The University of the Virgin Islands has asked the Middle States Commission on Higher Education to remove its Show Cause designation and place the institution on Probation or Warning, President Dr. Safiya George reported to trustees. The request comes as UVI prepares to appear before the accreditor on Nov. 19, with overdue financial audits still underway.
UVI submitted the request Oct. 12 in its response to the commission’s follow-up review team report, according to an Oct. 19 university release describing the Board of Trustees’ quarterly meeting two days earlier. Middle States’ published accreditation record continues to list UVI as accredited with a Non-Compliance Show Cause status; the request has not been reflected as an approved change in that record.
Middle States imposed the action June 25, requiring UVI to demonstrate why its accreditation should not be withdrawn because of insufficient evidence of compliance with standards covering planning, resources and institutional improvement, as well as governance, leadership and administration. Among the commission’s requirements were completed financial audits for fiscal years 2022 through 2025, evidence of responsible financial management and stronger governing-board oversight of the university’s finances.
UVI submitted its initial show-cause response Sept. 1, as previously reported by the Consortium. The university’s latest submission seeks “removal from Show Cause and placement on Probation or Warning status,” according to its October release.
Vice President for Administration and Finance Guadalupe Valencia reported that UVI had received draft fiscal year 2022 financial statements from external auditor EY, following completion of the fiscal year 2021 audit in May. University officials are targeting completion of the fiscal year 2022 financial and single audits by the end of October or early November at the latest, with work on the fiscal year 2023 audit expected to begin in November.
Trustees unanimously approved four governance measures that UVI identified as part of its response to the Show Cause action: a conflict-of-interest and disclosure policy, an officer nomination procedure, a code of conduct for trustees and a board communications policy. The board also voted to increase its regular meetings from three to four annually, with dates still to be determined.
The meeting produced unanimous approval of a $92,516,989 comprehensive budget for fiscal year 2027. The plan includes approximately $47.54 million in operating revenues, $43.63 million in restricted revenues and a $1.35 million capital budget, along with approximately $2.31 million in operating expense reductions.
Valencia cautioned that an approximately $2 million positive operating position reported as of August was preliminary and did not yet account for remaining payroll and year-end expenses. UVI is working toward an approximately balanced year-end position, she said.
Trustees separately directed the administration to develop an Academic Affairs Transformation Plan examining academic programs, enrollment, course demand, faculty deployment, costs and student outcomes. Proposed changes must account for student access, course availability, timely degree completion and accreditation and licensure requirements, the university said. In executive session, the board extended limited procurement policy exceptions for audit and accreditation support through Dec. 31, 2026.
