UVI Bulletin Board for March and April

University of the Virgin Islands

Virgin Islands Literary Festival and Book Fair Postponed The public is advised that the sixth annual Virgin Islands Literary Festival and Book Fair (VI Lit Fest) has been postponed until further notice.  The VI Lit Fest had partnered with the Caribbean Philosophical Association (CPA) for the 2020, festival originally scheduled for April 1 to 4, under the theme, “Shifting the Geography of Reason XVII: Dignity Power and Place in the Caribbean.” However, VILF leadership has voted to postpone the local end of the collaborative festival/conference due to the tenuous conditions associated with the threat of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and the leadership mandates in support of a safe and healthy Virgin Islands community.

We thank our sponsors and the Virgin Islands community for their support over the past six years, and we look forward to getting back on track once we have risen from this threat.

UVI Board of Trustees Approves FY 2021 Budget In the regular session of its quarterly meeting on March 7, on the St. Thomas Campus, the University of the Virgin Islands Board of Trustees unanimously approved a Fiscal Year 2021 appropriations request of $40.2 million to cover the university’s operations and programs.

“Our appropriation remains in line with FY 2020 with the exception of two key areas that we did not have much control over,” said UVI Board of Trustees Vice Chair Oran Roebuck, chair of the Finance and Budget Committee.  The Government Employees Retirement System (GERS) contribution increased from 20.5 percent to 23.5 percent, and there was a post-hurricane increase in the property insurance premium of over $886,000. The university’s request also includes a request for $500,000 to address deferred maintenance programs.

“We understand that the government remains in a challenging position, so we have maintained our appropriation request with the exception of those areas that we really need to adjust for,” said Board Trustee Vice Chair Roebuck.

More information is available in a news release on the Media Section of the UVI website – http://www.uvi.edu/

Memorial Service for Dr. Arnold Highfield Postponed Dr. David Gould informs the University of the Virgin Islands and the wider Virgin Islands community that the memorial for Dr. Arnold Highfield, which was scheduled for March 18, has been postponed to some later date, not yet determined.

UVI’s Annual Afternoon on the Green Canceled The annual Afternoon on the Green fundraiser scheduled for Sunday, March 22, has been canceled. The committee thanks the community for its support in the past years and wishes the community good health and safety.

UVI’s Research Day Scheduled for April 24 Canceled The University of the Virgin Islands annual Research Day scheduled for Friday, April 24, has been canceled. Research Day provides its students the opportunity to showcase their research with topics that impact the V.I. community.