University of the Southern Caribbean Presidents Update March 2014

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As we approach the end of the 2013/2014
academic school year, it gives me pleasure as
University President to update our campus
community, our Board of Trustees and our beloved
alumni and friends on the progress of the University
since our last update.
First of all, let me reiterate the passionate
commitment of the Universitys Administration to
remain focused on USC's historic mission as a
training center in preparing our young people for
competent, compassionate and Christ-centered
service to Church and Society. We also seek to
prepare them for the imminent return of our Lord.
This mission is reflected in our plans to rebrand the
institution under the theme of Learn, Love, Live.
The University voted a five-year strategic plan in
2012 and we continue to work towards the
accomplishment of the goals and objectives set
forth there and as amended to account for emerging
realities. Let me report on progress, challenges and
opportunities under the five pillars as outlined in the
strategic plan.

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
This remains our most critical pillar. We have
reminded the student body of the quotation found in
the book Education, page 57:
"The greatest want of the world is the want of menmen
who will not be bought or sold, men who in their inmost
souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin
by its right name, men whose conscience is as true to
duty as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the
right though the heavens fall.
But such a character is not the result of accident; it is not
due to special favors or endowments of Providence. A
noble character is the result of self-discipline, of the
subjection of the lower to the higher naturethe
surrender of self for the service of love to God and man."
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UNIVERSITY of the
SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN
Presidents Update





Beyond Excellence
March 2014

Dr. Clinton A. Valley
President
University of the Southern Caribbean Presidents Update March 2014

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Students engaged in a prayer session
The University is re-emphasizing this and other
similar quotations through repetitions in classrooms
and assemblies and on public displays across the
University.
The location for the University Church has been
identified as the area currently housing Cedar Hall,
the men's dormitory. The conceptual layout shows
that the church's footprint will also include our
famed and historic "slab". The plan is to have a
multi-purpose community center and basketball
court on the lower level of the church building. This
space will also provide additional accommodation
for large events.
Fund-raising for this project has begun with an
estimated project cost of about $50 million TT. The
higher organizations, alumni and philanthropists are
all to be approached to support the campus family
and other members in this drive to finally build a
church on campus to the glory of God. We thank
Dr. Faz Hosein for the energy and drive with which
he is leading out on this project along with the
members of the Church Building Committee.

Pledge card for church building

CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
The University is currently engaged in an academic
audit process chaired by Dr. Sylvan Lashley, Dean
of Graduate, Extensions, Continuing and
Professional Studies. USC has to ensure that its
maintains rigor and relevance in all of its academic
offering across its main campus, satellite and
extension sites and the wider community it seeks to
serve. Beyond Excellence continues to be our
watchwords.
The following academic programmes were
approved for offering by USC at the IAD Board of
Education at its November 2013 meeting:
Certificate in Criminology and Criminal Justice
Post Graduate Diploma in Criminology and
Criminal Justice
Graduate Diploma in Intelligence and National
Security Studies
Bachelor of Arts in Music
Masters of Science in National Security and
Intelligence Studies
Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education
B.Ed. in Primary Education (modified B.S.
Elementary Education
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Signing of the MOU with Andrews University for Ph.D Degree
The University will seek Board approval for the
phased roll-out of these programmes.
The University was pleased to conclude
arrangements and to sign MOUs with Andrews
University for the offering of dual undergraduate
and MBA degrees. We also had a historic first with
the formal signing and launch of the PhD in
Educational Psychology offered in collaboration with
Andrews University. Students were awaiting this
reality for over five years and 24 doctoral students
have now completed the second module in their
programme.
An exciting new initiative that is currently engaging
our attention is the development of our Online
College. We have hundreds of courses that are
offered on a blended basis and many that are
already fully online. This coming summer we will be
adding some more fully online courses to respond
to requests for teacher certification in the Caribbean
Union. The University also plans to use its
developing online capabilities to reach out to meet
the needs of children of North American alumni and
others including those students in the US territories
of our own Caribbean Union and those at our
extension sites. Our online services will be
supported by live streaming of courses to selected
locations. The first experiment of this latter
approach took place when USC students took a
course in Anatomy and Physiology from a Professor
at the Adventist University of Health Sciences while
they were seated in a classroom in Maracas Valley.


University of the Southern Caribbean Presidents Update March 2014

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CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT
The Residence Halls Project continue to be our s
main focus in this area. The Timothy S. Greaves
Residence Hall has now been completed and
furnished and will first be used in mid-June to house
ministers from the Caribbean Union attending the
Pastoral Leadership and Evangelism Conference
(PLEC 2014).

The walls of the ladies residence hall are currently
been erected and completion on this phase is
anticipated for completion in December 2014.
Hopefully by January 2015, both residence halls will
be in full occupancy, each catering for 200
residents.









Construction of the ladies dorm has begun.
Funding for the residence halls was largely
supported from a $97 million grant from the Trinidad
and Tobago Government voted in 2007. However,
contractual changes, un-budgeted infrastructural
development, inflation and unanticipated costs have
led to a revised total project cost of $160 million.


We are discussing additional funding from the
Government and other sources to subsidize the
cost. The University has already spent over $22
million of its own resources to keep the project on
stream. Donations for this project are welcome and
I would like to again thank the USC North American
Association, their Chapters and other alumni who
have contributed generously towards our residence
halls.
Naming opportunities are available for individual
rooms, a block of rooms in a wing, the worship
rooms and the ladies residence hall. Interested
donors are invited to contact VP for Advancement,
Mr. Glenford Joseph at josephg@usc.edu.tt.

Other campus development undertaken within
recent times include the refurbishment of the
President's House, the completion of the School of
Business, the re-modeling of a facility for the Health
and Wellness Centre and the replacement of the
roof at La Realista. The aging infrastructure has
also demanded major remedial works in our
plumbing, electrical and air conditioning facilities.

Business Block





University of the Southern Caribbean Presidents Update March 2014

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USC opened its South Centre last September. It
operates now from two locations in San Fernando -
a rented facility and at the upper floor of what used
to be Southern Academy. Remodeling works were
done at both locations to meet our needs. The
University is deeply appreciative of the support
given by the San Fernando Church and the South
Caribbean Conference in facilitating our launch in
the South.

Opening of the South Centre
Works are also set to begin on expansion of the
Tobago Extension Campus - thanks to significant
and ongoing support from the Tobago House of
Assembly. USC has recently rented new facilities in
Antigua in partnership with the South Leewards
Mission. Our sites in Barbados, Guyana and St
Lucia are all due for relocation.
The University is currently in discussions with
several entities regarding the development of the
estate for housing, agriculture and eco-tourism and
the development of the strip of land across the road
from the University for the mixed development of a
University Village incorporating shops, professional
and University Offices and apartments. The Health
and Wellness Centre is also to be re-located to this
facility. Recent meetings with Government
Ministers, Town and Country Planning Officials, a
local Bank and the Caribbean Development Bank
all seem encouraging.

Space identified for the University Village
At the technological level, the University has
invested in a new central academic management
system which we have named Azar. This new
system went live this semester and we are still
working through bugs in the system. Generally,
however, there is a great level of staff and student
satisfaction with this new system. USC has
indicated in its strategic plan that it aims to be a
technologically advanced campus and Azar is an
important step towards this goal.

Students utilize the USC shuttle service
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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

One of the objectives in this area as outlined in our
strategic plan is to "strengthen faith identity and
congregational belonging as part of the integral
mission of the University". Several initiatives are
being pursued to accomplish this objective. One of
the most interesting recently is the Dare to Care
Project coordinated by our University Chaplain,
Pastor Lloyd Jacott. A duplex home is currently
under construction by students, our Plant Services
personnel and other volunteers to house two
families in the Maracas Valley. The Caribbean
Union has also contributed significantly to this
project.

Construction in process at the house in Maracas Valley
Every summer period, students from USC engage
in mission trips coordinated by the Inter American
Division. Our students return refreshed and revived
from these bonding and faith-building opportunities.
Right on campus our weekly assemblies and termly
weeks of prayer are also strong faith-building
occasions and baptisms usually occur after every
revival week.

Pas. Lloyd Jacott baptizes a student after the Week of Prayer
USC has been reaching out to its national and
regional communities with programmes to meet
their needs using University resources and
expertise. Some of these programmes are as
follows:
Working with the Trinidad and Tobago Police
Service on a promotional assessment process
for first and second Division Officers.
Working with the Ministry of Gender on a
parenting programme along the East/West
Corridor.
Working with the Ministry of Diversity, UTT and
UWI in jointly hosting a national diversity
conference.
Working with the Government of Antigua and
Barbuda in hosting a Special Education Week
and in the consequent training of selected
teachers in that country towards the award of a
Diploma in Special Education.
Working with the Grenada Conference in para-
professional counseling training for a group of
workers.
Working with the Education Department of the
Caribbean Union in developing and delivering a
University of the Southern Caribbean Presidents Update March 2014

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fully online programme for the certification of all
teachers in the Caribbean Union.
Working with South Caribbean Conference in
hosting a weekly national radio programme and
in several other initiatives.
CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT

Our people are our most valued asset and so
strategies continue to be implemented to enhance
student and staff satisfaction and motivation. At the
student level, some of the strategies recently
implemented include:
The opening of the Student Advisement Centre.
The launch of Azar, our new academic
management system.
Revamping of the admission and registration
processes
Changing the date for the start of late registration
to reflect the financial realities facing particularly
our regional students.
New residence halls.
Significantly increase bandwidth to facilitate
easier internet access.
Generous support for the library budget and
initiatives to ensure easy access to relevant on
site and online learning resources.
At the employee level, the University has embarked
on a salary review process since salaries have
been frozen for over four years. This freeze
amounted to a real loss of earnings in the region of
at least15% given the rates of inflation over the
period. At present USC salaries are far below that
paid by the other Universities and while USC
maintains the need for a sacrificial element, salaries
need to be raised if the University is to continue to
recruit and retain qualified faculty and staff.

Class presentation with Professor Santrac in foreground
The University also continues to support the
professional development of its workers both in
terms of short courses and in the acquisition of
higher degrees. At least three terminally qualified
employees are due to return in September 2014
after completing their programmes of study.
The University's strategic plan projects an
enrollment of 5,000 students by 2017. Current
projections suggest that the September 2014
enrollment across the University including all
satellite and extension sites should be around 4000
students, up from 3694 for the current school year.
The goal is to significantly increase the residential
enrollment on campus and this would be facilitated
with the coming on stream of the new residence
halls. Cedar Hall will be kept in use for at least
another year while fund-raising continues for the
new church building. Thus, for 2014/2015 school
year, four residence halls will become available with
a total potential occupancy of over 750 students.
This is great news for the holistic emphasis
advocated in Seventh-day Adventist Education.



University of the Southern Caribbean Presidents Update March 2014

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CONCLUSION

My wife and I count it both a joy and a privilege to
be part of the USC experience at this time. This
University has tremendous potential and it is
blessed with a committed and hard-working cadre
of faculty and staff, an understanding Board,
grateful alumni, valued resources and goodwill in
the communities it serves. Our students - whether
they belong to the Seventh-day Adventist or not -
are generally polite and well behaved and this
comment is repeatedly shared with me by visitors to
our campus. USC has a lot for which to be thankful.
The green shoots symbolizing better days are
sprouting in several places for which we are humbly
thankful. The VP for Financial Administration and
her team rejoiced recently upon the receipt of the
first unqualified audit report from our auditors in
over five years.
Thanks to a supportive Board Chair and Board, the
Union Officers and the Field Leaders for their
leadership and guidance. Together we are working
to make USC a citadel of hope and a vital training
centre for the prosecution of the Seventh-day
Adventist mission in the Caribbean Union and
elsewhere.
To God be the glory!
















Flag raising Ceremony



Ribbon cutting ceremony --opening of Tim Greaves Residence
Hall