2013 UVI Budget Hearing August 9 2013
1 Mast all Oi» TESTIMONY OF PRESIDENT DAVID HALL UNIVERSITY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE 30'" LEGISLATURE OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS EARLE B. OTTLEY LEGISLATIVE HALL ST. THOMAS, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS AUGUST 9, 2013 eo Good morning, Chairman Graham and other members of the Committee on Finance, other members of the 30" Legislature present, other testifiers, members of the Press, persons in the viewing and listening audiences, ladies and gentlemen. My name is David Hall, President of the University of the Virgin Islands and it is indeed an honor for me to appear before this distinguished body to present the University’s budget request for FY2013-2014 and respond to questions posed. To assist with today’s presentation, with me are Dr. Camille McKayle, Interim Provost; Ms. Shirley Lake-King, Vice President for Administration and Finance; and, Ms. Dionne Jackson, Vice President for Institutional Advancement. Also present in the audience are key support personnel, Directors of various programs, Deans, and other members of my Cabinet. …
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1 Mast all Oi» TESTIMONY OF PRESIDENT DAVID HALL UNIVERSITY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE 30'" LEGISLATURE OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS EARLE B. OTTLEY LEGISLATIVE HALL ST. THOMAS, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS AUGUST 9, 2013 eo Good morning, Chairman Graham and other members of the Committee on Finance, other members of the 30" Legislature present, other testifiers, members of the Press, persons in the viewing and listening audiences, ladies and gentlemen. My name is David Hall, President of the University of the Virgin Islands and it is indeed an honor for me to appear before this distinguished body to present the University’s budget request for FY2013-2014 and respond to questions posed. To assist with today’s presentation, with me are Dr. Camille McKayle, Interim Provost; Ms. Shirley Lake-King, Vice President for Administration and Finance; and, Ms. Dionne Jackson, Vice President for Institutional Advancement. Also present in the audience are key support personnel, Directors of various programs, Deans, and other members of my Cabinet. | am pleased to present to you the University’s Fiscal Year 2013-2014 budget appropriation request. We are very appreciative of this body’s consistent support of the University’s past requests and we look forward to your continued support. A Call to Action for Higher Education Today, | come before you not only to request continued funding for the University of the Virgin Islands, but to make you aware of a tremendous challenge facing the Territory and to seek your support, assistance and guidance. | believe that in my role as President of the University, | not only am charged with making you aware of the wonderful and impressive accomplishments of the University, but also to make you aware of those challenges that we face, especially when they have very serious consequences for the Virgin Islands. There are three important challenges that | want to present to you before | present our accomplishments for this fiscal year and our budget request. First, at our hearing last year, | made the Committee on Finance of the 29°" Legislature aware that the college completion percentage for residents of the Virgin Islands lags behind all states and some Territories. This has not changed and recent trends indicate that this will only get worse. The percentage of individuals in the Virgin Islands (25 years and older) who have attained a Bachelor’s degree is only 19.2 percent while other states range from 28.4 percent (Nevada) to 68.8 percent (District of Columbia) (Source: 2010 U.S. Census Bureau). The national average is 39.3 percent (Source: www.huffingtonpost.com). The reason this is a critical challenge is the fact that there is a direct link between the percentage of college graduates ina state (or territory) and its level of economic development. If the Economic Development Commission and the Research and Technology Park (RT Park) are to be successful in attracting companies to the Virgin Islands, we must ensure that we have a trained work force to address their needs. If we want economic prosperity for all citizens 1|Page UNIVERSITY. OF .W1.4E..V IR-GI.N..ISiLA.N, DiS COMMITTEE ON FINANCE - BUDGET TESTIMONY of the territory then we must educate, nurture and produce the next generation of business leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs. If we don’t, then we will continue to lag behind other states and territories. In addition, the unemployment rate of individuals within an area is strongly correlated with academic achievement. As Table A compellingly demonstrates, the unemployment rate nationally for individuals with less than a high school diploma is almost 14 percent; with a high school diploma it is just over 9 percent; however, with a college degree (Bachelor) it drops to around 4.5 percent. Put another way, the earnings rate nationally for individuals with less than a high school diploma is just over $20,000; with a high school diploma it is about $32,000; however, with a college degree (Bachelor) it jumps to around $55,000. (Source: Commonfund on the State of Higher Education 2013.) Table A. 2|Page Performance Performance: the value of higher education persists commonfund The value of higher education persists (unemployment rate by education attainment) Ma Earnings in 2007 MR Earnings in 2011 comme Unemployment Rate in 2011 (5%) «err» Unemployment Rate in 2007 (%) $100,000 15% $90,000 ." $ _ \ unemployment Rate in 2011 “ : $60,000 ee 9% § $50,000 ehesetncet Rate in 2007 2 540,000 ~ 6% $30,000 $20,000 3% $10,000 $0 0% Lessthan H.S. High School SomeCollege Associate © Bachelor's Master's. = Professional ~=—- Doctoral 2B The State of Higher Education | July 25, 2013 UNIVERSITY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS COMMITTEE ON FINANCE BUDGET TESTIMONY aley yusuKo}dusiweun Not only are a person’s chances of gaining employment greatly improved, but earning power also is greater if they possess college degrees. These facts are not shared in any way to demean those, like my parents, who never graduated from high school but are productive and hard-working citizens. As educators and policymakers we must ensure that the societies in which we live and lead are providing our citizens with the tools, resources and inspiration that will enable them to lead more productive lives and escape the clutches of poverty and despair. What makes this situation even worse is that we have been experiencing a steady decline in applications and enrollments at the University over the last two years, particularly on St. Croix. Despite placing more resources, time and effort into recruitment and admissions than ever before, this trend continues. The economic situation of the Territory -- especially that of St. Croix -- the academic preparation of some high school graduates, the competitiveness of universities from the mainland all are contributing factors to this decline. For example, our applications dropped from a high of 2,156 in 2010, to a low of 1,722 in 2012. Though we were able to elevate it this year to 1,839, this increase has not translated into enrollments. Our enrollment has dropped from a high of 2,733 in 2010 to a low of 2,455 in 2012. Though our enrollment for 2013 is not yet complete we are anticipating yet another decline. It would be very easy to see this solely as a University problem; yet, in actuality, this is a challenge for the entire Territory. Therefore, | raise this challenge before this body because we need a comprehensive solution. We need a “Call to Action for Higher Education” to encourage, entice and incentivize more high school students and more working adults to pursue higher education in the Virgin Islands. Though | certainly respect the decision of local students to pursue educational opportunities abroad, the reality is that many who leave will not return; thus, they ultimately end up benefitting the economy of other states and the territory loses the value of their educational training. There are important legislative initiatives of the 30° Legislature that have been enacted or are being considered that can make a difference and be part of this “Call to Action for Higher Education.” The dual enrollment legislation, which was sponsored by Senator Terrence “Positive” Nelson, is an important part of the answer. Act No. 7490 (Bill No. 30-0020), which was signed to law on July 19, 2013, gives credit for prior learning. Sponsored by Senator Nellie Rivera O'Reilly, it is a critical part of the answer for adults who desire to obtain a college degree. Bill 30-0031 (sponsored by Senator Tregenza Roach), which would provide free tuition for all Virgin Islands high school graduates, is a major part of the answer and could transform higher education and spur economic development in this Territory for generations to come. So, | realize that | am “preaching to the choir,” for you already understand the value of higher education, but | also know that we need to do even more. | propose today, that just as this body has provided free tuition for Senior citizens and Veterans, we need to set aside scholarship funds specifically for adults who desire to complete or pursue a higher educational degree. Working in conjunction with the Department of Labor, Economic Development 3] Page UNIVERSITY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS COMMITTEE ON FINANCE - BUDGET TESTIMONY Commission (EDC) and the RTPark we can marshal the majority of those resources towards economic growth areas for the Virgin Islands. An increase of $900,000 in our Special Programs budget would allow us to provide either 50 full scholarships to adults each year, or 100 half- scholarships. Over a four-year period, we would have provided incentives for between 200 to 400 adults to pursue their degrees. The reason for the additional focus on adult education is that Table B demonstrates that there will be a continuing decline in the high school age population. We can’t solve this challenge by focusing only on high school graduates. We have numerous adults in our population with high school degrees who for various reasons never pursued a university degree. We need a policy statement which would let them know that higher education is still within their grasp and reach. For if they were to pursue this opportunity, which many may have deferred, then the Virgin Islands would prosper in the long run. Education is one of the most effective tools for offsetting poverty. It also is the best stimulus of economic prosperity. Table B. Demographics is Destiny’ commonfund Demographics is Destiny U.S. Virgin Islands Population 1970 1990 2010 2030 61,000 106,000 111,000 103,000 Population 4 a ie ee —— es 2100 | 74,000 ear [95 Gs G2 OG roy 2 “SOS O 5 O 6 The Nonprofit Sector | July 25, 2013 * Based on U.S. Census Bureau figures, the U.S. Virgin Islands Population in 1970 was 62,468; 101,809 in 1990; and, 106,405 in 2010. 4|Page UNIVERSITY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS COMMITTEE ON FINANCE - BUDGET TESTIMONY We also need an intensive campaign to attract more high school students to attend UVI. We are diversifying and improving our academic programs but we need more resources for our Admissions Office so we can conduct even greater outreach to high school students. Therefore, | am requesting $150,000 to be allotted to hiring a full-time recruiter on St. Croix, employing an email, mailing and phone outreach effort and developing a creative “Stay and Excel in the VI” campaign for our youth. However, resources alone are not the complete answer. All of us must stress and promote the value of higher education and the benefits of our University. Though | am the President of UVI, and honored to be in this role, this University belongs to the people of the Territory, and we must do all that we can to ensure it serves the needs of this Territory. We are not perfect; there are numerous areas in which we are striving to improve, but | believe our accomplishments demonstrate that we are responsive to the needs of the people and have a University that should be an institution of choice for our youth. The second major challenge relates specifically to the Albert A. Sheen Campus. | have attempted to impress upon each of you the importance of having a multi-purpose facility on our St. Croix campus, so that the students there may have the same athletic and physical education opportunities as do our St. Thomas students. This facility translates to more than just a “sports facility.” It would afford us an indoor facility in which to host our commencement exercises, as we do on St. Thomas, and also serve as a venue for other institutional and community events (see Appendix III). As a University committed to enriching the culture and music of the islands, we are able to attract leading entertainers and artists to St. Thomas at our Reichhold Center for the Arts. Unfortunately, we do not have an equivalent facility on the Sheen Campus so that these same artists can entertain and inspire the residents of the big island. The 30,000 sq. ft. energy- efficient, multi-level facility with a seating capacity of 2,500 would: @ Provide an indoor air-conditioned venue for large group events, i.e., Commencement and high quality artistic performances. © Beacomprehensive recreational center housing Basketball and Volleyball courts; Weight and Fitness space for dancing, martial arts, aerobics and yoga; Social lounge; Locker room; Physical Education Faculty Office; Student Government Office; Conference Room; five Student Affairs Administrative Offices; Concession Stand; Restrooms; and, an outdoor recreational equipment storage room. ¢ Centralize athletic, physical education, and student activities functions in a single facility. e Increase desirability of the Sheen Campus for prospective students. e Allow for the reprogramming of existing space in building “N” and Evans Center. In addition, the multi-purpose facility also would attract sporting events and activities to St. Croix and thus contribute to its economic development. 5|Page UNIVERSITY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS COMMITTEE ON FINANCE - BUDGET TESTIMONY | realize that funding is limited, but an increase of $600,000 in our debt service line would allow us to borrow the money to construct this badly needed facility. Figure 1, and the slide before you, provide an artist’s rendering of the facility and some additional details. Though the economic decline and the absence of a full-time recruiter are some of the major reasons for the decline in our enrollments on St. Croix, | also believe that the absence of an indoor sporting facility also plays a role. Students from the St. Croix Educational Complex and St. Croix Central High Schools, who currently utilize an indoor facility, should not expect or be subjected to less if they elect to attend the Sheen campus after graduation. Figure 1 St. Croix Multi-Purpose Center The third and final challenge that | wish to share with you today relates to the needs of our faculty and staff. | want to applaud and thank this body for insisting on the restoration of salary levels prior to the 8 percent salary reduction for the remainder of this fiscal year. This means a lot to all government employees, but especially those at the University. We also hope that when funds are allocated to restore it for next fiscal year the University is included. This was not the case last year and this body had to pass special legislation to make that occur. Despite this important step forward, the problem | faced when | arrived as President four years ago still remains; and, regrettably has gotten worse. With the exception of a $1,000 across-the-board increase in 2010, our faculty and staff have not received a salary increase since 2007. Though there may be other governmental agencies that are in the same situation, our problem is intensified because we have to attract and retain faculty and administrators who 6|Page UNIVERSITY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS COMMITTEE ON FINANCE - BUDGET TESTIMONY have numerous career options, and many of them are pursuing those other options. The 8 percent reduction -- coupled with the absence of salary raises -- has resulted in the loss of some very talented faculty members, and I’m sure it has prevented us from attracting others. We have fallen even further behind our peers and other universities. If we want to ensure that the residents of this Territory are receiving an excellent education, then we need to ensure that we have the best and brightest professionals teaching and supporting them through the process. | hereby ask this body to consider adding $700,000 to our FY 2013-2014 budget so that we can create a merit-based 3 percent increase in the salary pool. This will not address the entire problem but would, at least, place us on the right path. | am hopeful that some of our energy savings in the future and a reversal of the downward trend in enrollments will allow us to address this need in the future so | will not have to come to this body for us to remain competitive. Though there is a long list of needs and concerns that | could share, these three are the ones that stand in the way of our success as a University and the progress and development of the Virgin Islands. With the other pressing needs that you must address, these items may appear overwhelming but when you examine the benefits that will derive from these investments, the (dollar) numbers are very small. This 30°" Legislature of the Virgin Islands, based on what you have already proposed and what | am asking you to do today, can go down in history as the body that transformed higher education in the Virgin Islands and placed not just the University but the entire Territory ona pathway to Greatness. Accomplishments and Highlights for Fiscal Year 2012-2013 During the present fiscal year, there have been many significant accomplishments at UVI. Time will not permit me to do justice to all that our students, faculty and staff have achieved, but | hope the following examples provide you with some understanding of how we have been good stewards of the precious resources that this body has invested in the University. This past year, we graduated 332 students in a variety of fields. Of particular note are the nine students who were members of the inaugural graduating class of our new Masters in Counseling Psychology. These graduates are able to help address the increasing need for mental health services in the territory. The Board of Trustees approved a new degree in Computer Technology and Information, which will allow us to produce students who are prepared to address the new technology needs of companies and industries within the Virgin Islands. 7|Pag (a3) UNIVERSITY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS COMMITTEE ON FINANCE - BUDGET TESTIMONY The University continues to add new minors to its academic programs. The College of Science and Mathematics added a minor in Environmental Science this past Spring, which will be offered in Fall 2013. With the addition of two introductory courses in Environmental Science and the use of existing courses as electives, UVI will be able to offer a minor that is appealing to students in almost any major and will prepare our students for a variety of jobs in environmental fields. The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences also has recently added minors in Political Science and Caribbean Cultural Studies. The Political Science minor affords students the opportunity to learn about political science as a complement to their chosen major and will be useful for students with future career goals in the areas of law, public administration, international affairs, education and journalism. The Caribbean Cultural Studies minor appeals to students across multiple disciplines. Students will acquire valuable interdisciplinary skills, and with a renewed appreciation of Caribbean culture, they would be equipped to serve as Caribbean cultural ambassadors. Both minors will be offered in Fall 2013. The addition of these new minors will not require additional resources and will complement the other minors currently offered by the University in the areas of Communications, English, Fine Arts and Psychology. The Board of Trustees approved a new Business Administration Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems and Technology, which will allow us to produce students who are better prepared to address the new technology needs of companies and industries within the Virgin Islands. This degree introduces a flexible curriculum that is easily adjusted to reflect current and future computing trends, ensuring that our students are on the forefront of computing trends and are highly competitive in the IT industry both within the territory and abroad. We recently hired Dr. Timothy Faley as our new Kiril Sokoloff endowed chair of Entrepreneurship, to lead our efforts in this area (including the 13D Student Competition). He comes from the University of Michigan which has one of the best entrepreneurial programs in the nation. Through the support of Governor de Jongh, we were able to conduct a medical school feasibility study which we hope will eventually lead to the establishment of a medical school in the Virgin Islands. We are providing more enriching opportunities for our students, which include the creation of our first radio station, WUVI AM 1090, so that our Communications majors can receive first-hand experience in operating and managing a radio station. WUVI also was able to secure the exclusive right to air the Tom Joyner Morning Show. We are one of only two universities to have this unique right. Our Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix now has a vibrant music program. We offered music courses in Concert Band and Steel Pan, and created a Voices of Inspiration Community Choir, that conducted a spectacular Spring concert. This fiscal year, we also launched the Virgin Islands and Caribbean Cultural Center, which already has become a major force in our efforts to help preserve, disseminate and celebrate the richness of Virgin Islands culture. 8| Page UNIVERSITY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS COMMITTEE ON FINANCE - BUDGET TESTIMONY In the facilities area, our College of Science and Mathematics (in late September) will move into its new home in the newly constructed Research and Technology Park Building. This building will provide new classrooms, science laboratories and faculty offices. This improvement will permit us to eliminate dual occupancy of faculty on the St. Croix campus. Throughout both of our campuses we have renovated seven classrooms so that our students are able to learn in modern and technologically appropriate academic spaces. We continue to improve the safety of our campuses by installing more video cameras and monitoring gates and entryways. We also have developed a Comprehensive Disaster Management Plan and, in coordination with VITEMA and other consultants, provided training to all of our key personnel. In order to be better stewards of the environment and reduce our energy costs, we recently entered into an agreement with New Generation Power to build a 3.1 Megawatt solar energy system that has the potential to reduce our consumption of fossil fuels by 50 percent. This project will spur exciting new research and public outreach by our Caribbean Center for Green Technology (which this Body helped to create and fund). Our Alumni Association received the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Alumni of the Year Award for raising our alumni contribution from 13 to 42 percent in one year. This was a major accomplishment during our 50" (Anniversary) year and UVI has received additional national recognition for this outstanding achievement. UVI’s outreach to the community continues through our numerous programs in Cooperative Extension, Agricultural Experimental Station, VI-EPSCoR, VIUCEDD, the Caribbean Exploratory Research Center and the Center for Marine and Environmental Sciences, just to a name a few. In order to assist in addressing the challenging issue of violence in our community, this fiscal year we launched an Anti- Violence and Peace Initiative that will utilize our research and outreach efforts to impact this devastating dilemma. We also hosted our Third Annual Man Up Conference, which featured Dr. Ben Carson. We brought to the territory other nationally- known speakers including, Harvard Professor Charles Ogletree, former Congressman Kwesi Mfume and businesswoman and philanthropist Loida Lewis. We continue to work closely with primary and secondary schools and recently completed numerous camps and programs on campus including, Junior University, Summer Bridge, University Bound, Math Behind the Sciences, Entrepreneurship Institute and others. All of these programs attempt to support students in the early years of their academic development and inspire them to pursue higher education. As | indicated, these are just a few of the many accomplishments of the University for this fiscal year. Though each of those mentioned is important, there are numerous other individual and collective achievements of our faculty, staff and students that are just as worthy to be mentioned (see Appendix 1). | hope this brief summary gives each of you the reassurance 9|Page UNIVERSITY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS COMMITTEE ON FINANCE - BUDGET TESTIMONY that we are striving to move the University forward with the funding you provide and could do even more if we had increased resources. Fiscal Year 2013-2014 Budget Request The University was informed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that our fiscal year 2013-2014 budget would be reduced by $1.4 million from our 2012-2013 budget. After explaining to Governor de Jongh and Director Gottlieb (of OMB) the devastating impact that such a reduction would have on the academic programs of the University, the Governor on June 14, 2013, submitted a budget to this body for the University that keeps our budget intact for the coming fiscal year. Though we are deeply appreciative to the Governor for not reducing our budget, as my prior statement indicates, we need additional funds if we are to address the higher educational challenges facing the University and the Virgin Islands. The breakdown of the University’s FY2013-14 budget request, as submitted by the Governor, is as follows: 1. General Operating Appropriation $23,308,904 2. Debt Service Requirements 3,992,205 3. SBDC Local Matching Requirements 300,000 4. Senior Citizen’s Tuition Requirements 87,773 5. Valedictorian and Salutatorian Scholarships 400,966 6. Community Engagement and Lifelong Learning 100,000 7. Green Technology Program 200,000 8. Hotel Management Program 100,000 9. John Brewers Beach Bathhouse Maintenance 15,000 Total Operating Requirements 2 74 Our present budget request for funding the following programs remains at the FY2012-13 level: Debt Service; SBDC match; Senior Citizen’s Tuition waivers; Valedictorian and Salutatorian scholarships; Community Engagement and Lifelong Learning (CELL); Green Technology; Hotel Management program; and, maintenance of the John Brewers Bay Bathhouse. The general operating appropriation of $23,308,904 will be used to support salaries and fringe benefits for the University’s faculty and staff; books, equipment, supplies, laboratories, professional services, and other expenses of the University. Appendix II provides details of the University’s Fiscal Year 2012-13 operating budget inclusive of revenues and expenditures as of July 30, 2013. 10|Page UNIVERSITY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS COMMITTEE ON FINANCE - BUDGET TESTIMONY Although the above breakdown reflects what was originally submitted, if you are willing to support the additional requests which | made in my opening remarks, then our debt service amount would be raised from $3,992,205 to $4,592,205 in order to fund the construction of the Multi-Purpose Facility on the Sheen campus. A new funding line under designated appropriations would be created in the amount of $900,000 to fund adult education scholarships. An amount of $150,000 would be added to our general operating appropriation line in order to support our additional admissions outreach activities. And, last but not least, $700,000 also would be added to our general operating operations line to permit us to address the critical need we have to increase salaries for faculty and staff. If this body accepts all of my recommendations, it would increase our budget over the Governor’s submission by $2,350,000. Though this is a significant amount in these challenging fiscal times, this increase still does not restore to the University the level of funding we received just a few years ago. When I became President in 2009, our appropriation was $34.5 million. If you accept my recommendations, our total appropriation (including the 8 percent restoration which is $1,864,588) is revised to a total of $33.1M. Fifty one years ago the Fourth Legislature of the Virgin Islands, with the support of Governor Paiewonsky, took a bold step by creating the College of the Virgin Islands. There were doubters. Some questioned whether the significant funding was affordable and worth the investment. Today, we applaud that Legislature and Governor for having the vision to create an institution that transformed the Virgin Islands. The 30" Legislature now has another sacred opportunity to invest in higher education so that it may transform the Virgin Islands in a manner that propels this Territory forward to meet the challenges of this new age. This body has made an important step in the transformation direction by passing Senator Nelson’s dual enrollment Bill, Act No. 7489. With the 30" Legislature’s enactment of Senator O’Reilly’s prior experience Bill into Act No. 7490 and with the passing of Senator Roach’s scholarship Bill -- and with the acceptance of the “Call to Action for Higher Education” that | have placed before you today, | am confident that you will become the higher education legislature of this age. These actions, taken together, create a foundation upon which we can build a brighter economic future for generations to come -- by investing creatively in higher education. To do so in fiscally challenging times would speak to the vision and wisdom that exists within these walls. If you do this, then no longer would the Virgin Islands lag behind other states and Territories. You would propel the territory forward and create a model for other states to follow. | thank you for the support you already have provided to UVI and for providing me with the opportunity to share my thoughts, concerns and the accomplishments of this special University. | look forward to working closely with you to create and implement the “Call to Action for Higher Education” which can help create a “great” University and a prosperous and viable Virgin Islands. | also look forward to answering your questions. Thank You. 11| Page UNIVERSITY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS COMMITTEE ON FINANCE - BUDGET TESTIMONY APPENDIX | SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND HIGHLIGHTS: 2012-2013 Selected Accomplishments and Highlights: 2012-2013 | am honored to share with the members of the 30" Legislature of the Virgin Islands highlights of the University’s activities and achievements since our last budget presentation. We continue to make important strides on our Pathways to Greatness. The accomplishments highlighted in this report are particularly noteworthy, given the significant fiscal challenges and constraints facing the University. These accomplishments speak to the commitment and resilience of our students, faculty, staff and administrators. One of the major achievements during this period has been the accomplishments of our students and faculty. Listed below are a few examples of the activities and achievements of our students. Student Achievements A total of 19 students have been accepted into the Masters in Marine and Environmental Science Program (MMES) in Fall 2013, including three UVI graduates. The UVI Spring Student Research Symposium took place on March 23, 2013 on St. Croix with poster presentations from more than 30 UVI undergraduate and graduate students in Applied Mathematics, Biology, Marine Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Nursing, and Psychology. Students presented research they conducted during the summer of 2012 at UVI and a number of off-island institutions. Five MMES students defended their theses this past April. One student will be employed at UVI as a research technician, another student is employed by the National Park Service on St. Croix, and a third student is employed as a research technician in Maine. Another three MMES students are expected to finish this semester. Twelve students presented their research at the 2013 Emerging Research National Conference in Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) sponsored by NSF. Biology senior, Chinamaere Igwebuike earned first prize for his presentation in the Biological Sciences. Students were accompanied by UVI faculty Dr. Robert Stolz and Dr. Bernard Castillo. Two students have been linked with organizations or companies through the Caribbean Green Technology Center (CGTC) Green Internship program. Six UVI undergraduates were awarded Etelman Observatory internships through NASA grants and the Emerging Caribbean Scientists (ECS) program to do engineering and astrophysics at Etelman Observatory during Summer 2013. In addition to these six students, the ECS program will fund approximately 20 additional students to work with various faculty members on St. Thomas and St. Croix, and 10 students to participate in an advance mathematical and computational methods modeling course during the summer. Anthonios Doliotis, Lynisha Farrell, Anthonio Forbes, Shelsa Marcel, Kynoch Reale-Munroe & Bernard Castillo Il . ‘Comparative Study to Determine the Water Quality Parameters of Bioluminescent Mangrove Lagoon and Salt River Bay, St. Croix, USVI.’ Poster presentation by students and faculty member, Dr. Castillo, at the 2013 Emerging Researchers National (ERN) Conference in STEM sponsored by NSF. 1|Page Appendix |: Selected Accomplishments and Highlights: 2012-2013 e Marisha Marie Perkins, senior chemistry major and a JNCF-Merck Fellow, was accepted at six graduate schools for study in chemistry or medicinal chemistry. She will attend Duke University in Durham, NC. e Akima George, senior biology major, was accepted to two PhD programs in biomedical sciences and will be attending the University of Michigan in the Fall, with a tuition waiver and a position as a research assistant. e Jemica Gumbs, senior mathematics major, will start in the Fall Masters program in statistics at Florida State University, with a tuition waiver and position as research assistant. e Jeson LeBlanc and JoAnn Thomas-Lewis, sophomore biology majors, have been accepted into the BU Early Medical School Selection program. e Cherise Burton, senior mathematics major, will start in the Fall in a Masters program in engineering at the University of South Florida, with a tuition waiver and position as research assistant. e Darrell Mercer, senior psychology major, will start in the Fall in a Masters program in the Department of Human Development and Family Science at Oklahoma State University, with a tuition waiver and research assistant position. e Chinamaere lgwebuike and Monique Meade, senior biology majors in the Boston University Early Medical School Selection program, have been accepted into BU School of Medicine for the Fall semester. e Three students were inducted into the International English Honor Society, Sigma Tau Delta. e Erick Willie travelled to present a paper and also participate in the Golden Key Leadership Summit (Miami, FL). Mr. Willie also hosted a workshop on “How to Plan A Successful Honorary Engagement Activity” at the Golden Key Summit. e Tara Brim was accepted into the Master’s in School Counseling Program at Oklahoma State University. e Curlis Joseph was accepted into the Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling Program at Jackson State University. e Darrell H. Mercer, Jr. was accepted into the Master of Science program in Human Development and Family Science at Oklahoma State University. e Sheneé Martin was accepted into the following summer research programs: CLIMB-UP Program at Buffalo University; RiSE at Rutgers University in New Jersey; SMART Program at the University of Colorado at Boulder; OGR Program at Washington University in St. Louis. e Allena Clifford was accepted into Virginia Commonwealth University HERO Summer Research Program. e Jacqueline Adonis’ proposal was accepted to share panel as discussant with professors at CSA conference, June 5, 2013. e Leslyn Tonge’s proposal was accepted to share panel as discussant with professors at ACLALS literature conference, August 8, 2013. Nursing students in our NUR 424 Leadership Management course lead a number of projects that were adopted by local health care facilities. Some of the projects were: e Shared Medical Appointments as a model for counseling and treating patients in groups. This was adopted at the East End Health Clinic, St. Thomas. e Revision of the building code to allow for roof rinse apparatus on all new construction with cisterns. This addresses the public health problem of unclean and unsafe cistern water in the 2| Page Appendix |: Selected Accomplishments and Highlights: 2012-2013 Territory. It has obtained legislative sponsorship and has the endorsement of the Plumbers Association. e Procedures and protocol for decubitus ulcer prevention in the home. This was adopted by Continuum Care. e The institution of Direct Observation Therapy in all public schools in the Territory for school children with latent tuberculosis infection. Implementation procedures have been developed and a Memorandum of Understanding is pending approval by the Commissioners of Education and Health. The Schoo! of Education has collaborated with the Center for Student Success to work with students to strengthen content knowledge, thus making them better prepared for the PRAXIS examination. Also, through a grant to enhance Teacher Quality, tutors are provided to prepare students to be successful on PRAXIS. Pass Rate on PRAXIS! 2011-2012 (WESTAT) Area #oftakers | # Passed School of Education Pass Rate Reading 12 11 92% Writing 11 9 82% Mathematics | 13 11 85% 2013 Graduating Students 93% Pass Rate Recent Graduates’ Achievements e Blanche Letang, 2012 graduate, was accepted to three PhD programs and will be studying toxicology in the Fall at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with a tuition waiver and position as a research assistant. e Nicole Fleming, 2012 graduate, was accepted to seven PhD programs and will be starting in the Fall in a cell biology program at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. e Angelica Claxton, 2012 graduate, will start in the Fall ina PhD program in microbiology at the University of South Dakota with a position as a research assistant. e Tishiro Hanley, 2012 graduate, was accepted into Master in Social Work program at Loma Linda University. e Davin Francis, 2011 graduate, was accepted into the Msc. Foundations in Clinical and Health Psychology graduate program at Newcastle University. Faculty Achievements Dr. Justin Shorb, Chemistry Faculty member, has been given an opportunity to work with the Mallinson Institute for Science Education at Western Michigan University as a Visiting Scholar during the summer of 2013. He will be working with a team of faculty in the inaugural stages of the Center for Research on Instructional Change in Postsecondary Education (CRICPE). Dr. Gillian Royes, had third manuscript in the Shad Series, “Lessons from a Sea-Grape Tree,” accepted by Simon and Schuster. Dr. Royes was also offered a second two book contract by Simon and Schuster. Amy Schweizer was accepted to the University of Northern Colorado’s Nursing Education Ph.D. program, an online program aimed at increasing the number of doctorally prepared nursing educators. 3|Page Appendix I: Selected Accomplishments and Highlights: 2012-2013 Dr. Kimarie Engerman has been accepted into the OURS (Opportunities for Under-Represented Scholars) Leadership Team, as an OURS Program Fellow for The Chicago School of Professional Psychology’s Post Graduate Certificate in Academic Leadership online-blended program. Coleen Jiminez was accepted into the Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Pace University. This program is offered in an executive blended-learning format, with both on campus and online learning. Participants meet on campus five times per year. Publications Ms. Brianna Grantham; "Regional Dialect and Homophones: Teaching Standard English Composition to Thomian-Dialect Speakers" will also be published in Claflin University’s Conference on Contemporary English and Language Arts Pedagogy anthology this June (2013). Ling Yee Li, and Ogunmokun Gabriel (2013) “Export Venture Flexibility: Its Antecedents and Effect on Performance" International Journal of Trade and Global Markets, Vol. 6. No. 2 pp.99-122 Ling Yee Li, and Ogunmokun Gabriel (2013) “The Effects of Marketing Capabilities, Financing Resources & Spatial Configuration on Market Focused Flexibility," International Journal of Trade and Global Markets, Vol. 6. No. 2 pp.158-181 Ogunmokun, Gabriel O and Rony Gabbay (2013), “International Marketing and Export Motivation, Problems and Performance of Australian Companies” in Gabriel O Ogunmokun, and Rony Gabbay Marketing, Management and International Business: Contemporary Issues and Research in Selected Countries; Global Publishing House (in collaboration with the Academy of World Business, Marketing, and Management Development), chapter 8, pp. 115-128 Ogunmokun, Gabriel O and Rony Gabbay (2013), “Marketing, Management and International Business: Contemporary Issues and Research in Selected Countries; Global Publishing House (in collaboration with the Academy of World Business, Marketing, and Management Development” edited by Ogunmokun, Gabriel O and Rony Gabbay, pp. 1-291 Matsumoto, Keishiro, Monro, John, Chang, Michael, and Gouws, Dion, “An Excel Model of Mortgage Refinancing Decisions for Sensitivity Analysis and Simulation” accepted in the Journal of Accounting and Finance, North American Press Bushra Sabri PhD, Richelle Bolyard MPH, Akosoa L. McFadgion MSW, Jamila K. Stockman PhD, Marguerite B. Lucea PhD, Gloria B. Callwood PhD, Catherine R. Coverston PhD & Jacquelyn C. Campbell PhD (2013) intimate Partner Violence, Depression, PTSD, and Use of Mental Health Resources Among Ethnically Diverse Black Women. Social Work in Health Care Volume 52, Issue 4, April, pages 351-369 Nicholls, Robert, “Africa in the Virgin Islands: The Remarkable Tamarind and Baobab” in Booklet for 42nd Annual Agricultural & Food Fair on St Croix, pp 32-38; it includes 6 photos. Nicholls, Robert, “Boogie Chillen: Early Mods First Choice Vinyl” Three CD compilation of 75 R&B tracks. London: Future Noise Music, March 11, 2013 http://modernistsociety.blogspot.com/2013/02/boogie- chillen-early-mods-first-choice.html 4|Page Appendix |: Selected Accomplishments and Highlights: 2012-2013 Nicholls, Robert, “West African Progenitors of the Mocko Jumbie” in Carnival Magazine, Starts on p. 7, includes 13 photos Presentations: Dr. Cheryl Franklin, Moderator Podium Presentation at the Xavier University of Louisiana College of Pharmacy 6" Annual Health Disparities Conference, “Improving Medical Effectiveness and Health outcomes to Achieve Health Equity through Inter-professional Collaborations,” March 8, 2013. Sandra L. Romano, College of Science and Mathematics, Univ. of the Virgin Islands and Mary Smith, North Carolina A&T University: PULSE: Catalyzing Vision & Change for Improving Undergraduate Life Science Education. Working session at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Member University Professional Institute focusing on ‘Improving Retention, Increasing Graduation and Advancing Careers in STEAM’. Justin Shorb, Chemistry Faculty member, was asked to participate in a Process-Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) Physical Chemistry Laboratory workshop. Physical Chemistry Professors from across the country met at Virginia Commonwealth University to discuss the creation and implementation of guided inquiry laboratories and began work on designing new curriculum. Justin Shorb, Chemistry Faculty member, was a co-organizer for the Peer-Reviewed Chemical Education Research Symposium at the American Chemical Society National Meeting in New Orleans held April 12- 15, 2013. He helped with organized peer review, submission, and acceptance of oral papers presented in the full-day symposium. Justin Shorb, Chemistry Faculty member, was asked by the Two Year College Chemistry Consortium (2YC3) of the American Chemical Society to present during an online conference, "Putting Chemical Education Research into Practice." His work in implementing a pedagogical strategy for incorporating an online chemistry textbook and online homework into UVI's General Chemistry sequence, and communications with Sapling Learning, turned heads to UVI to demonstrate effective incorporation of digital media in the classroom. His talk is entitled "Using Online Homework to Create Opportunities for Student-Centered Instruction," May 1, 2013. Dr. Kula A. Francis, “But You Look Like Me: Issues of Assimilation and Social Equity in the U.S. Virgin Islands”, Accepted for Presentation at the 12" Annual Social Equity Leadership Conference — Raleigh, North Carolina (June 5-7). Dr. Maria Delgado presented, “Language Choice and Language Use with Mexican-Origin People in the United States,” University of Turabo, XI Encuentro de Investigadores Conference. Dr. Vincent O. Cooper: Derek Walcott’s work in the Virgin Islands during the 1970s: E/ Burlador of Seville, The Joker of Seville, and Marie LaVeau. Dr. Cooper’s presentation at the National College English Association in Savannah, GA, on April 7 was evaluated as the best paper in its section, and will be published in CEA Critic literary journal in July 2013. There were 500 conference participants. Dr. Patricia Harkins Pierre, served as an instructor at Daddy’s Girl Creative Writing Workshop, Mobile, AL. She has had poetry and a paper accepted for the Caribbean Studies Association conference, to be presented May 2013. 5|Page Appendix |: Selected Accomplishments and Highlights: 2012-2013 Dr. Simon Jones-Hendrickson, “Size and Survival in the era of Globalization,” presented in Dominica, sponsored by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, the National Bank of Dominica and the UWI Open Campus, April 2, 2013. Voices of Inspiration Community Choir One of the Presidential Goals for this year was to develop a music program on the St. Croix campus. Ms. Osborne Elliott and Dr. Pricilla Williams were assigned the task of expanding the nascent choir that existed. Given this challenge, Ms. Osborne Elliott sought out the extraordinarily gifted and talented musical director, Ms. Josephine Thomas Lewis to lead the choir to its next level of development. Under her leadership the Voices of Inspiration Community Choir, now 53 voices strong, consists of UVI students, alumni, staff and community members. On April 13 and 14, the Voices of inspiration Community Choir exceeded everyone’s expectation by performing a variety of well-choreographed selections to include Negro spirituals, jazz, gospel, blues, Caribbean and classical music. The concert, themed A Musical Journey through Time used technologically unique and creative animation and visual graphics to enhance each of three performances. Funding for this endeavor was made possible through the Offices of the President, the Dean of Students and Residence Life. This extraordinary choir is a true testament to the myriad of talent possessed by the institution’s students, the vision of its administration and undeniable place the university holds in this community’s halls of history. 13D Entrepreneurial Student Competition In early May, we concluded the second year of the 13D Entrepreneurial Student Competition with three winners receiving prize money ranging from $10,000 to $30,000. The first place winner’s plan provided for the development of an aquaponics shrimp farm on St. Croix. We also disclosed the winner of the new 13D High School Competition, which was comprised of students from various high schools throughout the territory. A student from Antilles, who has developed an aquaponics store was the first place winner. Dr. Glenn Metts was instrumental in ensuring that both competitions were well-managed, inspiring and successful. UVI Chess Team Competes in Scholastic Chess Competition Our newly formed UVI Chess Team participated in the Scholastic Chess Competition. The UVI team, which is coached by Board Trustee Sinclair L. Wilkinson, placed first in the Senior Division. The team consists of Nkosi Jones, Bruce Rhyner, Brandon Rhymer, and Stefan Todman. WUVI Radio Station During the last reporting period | shared information about the development of our first student operated radio station under the supervision and guidance of Dr. Alexander Randall. | am pleased to add to that previous report by indicating that the station now streams over the internet, and thus can be accessed throughout the world. This is a compelling example of the global reach of the University. In addition, we also have secured the rights to be the exclusive broadcaster in the Virgin Islands of the famous Tom Joyner Morning Show. We are one of two Universities in the nation to have this exclusive arrangement. 6|Page Appendix |: Selected Accomplishments and Highlights: 2012-2013 VI-EPSCoR 2013 Annual Conference and Rededication of the Maclean Marine Science Center VI-EPSCoR hosted its Conference themed Celebrating the Last Five Years of Supporting Research in the Virgin Islands on April 12-13, 2013 on the St. Thomas campus. The William P. MacLean Marine Science Center was rededicated on April 12 as part of the activities of the Virgin Islands Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (VI-EPSCoR). The ceremony marked the completion of major renovations at the Center funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) through VI-EPSCoR that included a new oceanographic lab, an expanded seawater system, a boat storage area and improvements in the technical and student scuba diving facilities. Among the approximately 40 people attending the ceremony were dignitaries such as Dr. David Hall, President of UVI, Dr. Denise Barnes, Head of the NSF’s EPSCoR program, Dr. Jeanne Small, NSF EPSCoR Project Officer for the USVI, UVI students, staff and faculty, as well as representatives from local and federal government agencies and members of the community. The Keynote speaker was UVI Retired Professor of Physics, Mr. Roy Watlington. His presentation was titled The VI-EPSCoR Identity, Ultimatum and Necessary Legacy. The ceremony included a featured address by Dr. Jeanne Small, a ribbon cutting, and tours of the new facilities. CSAP Symposium on Spirituality and Higher Education CSAP hosted a Symposium entitled, “Spirituality and Higher Education” on Friday, April 12, 2013 on St. Thomas with a video link to St. Croix. The symposium consisted of interactive session, question and answer, and panel discussions. The discussions were informative and stimulating. Presenters included Dr. Kathy-Ann Hernandez (Eastern University), Dr. Safiya George Dalmida (Emory University), Dr. Chenzira Davis Kahina (UVI) and Dr. Marla Frederick (Harvard). Group activities were led by Rev. Jennie Alvarez, Ms. Anne Nayer and Mr. David Capriola and the Panelists consisted of various religious leaders within the Virgin Islands community. Dedication of the Sacred Space on the St. Thomas Campus The Center for the Study of Spirituality and Professionalism (CSAP) hosted an official ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, April 18, 2013 to unveil the first Sacred Space on campus. The Sacred Space is available for prayer, meditation, spiritual counseling and gatherings. It is located on the third floor of Penha House. At the opening, members of the CSAP advisory board, faculty, staff, students and persons from the Virgin Islands community came together for this auspicious occasion to share wisdom and exchange insight through various planned activities. Dr. Gerald McDonald, the newest advisory board member, gave a presentation on the topic of “Integrating Spirituality and Religious Ethics.” The event also featured various artists from the University and the Virgin Islands community. Ms. Dara Cooper (UVI Extension Services) recited a poem entitled “Timeless Virtues,” Mr. Gylchris Sprauve (UVI Music Department) sang a beautiful rendition of an African spiritual entitled “This Little Light of Mine” and Ms. Julie Beistline (Violinist) performed two selections during the ceremony. The Sacred Space is a profoundly spiritual site. It exists as a place for peaceful contemplation and to engage our spiritual and ethical views as a direct extension of our faith. A similar space will be identified in the St. Croix campus once the RTPark vacates its existing facilities. 7| Page Appendix |: Selected Accomplishments and Highlights: 2012-2013 Charter Day Celebration This year’s Charter Day Celebration was very special as it incorporated the participation of four distinguished alumni: |. Quincy Quinland (‘84), Attorney & UVI Rhodes Scholar; Kwesi Howard (‘01), Deputy U.S. Marshall; Kurt Vialet (’87, ‘92), Arthur Richards Junior High School Principal; and, Aimee Sanchez (‘10), UVI Data Specialist. They provided very compelling testimonies about the impact that UVI had on their professional lives. Both campuses were able to listen to these inspiring stories of how professors, administrators and other students propelled these individuals to greater achievement in life. Dr. LaVerne E. Ragster was presented with her President Emerita certificate during the Charter Day activities. 2013 Commencement The Commencement Ceremonies for 2013 on both campuses were a tremendous success. There was a total of 332 graduates (114 on St. Croix and 218 on St. Thomas) who received associates, bachelors or masters degrees. Former Congressman Kweisi Mfume provided two inspiring messages to our graduates. Honorary degrees were awarded to Ambassador Terrence Todman and Professor George Tyson. On the Sheen campus each mother was presented a rose for Mother’s Day and serenaded by members of the Voices of Inspiration Community Choir. All the music provided for the St. Croix ceremony was by University-led musical groups. Memoranda of Agreement / Understanding Updates MOA - St. Kitts The University, in conjunction with the Ministry of Education and Information of the Government of St. Kitts-Nevis recently hosted an official ceremony to commemorate the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College and the University of the Virgin Islands. The ceremony was held in St. Kitts on Wednesday, July 24 and was attended by President Hall and Dr. Haldane Davies, Special Assistant to the President. MOAs — Anquilla, Grenada and St. Maarten Informal discussions are currently underway with Grenada and a visit is planned to Anguilla and St. Maarten in August 2013. No agreements are in place with those institutions nor their Governments, as yet. At their request, draft generic documents have been shared and we have been in regular contact with all the parties. Alfred Heath Lecture Series Harvard Law School Professor Charles Ogletree provided the keynote address for the Alfred Heath Lecture on both campuses in early April. His theme was “The Impact of President Obama’s Reelection on Gun Violence in the Virgin Islands.” Both events were well attended and various approaches for reducing gun violence in the Virgin Islands and the mainland were explored, debated and discussed. 8|Page Appendix |: Selected Accomplishments and Highlights: 2012-2013 Professor Ogletree was very generous with his time and met with various groups and individuals during his visit, including a set of Harvard Law School alumni who presently live and work in the Virgin Islands. Shooting on Albert Sheen Campus On Friday April 19, 2013, there was an unfortunate incident on the Albert A. Sheen campus wherein Troy Joseph was shot and later died after attending a campus activity. Despite the extra security that was on hand that evening, someone robbed and murdered Mr. Joseph. Although Mr. Joseph was not a student at UVI, we all mourn his loss. The University has cooperated closely with the VIPD in regards to this terrible incident. This death is another stark reminder of the need for our recently launched Anti- Violence and Peace Initiative. PATHWAY TO GREATNESS INITIATIVES AND ACTIVITIES ACADEMIC QUALITY AND EXCELLENCE e Developed and implemented a music program on St. Croix, including classes and a student choral group. Outside of the scope of CLASS (but to be included next semester), we have the Voices of Inspiration Community Choir. We are currently negotiating terms of reference to move the Choir (from a one-time funded event) to a full-time activity under the umbrella of CLASS. This semester we offered Music 132, Concert Band and Music 134, Steel Band Ensemble. Music 133, Jazz Ensemble will be offered during the Summer Session. e The Eastern Caribbean Center (ECC) delivered the 2011 Parent Satisfaction Survey for Special Education Services report to the VI State Office of Special Education (SOSE). This annual survey of all parents of children receiving special education services in the St. Thomas/St. John and St. Croix school districts is the only comprehensive study of special education services in the Territory. This is the 5 year that ECC has conducted this essential study for the VI State Office of Special Education Services. e = The Horticulture & Aquaculture program leader presented workshops on all three islands on fruit tree propagation with training in grafting mango and avocado trees with over 105 participants. He conducted training on vegetable crop production in Myanmar on a volunteer assignment for USAID Farmer to Farmer program and trained 21 participants. e The Director of Animal Science Program of the Agricultural Experiment Station (AES) served as the President of the Southern Section of the American Society of Animal Science for 2012-2013 and organized the annual meeting held in Orlando, FL in February 2013 which hosted over 200 attendees. e Three UVI students studied organic production of tomatoes, learned rootstocks and scion interactions in mango and avocado, and conducted research on water use in pepper production. One student also completed a second trial on pre-emergence herbicides for weed control in watermelon. e The Aquaculture Research Specialist trained 49 participants in three 3-day “UVI Aquaponics Workshop” classes. Participants attended from St. Croix, St. Thomas, Puerto Rico, Antigua, Anguilla, Barbados, Bermuda, Cape Verde Islands, Trinidad & Tobago, Israel, and the US mainland. The UVI-AES project continues to be the lead USA public-research institution in aquaponic technology. e = The Virgin Islands Small Business Development Center (SBDC) collaborated with several organizations to provide training courses and to obtain information on topics such as financial 9|Page Appendix |: Selected Accomplishments and Highlights: 2012-2013 resources, surety bonding, taxes, the Americans with Disabilities Act, technology, the farming and fishing industry. Students used tissue culture techniques to induce somatic embryos in 4 sorrel varieties, studied water relations in 3 native tree species, studied seed germination of papaya, and evaluated the fruit quality of 15 papaya varieties. Students within AES presented research papers and research results in the student competition at the Southern Region-American Society for Horticultural Science conference and the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists in the undergraduate student paper competition in February, and in the UVI Student Research Symposium which resulted in being featured in the St. Croix newspaper. The Horticulture & Aquaculture program obtained a $11,998 grant from WRRI-USGS “Plant Nutrient Management in Aquaponic System for Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) Production”. This grant will study the effects of nutrient supplementation with foliar sprays on the production of zucchini. SBDC is serving as the official training division for the Economic Development Authority— State Trade and Export Promotion grant; is collaborating with Rare Earth Studio in offering monthly two-hour training workshops designed for participants to learn about the many facets of the lucrative fine jewelry industry; has been visiting Hispanic businesses in the community to discuss VI SBDC and SBA programs and services that are available to small business owners; and provided QuickBooks training to administrative staff at the Bureau of Corrections/Golden Grove Facility. STUDENT DEVELOPMENT AND SUCCESS The Virgin Islands Waste Management Authority and Veolia Water North America —Caribbean pledged $50,000 to establish the Sonya D. Nelthropp Scholarship Fund at UVI. Ms. Nelthropp, the first Executive Director of the VI Waste Management Authority, passed away in April 2012. The Office of Institutional Advancement coordinated two fundraising events as part of the 2013 Man-Up Conference, February 4 (St. Thomas) and February 5 (St. Croix). Over 75 donors participated in the events which netted over $45,000 to establish an endowed fund for programmatic support for the UVI Male Initiative. The Man-Up Conference Keynote Speaker, Dr. Benjamin Carson, was the featured special guest of these events. The Annual Giving and Alumni Affairs office partnered with Student Affairs and the Class of 2013 leaders, to conduct exit interviews of graduating seniors. These face-to-face interviews allow over 300 prospective students to share their UVI experience and be directly solicited for a class gift. Special interview sessions were held for 3-2 engineering and medical students via telephone. The Center for Marine and Environmental Studies’ Institute for Geo-computational Analysis and Statistics (GeoCAS) engaged the students of the Seventh Day Adventist School in a presentation, discussion and work session on issues relating to Climate Change. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND GLOBALIZATION The Security Department on the St. Thomas campus has established new lines of communication with Cyril E. King Airport officials. UVI Security Officers now are included within the airport’s emergency response notification protocols if an event occurs at the airport. Additionally, airport officials are part of UVI’s emergency notification protocols for events on 10| Page Appendix I: Selected Accomplishments and Highlights: 2012-2013 campus. The St. Thomas Security staff worked closely with Cyril E. King Airport personnel, Port Authority, and TSA staff during an Airport Emergency Drill simulating an airplane crash on the runway on February 1, 2013. The Department is working closely with VIPD and VITEMA to enhance the training of officers expected to respond and handle any school or campus incident or report of violence. UVI also is included in the dissemination of intelligence briefs, classified and unclassified, that would be vital to the safety of the campus and the island communities. e The Annual Giving and Alumni Affairs office continues to connect with alumni and friends. On February 1, 2013, the Alumni e-Bulletin, which highlights campus-related articles to include campus events, semester schedules, and alumni interests was distributed to over 5,000 alumni throughout the USVI, the Caribbean and the U.S. mainland. e The University of the Virgin Islands, the Office of the Delegate to Congress and the Medical University of South Carolina hosted a planning meeting for the 7" Annual National Conference on Health Disparities on March 28, 2013. The planning meeting brought University stakeholders, community groups and government agencies together to discuss the conference agenda and focus areas. Representatives from the Department of Health, Department of Human Services, the Office of the Governor, the UVI’s Caribbean Center for Exploratory Research, the Office of Institutional Advancement, the Office of the Delegate to Congress and a 10-person delegation from the Medical University of South Carolina participated in the meeting. The Annual National Conference on Health Disparities will take place October 2013 in St. Thomas. e ECC completed data collection for the 2012 Virgin Islands Community Survey (VICS). This update to the VI 2010 Census provides population and housing data needed by local government agencies and private-sector businesses for planning. The published report of the 2012 VICS is slated to be released by the end of the calendar year. e The majority of units within Research and Public service presented displays at the Agriculture and Food Fair on February 16-18, Afternoon on the Green on March 10, Charter Day on March 15, UVI Research Day on April 6 and participated in the 2013 Bordeaux Farmers Rastafarian Agricultural and Cultural Food Fair. The displays highlighted the research activities within each area and provided opportunities for the public to interact with research faculty, staff and students employed in each RPS unit. e The Cooperative Extension Service (CES) conducted three Basic Computer Training Courses for 50 participants from March 4-April 18; held their official introductory training of their new national resource eXtension.org on March 26-27; had staff participate in the Man-Up Conference; and held the CYFAR/SCP Advisory Council meeting during this period. The unit also conducted sewing classes; held nutrition education sessions at Head Start facilities and elementary schools; continued a weight management class; participated in the Health Fair held on the Albert A. Sheen Campus; provided workforce training to seniors through a grant from Human Services; and, continued with the VI Farmer Training Program. Staff is in the process of composing a factsheet for management of the mango seed weevil. e The University of the Virgin Islands celebrated the 24" year of hosting Afternoon on the Green on the Herman E. Moore Golf Course on March 10. This year’s theme was “For Many, We Are One, on a Pathway to Greatness.” Over 3,000 people participated in the festivities which included live music, a taste competition and a tent filled with interactive educational displays. e The Development Office partnered with the Business Division in hosting prominent businesswoman, entrepreneur and philanthropist Loida Nicolas Lewis, for UVI’s inaugural presentation of the 13D Entrepreneurship Speaker Series, on March 18, in the Administration and Conference Center on the St. Thomas campus. She was named the “Top Business Woman in America” in 1995 by Working Woman Magazine. She spoke on the topic “Corporate Governance and Ethics.” 11|Page Appendix |: Selected Accomplishments and Highlights: 2012-2013 e Reichhold Center for the Arts hosted artist residencies for over 600 local students in conjunction with wildly popular performances by internationally reknowned jazz artist Najee and Cirque Zuma Zuma, an African circus. MODERN AND SAFE UNIVERSITY ENVIRONMENT e The new campus shuttle was placed into operation on March 11, 2013 on the St. Thomas campus. The older shuttle was taken off-line for mechanical repairs and refurbishing. Despite the absence of one of the shuttles commuters are being served and transportation issues are addressed. e The electronic gates on both campuses are installed and online with periodic testing implementation of the systems. The testing is being conducted in preparation for trial usage during the Summer Sessions with anticipated full scale operation and use with resident Student ID cards in Fall 2013. e ACommittee is being formed to review the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) draft documents entitled Chemical Hygiene Plan Safety Manuals and health and safety protocols which would eventually be forwarded for approval as official University of the Virgin Islands guidance documents. The goal is to develop and fine tune the EHS manuals and guidance documents to a level that is state of the art and can be implemented within the University’s goals and strategic plans thereby enabling the University’s campuses to be safer and in compliance with federal and local regulations. ORGANIZATIONAL AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT e The Special Events Director (IA) with his counterparts at Whittier College, Claremont Graduate University, and Oregon University of Health Sciences prepared a panel on collaboration to be presented at the national CASE CFR conference in San Francisco, June 5-7, 2013. e On March 11 and 13, the Vice President for Administration and Finance was one of the featured speakers at the 2013 Resolving Ethical Issues in the Workplace workshop hosted by the Center for the Study of Spirituality & Professionalism. Vice President Lake-King spoke on the topic Key Roles and Responsibilities in Ethics Management, which was well received by the UV! community and members of the public sector. e The Accounting and Purchasing Offices held the second series of Financial Policies workshops on Monday, April 15 on the St. Thomas campus and Wednesday, April 17 on the St. Croix Campus. The workshop highlighted important policy guidelines on the fiduciary responsibilities of the University and its employees with emphasis on the following areas: employee fiscal roles, business conduct and ethics, changes to travel, per-diem, moving and relocation expenses, procurement & corporate credit cards usage, and purchasing and bidding thresholds. e Human Resources conducted 2 two-session information workshops on April 1 & 2 on each campus, on the new HR Policy Manual to highlight changes, re-emphasize existing policies and provide clarification as needed. FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY AND GROWTH e The University raised over $1M this quarter (between February 1 — May 3). Donors designated their support to a number of key areas including the Unrestricted Fund, the Reichhold Center for 12|Page Appendix |: Selected Accomplishments and Highlights: 2012-2013 the Arts, scholarships, the athletic department and the Foundation for the University of the Virgin Islands. e SBDC received an $8,000 annual contribution from First Bank VI. This contribution which is offered through their community reinvestment initiative supports outreach, training, and other small business and SBDC-related activities. e Reichhold Center for the Arts recognized a 51 percent increase over budged concession sales in the first and second quarters. e Reichhold Center for the Arts improved communications between Accounting and RCA and implemented new and improved schedules for submitting and processing revenue and expenses. e The Director of Corporate, Foundation and Government Relations (IA) continues to meet regularly with UVI leadership and key faculty members to acquaint them with the role of the office and learn more about their needs and to respond to requests for assistance or information about grant possibilities. e The Director of Corporate, Foundation and Government Relations (IA) continued integrating CFR prospects and contacts with other IA offices using Raiser’s Edge and other tools to ensure accurate record-keeping and seamless interaction with other IA operations and staff. e The Director of Campus Operations (St. Thomas) presented a textbook rental proposal to the academic Deans on April 8, 2013. The purpose of the presentation was to recommend a pilot textbook program, recommend general guidelines for a sustainable textbook rental program, propose general criteria for evaluating the economic feasibility of the pilot program and the recommendation for the establishment of a cross-campus Textbook Advisory Committee. The Directors of Campus Operations will work collaboratively with the Deans and faculty chairs to identify selected textbooks for the pilot program in Fall 2013. e The Director of Corporate, Foundation and Government Relations (1A) developed a list of 53 corporate and foundation prospects (more than double the number in the previous report), with cultivation and stewardship steps for soliciting grants from them, including any foundation deadlines. He continues to expand and update this portfolio in response to emerging needs of the University. In the calendar year to date, four proposals have been submitted, which if funded would bring in an amount just under $300,000. In addition, two letters of inquiry have been submitted and six proposals are in active stages of development. e During the 2013 Agrifest event, the Office of Annual Giving and Alumni Affairs and a team of volunteers secured a record $4,072 from 990 alumni. Ms. Lucy Edmonds, a UVI honor student secured more than 10 percent of the funds raised. e During the second quarter ending March 31, the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) processed fifteen proposals and 9 awards. e The Director of Special Events (IA) continued the process of introducing major foundations to UVI and its programs. This included attending one regional and one national conference on the mainland: the District Il annual conference of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) held in Pittsburgh March 3-5; and, the Council on Foundations national conference, held in Chicago April 8-10, 2013. e For this reporting period, the alumni giving rate stands at 24.94 percent compared to 13.18 percent last fiscal year. A total of 1,750 gifts were received from 1,556 donors. Despite the economic downturn, a total of $57,834 in contributions have been received, an 11.61 percent increase. 13|Page Appendix |: Selected Accomplishments and Highlights: 2012-2013 APPENDIX Il APPROVED OPERATING BUDGET FISCAL YEAR 2012-2013 REVENUES Tuition and Fees Appropriations Government Grants and Contracts Private Grants and Contracts Investments Sales and Services Education Sales and Services Auxiliary Other Revenues TOTAL REVENUES EXPENDITURES Instruction Research Public Service Academic Support Student Services FY 2012-2013 OPERATING BUDGET BUDGET TO ACTUAL AS OF JULY 30, 2013 YY YY YY YH YH Operations / Maintenance of Plant Student Aid Auxiliary Enterprises Transfers $ $ $ $ $ Institutional Support S $ $ S $ $ TOTAL EXPENDITURES AND TRANSFERS Net Operating Position $ Appendix II: BUDGET 12,954,604 22,908,637 970,000 1,040,447 250,000 4,000 6,507,948 304,252 44,939,888 BUDGET 11,493,349 555,202 946,443 3,172,179 3,449,288 10,269,016 6,803,503 557,475 6,240,464 1,449,355 44,936,274 3,614 FY 2012-2013 wUVY YY YY YH UY YY YY YN YH YH ACTUAL 07/30/13 10,927,750 19,880,474 348,738 792,459 7,989 2,960 4,135,807 152,774 36,248,951 ACTUAL 07/30/13 9,659,897 408,593 711,571 2,332,018 2,900,294 8,385,576 5,739,064 359,355 4,288,888 1,339,578 36,121,794 127,457 Approved Operating Budget APPENDIX Ill MULTI-PURPOSE CENTER MULTI-PURPOSE CENTER ALBERT A. SHEEN CAMPUS The 30,000 sq. ft. multi-level facility with a seating capacity of 2,500 will: Provide an indoor air-conditioned venue for large group events, i.e., Commencement and high quality artistic performances. Be a comprehensive recreational center housing Basketball and Volleyball courts; Weight and Fitness space for dancing, martial arts, aerobics and yoga; Social lounge; Locker room; Physical Education Faculty Office; Student Government Office; Conference Room; five Student Affairs Administrative Offices; Concession Stand; Restrooms; and, an outdoor recreational equipment storage room. Centralize athletic, physical education, and student activities functions ina single facility. Increase desirability of the Sheen Campus for prospective students Allow for the reprogramming of existing space in building “N” and Evans Center. 1|Page Appendix Ill: Multi-purpose Center, Albert A. Sheen Campus ra | ew —— ad 196 Ha cal