In the regular session of its quarterly meeting on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, on the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix, the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve the University’s 2025 fundraising goal of $5 million, an alumni giving rate of 10 percent, and a Board of Trustees and President’s Cabinet giving rate of 100 percent.
UVI’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved the recommendation of the Foundation of the University of the Virgin Islands (FUVI) Board to select George Marshall Miller to serve as a public member of the Board. FUVI supports and assists the University in fulfilling its educational and charitable objectives and aids in accomplishing UVI’s mission. Board members selected by the foundation board must be presented to the Board of Trustees for approval.
Miller is an accomplished attorney who has made substantial contributions to the Virgin Islands community. He earned his Juris Doctorate from Columbia University in 1971 and has been admitted to practice law in the US Virgin Islands since 1975.
The Board also unanimously approved the creation of three new cabinet level positions to include Vice President for Strategic Affairs and Executive Director of the Foundation for the University of the Virgin Islands, Vice President for Student Success and Innovation, and Vice President for Research and Economic Business Development. Una Dyer, Dr. Pamela Moolenaar-Wirsiy, and Dr. Rick Nader, respectively, will serve in these cabinet positions.
“In creating these vice presidential positions, it is my intention to elevate and prioritize these critical areas to ensure we are meeting our student’s needs in terms of opportunities and achievement, strengthening our research infrastructure, and fulfilling my overarching vision for UVI to serve as a bedrock and catalyst for social mobility in the territory and our region,” said UVI President Dr. Safiya George.
During the Board meeting, Dr. George presented the quarterly President’s Appreciation Award to the UVI Visioning and Strategic Planning Co-design Committee chaired by Sharlene Harris, vice president for Information Services and Institutional Assessment, and Una Dyer, vice president for Strategic Affairs and chief of staff. She stated, “In my first 79 days, I have a lot to be grateful for. I have an amazing team across the institution and in thinking about the team that has done so much and the team that’s the most diverse, I would like to recognize the 20 plus members of the UVI Visioning and Strategic Planning Co-design team that have been doing a great job of engaging the community in our strategic planning process.” The President’s Appreciation Award is presented at each board meeting to an individual, department or unit that has demonstrated exceptional performance in the previous quarter.
During her presentation to the Board of Trustees, Dr. George also highlighted several student accomplishments, including those of White House HBCU Scholar Kyra Edward and Miss UVI LaMonee Morris who both recently represented UVI in national forums, as well as UVI students who participated in the Thurgood Marshall Leadership Institute. She applauded the many cutting-edge research activities of UVI students and faculty, including the successful publication of faculty research in peer-reviewed journals and recognized the new leadership of UVI’s student government associations on both campuses.
During Saturday’s meeting, Board Chairman Henry Smock welcomed new Board of Trustees Barbara Flemming, who will serve as faculty trustee and Jermika Roumout, who will serve as the student representative. The Board also approved the president’s goals for 2024-2025.
While in executive session, the Board approved executive session minutes; received reports from the Academic, Research and Student Affairs Committee and the Finance and Budget committee; and received updates on personnel and legal matters.
The next scheduled meeting of the Board of Trustees will be on Saturday, March 8, 2025. A complete list of Board meetings is available on the Board of Trustees page of the UVI website www.uvi.edu and from this direct link.
For more information, contact pr@uvi.edu.
