benjamin, territorial Parent-Teacher-Student Association president; Ronald E. Harrigan, University of the Virgin Islands; Lorna Sutton, assistant to Michael; and Leroy Trotman, an assistant principal.
Board of Education representatives taking part in the process are executive director Evadney Hodge, Malik Sekou, Linda Thomas, Yvonne W. Henry, Harry Daniel, Gerald Hodge and Keith Richards.
Education Department support staff on the task force are Louis Hughes, school plant and maintenance; Joann Meyers-Rhymer, budget control; Cecelia Knowles, Lauren Larsen, Patricia Nathan and Joann Meyers-Rhymer, superintendents' offices.

Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.