First Public Meeting of USVI Guts Project Scheduled Jan. 26 at UVI
The first public meeting for the project reviewing the state of knowledge concerning guts in the USVI is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 26, on the campuses of the University of the Virgin Islands . The session is expected to focus on three areas: 1) an update on the "state of knowledge" report, 2) issues to be addressed in a proposed Guts Management Plan, including appropriate strategies and implementation arrangements, and 3) a review of the scope and focus of the proposed demonstration project, including proposed sites and implementation arrangements. The meeting will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in room 302A of the Evans Center on the St. Croix campus and in room 213 of the Teacher Education Building on the St. Thomas campus.
Individuals planning to participate are asked to confirm by phone or email to Lloyd Gardner, by Wednesday, Jan. 23. Call 693-1208 or send email to [email protected]

Reichhold Seeking Volunteers for Playing Ring: In De Yard
UVI's Reichhold Center for the Arts is seeking volunteers from the University community to assist with the Playing Ring: In De Yard event scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 30. Playing Ring: In De Yard will bring Virgin Islands cultural bearers and young people together. Students from all three islands are expected to attend. They will have the opportunity to learn about traditional toys and games — such as jacks, tops, cocks and toe-toe-tom — as well as storytelling. Volunteers, who will assist the cultural bearers, will need to be at the Reichhold Center at 7:30 a.m. Lunch will be provided. For details or to sign-up, call the Reichhold at 693-1550 or send email to [email protected].

Playing Ring: 'A Fungi Jamboree' Coming to UVI's Reichhold Center
UVI's Reichhold Center for the Arts offers the third installment of its wildly entertaining, educational and successful Playing Ring series on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2008. "Playing Ring: A Fungi Jamboree," will take over the Reichhold grounds with the traditional marketplace – featuring local foods, arts and crafts – beginning at 6 p.m. The show, celebrating music and dance indigenous to the Caribbean , begins at 8 p.m. It will feature scratch bands from the Virgin Islands, as well as St. Lucia and Dominica . For details, to become a season subscriber, or to purchase show tickets, visit the Reichhold Center web site: www.reichholdcenter.com. A news release is available from the UVI home page – www.uvi.edu.
Food, Arts and Crafts Vendors Sought for Feb. 2 Playing Ring Fair
UVI's Reichhold Center for the Arts is seeking food and arts and crafts vendors to participate in the Playing Ring: Market Place Arts Fair scheduled for Feb. 2 on the Reichhold grounds. To participate, call Tasida Kelch at the V.I. Council on the Arts at 340-774-5984.

Miss V.I., UVI Student Janeisha John Featured in 'Miss America ' TV Program
Miss Virgin Islands Janeisha John, a student on UVI's St Croix campus and former Miss UVI Ambassadorial Pageant contestant, is being featured in a four-part reality TV special that is following 52 beauty queens as they prepare to compete in the 2008 Miss America Pageant. Titled "Miss America : Reality Check," the program premiered on Jan. 4, on The Learning Channel (TLC). The show continues each Friday at 10 p.m. ET (11 p.m. local time) through Jan. 25. Details and a promotional video are featured on the TLC web site (See below). The program is designed to entice viewers to TLC's live two-hour broadcast of the 2008 Miss America Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 26.
Members of the UVI Community who wish to support Janeisha John can do so by casting "viewer's choice" votes for her on The Learning Channel website: www.tlc.com/missamerica.

Upward Bound Offers After-School Centers on St. Croix, St. Thomas
The Upward Bound Program at the University of the Virgin Islands will host After-School Homework/Computer Literacy Centers for high school students and their parents starting later this month. Assistance with English, math and science homework, and instruction in the basic principals of computer use will be offered. The centers will be open Mondays through Thursdays from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on the St. Thomas campus and from 5:45 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the St. Croix campus. Spaces are limited. Applications are available from the Upward Bound Offices on both campuses. For details, call 693-1133 on St. Thomas or 692-4182 on St. Croix . The center is funded by a Community Development Block Grant, through the Department of Planning and Natural Resources.

St. Thomas 2008 Senior Class Meeting Slated for Feb. 3
The next meeting of the 2008 Senior Class on UVI's St. Thomas campus is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 3 in room B-110. For details, contact Class President Gaetan Gentius at 277-0035 or send email to [email protected].

St. Croix Campus Affairs Forum Scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 23
A St. Croix Campus Affairs Forum is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 23, in the NWW Great Hall. Among the agenda items are searches to fill student affairs and student activities positions, new capital projects, a new health and wellness initiative, a prospective First Bank ATM on campus, an overview of spring orientation and institutional security enhancements. The forum is open to all students, faculty and staff. Light refreshments will be served.

VIMAS to Sponsor Blue Planet Film to Mark Year of the Reef
In honor of the 2008 International Year of the Reef, the UVI-Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service (VIMAS) will sponsor a movie night featuring the Blue Planet film " Coral Seas " from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 25, at the Great Hall on UVI's St. Corix campus. The public is invited to view this film which features beautiful underwater footage of coral reefs from around the world. The viewing is free. Free popcorn will be available and snacks will be offered for sale. The movie night will be an opportunity for the UVI and St. Croix communities to learn more about the International Year of the Reef and how to get involved in the local celebration of this worldwide event. Contact

UVI-CELL to Launch Management Workshop Series with AMA in February
The University of the Virgin Islands ' Community Engagement and Lifelong Learning (UVI-CELL) Center will launch its newly developed Management Skill Series in February. The series is designed to help managers develop and refine the skills needed to manage the workforce more effectively. The first workshop in the ten-part series — entitled "Leadership Skills for Managers" — will kick-off Feb. 1 on both St. Thomas and St. Croix . All workshops will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the first Friday of every month. On St. Croix, workshops will be held at the Joseph A. Simpson Building , #23A Hospital Street in Frederiksted. On St. Thomas , the workshops will be held at the UVI-CELL Center on the St. Thomas Campus.
Participants will learn to: build teams; coach, mentor and reward employees; foster and develop new leaders; provide direction to turn an organization's vision into reality; stay the course in troubled times; and manage change.
The workshops are offered in collaboration with the American Management Association (AMA). Participants who complete six of the workshops will obtain a Certificate in Management Skills in the Workplace from UVI and the AMA. For details or to register, call 693-1100 or visit UVI-CELL on-line at http://cell.uvi.edu.

For more about the University of the Virgin Islands , visit the Web site: www.uvi.edu.