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UNIVERSITY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES To ratify the actions taken in Executive Session by the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees (“the Board”) of the University of the Virgin Islands for the Board WHEREAS, Article VI, Section 1 (a) of the Bylaws of the University of the Virgin Islands states in part, “The Executive Committee may act for the Board between Board meetings, in the event of emergencies requiring Board action;” and WHEREAS, that section of the Bylaws further states, “The Executive Committee shall report to the Board at its next meeting on all actions taken by it, and the Board shall ratify or revoke such actions,” and WHEREAS, the last meeting of the Board was on June 3, 2017; and WHEREAS, during the Executive Session of a meeting on O c t o b e r 1 3 , 2 0 1 7 , the Executive Committee (“the Committee”) acted for the Board as follows: • Approved the proposed Presidential Goals and Objectives for 2017-2018; and • Accepted the Self-Appraisal of the President on his Performance on the Agreed upon Goals and Objectives for August 1, 2016 through July 31, 2017 (A copy of these documents is attached hereto for reference.) NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD: The actions taken by the Executive Committee of the Board during the Executive Session of its meeting on October 13, 2017, which are summarized above, are hereby ratified. CERTIFICATION The undersigned hereby certifies that the foregoing is a true and exact copy of a resolution approved by the Board of Trustees of the University of the Virgin Islands at a meeting on Saturday, October 21, 2017, as recorded in the minutes of that meeting. October 21. 2017 Secretary of the Board Date SELF-ASSESSMENT OF PRESIDENTIAL GOALS FISCAL YEAR 2016 – 2017 1. Prepare for, execute and achieve reaffirmation of accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, which will occur this academic year. ACHIEVED WITH OUTSTANDING COMMENDATIONS The Middle States Commission on Higher Education voted on June 22, 2017 to reaffirm the accreditation of UVI. The Commission affirmed the Report of the Site Team that visited the University in March of this year, and used that Report as the primary basis for its decision. The decision of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) is a compelling testament to the outstanding and creative work the University has been engaged in for the 10 years since the University's last accreditation visit. A press conference was held on June 27th to share the Commission’s findings with the University community and other stakeholders. The Report of the Site Team did not only indicate that UVI appeared to be in compliance with all of the Middle States standards, but provided an impressive and extremely positive assessment of the University since the last accreditation visit. The Report contained fourteen commendations, seven significant accomplishments or exemplary innovations, and numerous positive statements. The Report did not cite any deficiencies or provide any warnings. The commendations were in various areas and covered just about all Seven Standards. The MSCHE also recognized UVI for being a part of the first cohort of institutions nationally to participate in its Collaborative Implementation Project that will apply the Commission’s new standards for all MSCHE member institutions. The Report also commended UVI’s self-study document and highlighted that, “UVI presented an extraordinary report: “Greatness by Design” that encompassed an integration of the standards within the ethos of the institution and its environment.” Various initiatives were recognized, highlighted and applauded in the Report; including the UVINext process, the Economic Impact Report that demonstrated that UVI contributes over $85 Million to the Territory each year; the 360 Degree evaluation process for upper level mangers; and the adoption of Goal 2A in the strategic plan that emphasizes that “UVI will graduate students who are academically excellent, globally sensitive, entrepreneurially focused, emotionally and spiritually balanced, and willing to serve the world.” The Report also highlighted the importance of the program accreditations UVI has received since the last accreditation visit in the areas of Business, Nursing, and Education. 2. Establish an agreement with the Government of the Virgin Islands (GVI) wherein the GVI will provide full tuition scholarships to at least ten students annually to pursue studies in teacher education at the undergraduate level, in exchange for those students agreeing to teach in the public school system for a specified number of years after graduation. (Strategic Plan) REMOVED BY THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE The Board removed the requirement to complete this goal due to sensitivity to requesting additional monies from the GVI after the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) informed the University that the ceiling request for FY2018 should be 10% lower than the current appropriations. 3. Secure funding to establish at least one endowed faculty chair. (Strategic Plan 1B) ACHIEVED Trustee Wesley Williams has generously agreed to execute a planned gift agreement in order to create an endowed chair in his name and that of his wife, Karen Hastings Williams. The focus of the endowed chair will be determined at the discretion of the President. In addition, I secured a “Distinguished Visiting Professorship in Data Science” from Kiril Sokoloff, however this position is presently not endowed but that could occur in the future. 4. Develop the University’s application for the Baldrige Excellence in Education Quality Award. (Strategic Plan Integrative Goal) ACHIEVED The University has prepared the application package for the Baldrige Performance Excellence Award in Education. Draft copies of the Eligibility Certification Form, Award Application Form, and Baldrige Education Criteria Response can be found in the link below. We will continue to edit and refine the application and submit at least three months prior to the February 2018 deadline. https://mycampus.uvi.edu/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=2776b7b9-d9ee-4b8c-b5e9- 1abe8f8cb863&groupId=122771 5. Develop a stronger Honors program at the University by transferring leadership to the Dean of College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, aggressively recruiting high achieving students, and offering an Honors English or Honors 101 course. (Strategic Plan 2C) ACHIEVED The UVI Honors Program was invigorated and seeks to produce exceptional scholars and citizens by providing participants with enriched intellectual, leadership and outreach experiences. This past academic year the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences served as the Honors Program Director. This will continue for the new academic year even as we have an Acting Dean in place. An Honors Lecture Series was started in Fall 2016 entitled “The Different Faces of Leadership” with Dr. John Rudley, President Emeritus and immediate past President of Texas Southern University, who served as the inaugural speaker. Other lecture series will be offered in the upcoming semesters. Honors classes are now being regularly offered on both campuses. The Honors Program website was redesigned so that it is more interactive for user interface and functionality. Eight students completed the first year of the Honors Program with the ENG 191/HON 100-level and ENG 192/HON 200 level classes. All students in the program were sent a letter this past June explaining their path forward in the 300 and 400 level courses to complete the Honors Program sequence requirements. A faculty member has been identified to develop and teach the HON 300 level courses during Fall 2017. Recruitment of the highest achieving incoming students with an eye towards populating the ENG 191/Hon 100 level classes for the Fall semester also continue. The students in the Honors program have also been engaged throughout the institution. Evidence of such engagement includes working alongside the Dean and professors to develop many of the thoughtful questions, which were ultimately selected to be asked at the Fall Student Convocation with the Honorable Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice of United States Supreme Court. Through the support of the Office of the President, Honors program students on the Albert A. Sheen, St. Croix Campus were a part of the select students picked to travel to St. Thomas to participate in the Convocation in person with their peers. 6. Establish a comprehensive framework for the development and delivery of online degree programs, and be prepared to offer at least one degree on line by Fall 2017. (Strategic Plan 1K) ACHIEVED UVI received approval of its Substantive Change request from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) on July 5, 2017 regarding the inclusion of online degrees programs within the scope of the institution’s accreditation. The University has been approved to offer two degree in Business, and only has to notify MSCHE of any additional online degrees it develops. UVI is now licensed in all states through the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) to offer online degree programs. SARA is an agreement among its member states and U.S. districts and territories that establishes comparable national standards and policies for interstate offering of postsecondary distance-education courses and programs. During Summer 2017, a group of Faculty met in order to discuss UVI Online general education offerings, and the degree programs that would be initially offered through the School of Business. They have prepared a proposal for Faculty regarding general education requirements and the Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and the Bachelor of Business Administration in Management degrees, which will be reviewed and voted on during the first Faculty meeting in the Fall. The Cabinet has approved the adoption of policies specific to the online environment, including policies on course withdrawals, refund guidelines and substantive engagement by students in online courses. The specifics of these policies are being further developed. Grantham University and UVI continue to work together in the curriculum development, offerings, technology infrastructure, enrollment processes and various areas to ensure the successful integration of the distance education programs. 7. Establish a mechanism for training and evaluation of part-time faculty by full-time faculty within the context of a peer training and evaluation system. (Strategic Plan 1E) ACHIEVED All part -time faculty teaching at UVI will now be reviewed on a regular basis by the Chair or an appropriate person designated by the Chair or Dean. Part-time Faculty will be evaluated at least once every two semesters of teaching. A Performance Appraisal Portfolio (PAP) will be used in the review process. After reviewing the PAP, the Reviewer will prepare an Appraisal Summary with an overall rating, to be shared with the faculty member. The Chair and Faculty Member will discuss the PAP and Performance Summary in a one-on-one meeting. For part-time faculty teaching for the first semester at UVI, a preliminary review will be completed by mid-term of the first semester. At a minimum, the Reviewer will evaluate the syllabus, and the classroom observation. The first full evaluation will occur by mid-semester of the second semester teaching at UVI. 8. Continue to expand recruitment and retention activities in order to increase enrollment by 3% over Fall 2016 enrollment. (Strategic Plan 6C) (GOAL ACHIEVEMENT WILL NOT BE KNOWN UNTIL AFTER THE FALL 2017 SEMESTER WHEN FINAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE.) The Office of Admissions however has made tremendous strides towards the fulfillment of this goal. Examples of these updates and changes are as follows:  Revised the Scholarships Awards to include additional tiers in order to have greater flexibility and competitiveness outreach to prospective students. Awarded scholarships to prospective students earlier in the admissions cycle than in previous years.  Reinstated DART (Dedicated Alumni Recruitment Team) to assist in outreach to international students.  Utilized communications tools such as Constant Contact and Text Request for frequent and consistent communication with prospective students.  Established recruitment territories in order to have more accountability among the Admissions recruitment staff.  Membership in the EDU Black Common Application, which exposes UVI to more mainland students and allows students to apply to several HBCUs at one time.  Secured a marketing and consulting firm to develop new admissions materials to include a travel piece, Financial brochure, Next Steps Brochure, and Digital Viewbook.  Implemented various personnel changes to improve efficiencies and enhanced cross training among staff to reduce work silos.  Conducted several call-a-thons to prospective students to push for enrolling at UVI in the Fall. Bi-Weekly meetings have been implemented with Information & Technology Services (ITS) to help solve technological problems that influence operational efficiencies.  Empowered Admissions Recruiters to make admissions and scholarship decisions to allow greater flexibility in enrolling new students. 9. Secure funding and identify possible spaces on each campus for a research-based Child Care Center. (Strategic Plan 5D) ACHIEVED UVI has secured funding under the Title III program for $1.1 million over a five-year period to commence operations of the childcare centers on a part-time basis. Funding will commence on October 1, 2017 and the goal is to have the Centers on both campuses operational during the Spring Semester. We will continue to seek additional funding to include other federal grants in collaboration with the Department of Human Services (DHS). The centers will also serve as revenue generating entities based on its operations. With the approval of the DHS, appropriate spaces for the childcare centers have already been identified on both campuses. UVI will continue to work with DHS to design a model research based Child Care Center through our School of Education that utilizes the best practices and insights in the industry and to develop training programs and certifications for existing childcare providers in the Territory. 10. Enhance and institutionalize our administrative assessment capabilities, by requiring all administrative units that are scheduled for review by the UVINext Taskforce to develop an assessment instrument that includes various operational measures, including customer satisfaction. ACHIEVED The UVINext Task Force completed its review of 14 administrative programs and units that were scheduled for the 2016-2017 academic year. The Board approved the Task Force recommendations and rankings at the June 2017 Board meeting, with one amendment to the process. The Board mandated that compliance with the UVINext Review process be taken into account in the personnel evaluation process. The UVINext process is now viewed as an integral step to embedding continuous assessment into the University’s operation. The recommendations that each unit received will enable it to better assess its operations to improve efficiency. The units are also required to provide annual reports to the UVINext Task Force so progress towards improvement can be monitored. The UVINext Task Force believes that this approach, which was applauded by the Middle States Commission’s Site Visit Team and mentioned in its Report, is critical to the future of UVI. 11. Update the Campus Facilities Master Plans. IN PROGRESS A Request for Proposals (RFP) was published and numerous bids submitted. The estimated costs exceeded the budgeted amount, therefore this activity was redesigned. An internal team was created to oversee the Discovery, Analysis and Refinement stages, and a local architect will be hired to develop the Design and Documentation stages. Campus Master Planning meetings were held on July 18 and 19 on the St. Thomas and St. Croix campuses, respectively. Fifty employees attended the meetings with 23 on STX and 27 on STT. Additional meetings are being planned for the Fall 2017 semester to allow for additional faculty and student participation. It is intended that the Campus Master Plan will be aligned with the overall Strategic Plan's mission, vision and values. 12. Secure recurring funding from the Government of the Virgin Islands (GVI) in order to reestablish an annual Plant Fund allocation for facility maintenance and enhancement. (Strategic Plan 6G) ACHIEVED This goal was achieved to the level of $500,000 as a result of the reallocation of internal funds within the operating budget of the institution. The overall goal is to add an additional $500,000 to return funding levels prior to elimination of the Plant Fund. To secure this additional funding will require Board approval to permit the President to seek additional funding from the GVI. 13. Secure $7 million in pledges in order to submit application to the Liaison Committee for Medical Education (LCME) for preliminary accreditation of the medical school. IN PROGRESS An enormous amount of effort has been devoted to this goal, and though technically at this point it has not been achieved, we are in serious and promising discussions with the following persons and entities, and our hope is that the goal will be achieved by the time the Executive Committee meets in September. Donald Sussman Stryker Medical Group Dr. George Rapier Technion Foundation 14. Implement Management's Corrective Action Plan in regards to the recommendations contained within the BDO report by December 2016. ACHIEVED The Corrective Action Plan was implemented and will continue to be monitored by the Special Assistant to the Vice President for Administration and Finance (SAVPAF) who will ensure it is fully implemented and adhered to within the institution. The SAVPAF is scheduled to join the staff on August 3, 2017. Based on the review, other personnel changes are contemplated. NOTE: HIGHLIGHTED GOALS WERE BOARD’S PRIORITY ITEMS. ADDITIONAL SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS DURING REPORTING PERIOD  Invited and hosted Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen on the St. Thomas Campus on April 1, 2017. During the Prime Minister’s visit, he announced that the Danish Government will establish a scholarship program for students from UVI to study at a Danish university for one semester. The five-year commitment amounts to approximately $750,000.  Secured Iyanla Vanzant, prolific author and television personality, to serve as this year’s keynote speaker for commencement. The University also recognized two outstanding Virgin Islanders at the commencement ceremonies by awarding honorary degrees to Ms. Ruth E. Thomas, an outstanding educator, and Mr. Stanley Jacobs, a musical icon. UVI awarded 317 degrees on both campuses in May 2017.  As part of the University’s 55th Emerald Jubilee celebration, we hosted numerous activities throughout the academic year and Charter Month. Activities included concerts, a women’s conference, Afternoon on the Green, Alfred Heath Distinguished Lecture Series, Charter Day program with keynote as Senate President Myron Jackson and speaker Lt. Governor Osbert Potter, and a host of other events that engaged the University community, alumni and the public.  Launched in May 2017 the public phase of a $25 million capital campaign with a theme of “Creating Legacy.”  Hosted U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor at our 2017 Student Convocation. Advocated the Board’s approval to bestow honorary doctorate on Justice Sotomayor. UVI students and employees were honored to have the Justice in our midst. The event garnered significant local and national recognition.  School of Nursing continuing accreditation with the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) was affirmed.  UVI welcomed its inaugural cohort for the University’s first doctoral program in Creative Leadership for Innovation and Change in Fall 2016. The inaugural cohort is comprised of 50 students from the Virgin Islands, the Caribbean and the United States. It is one of the largest PhD cohorts of all Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) nationally. The PhD program initially offered three specialized tracks: Educational/Academic Leadership for Change within our School of Education, Organizational Development and Leadership with Fielding Graduate University and Creativity and Leadership for Change with Buffalo State University. Since then, the program has grown and will offer in Spring 2017 a Business track within our School of Business. UVI will also welcome its second cohort of 40 students.  UVI was awarded $2.9 million from the National Science Foundation to co-launch a Center for Advancing Leadership to conduct research on proven leadership approaches to broadening participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) disciplines. Over the next two years, the new center will study the historical and contemporary strategies used by HBCU leaders in producing disproportionately high levels of underrepresented minority STEM graduates. The project will not only contribute to the knowledge base on leadership development for broadening participation in STEM, but also translate that evidence into institutional practices.  UVI was selected to oversee the scope of work regarding the Governor’s climate change initiatives in the Territory and to serve on the Territory’s advisory climate taskforce through a +$800,000 grant funded by the U.S. Department of Interior, Office of Insular Affairs Technical Assistance Program. UVI’s input will be critical as a comprehensive action plan is developed for how the Territory will address climate change, promote economic development, reduce risks associated with climate change, and develop a robust multi-sector climate adaptation strategy.  Completed the new dock and boat ramp at UVI’s MacLean Marine Science Center within the College of Science and Mathematics to enhance functionality and safety of boat and dive operations for our researchers and students. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the approximately $1 million improvement took years of planning, permitting and building. It will support the growing research potential of our Center for Marine and Environmental Studies (CMES) by allowing more boats and larger boats to be used for research.  Advocacy to the Governor resulted in the allocation of $1.2 million to fund salary increases for employees. Prior to fiscal year 2011, when the Board of Trustees approved a $1,000 across the board increase, there has been no across the board increases in employee salaries since 2005. UVI also finalized a compensation study, which resulted in updates to job descriptions and changes to recommended base pay ranges and salary grade classifications. PROPOSED PRESIDENTIAL GOALS Fiscal Year (2017 – 2018) 1) The University will collaboratively develop a new strategic plan that focuses on innovation and guides institutional outcomes for the next five years. 2) The University will reduce its operating budget to conform to the FY2018 appropriation from the Government of the Virgin Islands and eliminate the University’s structural deficit. Explore revenue generating opportunities for the institution. 3) The University will reduce its reliance on fossil fuels to less than 10% by exploring and implementing an off-grid solution through the use of renewable energy systems. * This is dependent upon the due diligence process with AIP. 4) The University will develop and implement a comprehensive employee wellness program that, in part, provides limited release time for employees to participate. 5) The University will obtain accreditation from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) for the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science degree in the College of Science and Mathematics. 6) The University will develop and implement a survey instrument to measure the satisfaction of students in regards to the use of technology in the classroom, and develop a strategy to address concerns raised by the survey. 7) The University will develop and offer at least five additional online degree programs. 8) The University will increase its overall enrollment by 5% based on Fall 2017 numbers. 9) The University will develop and implement a comprehensive energy conservation policy and projects, and reinstitute a recycling program on both campuses. 10) The University will complete construction of two medical school facilities and secure approval from the Board to reapply for LCME accreditation. 11) Ensure that the recommendations contained in Management Letter from 2016 Audit are fully implemented.