SUNDAY 17 DECEMBER, 2017 –
UWI TODAY 100
TH
ISSUE
3
EDITORIAL TEAM
CAMPUS PRINCIPAL
Professor Brian Copeland
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
Dr Dawn-Marie De Four-Gill
EDITOR
Vaneisa Baksh • email:
CONTACT US
The UWI Marketing and Communications Office
Tel: (868) 662-2002, exts. 82013 / 83997 or email:
CAMPUS NEWS
Our 70th
ANNIVERSARY
students based on academic performance (including
co-curricular studies) and financial need. In these
increasingly difficult economic times, the purchase of
just one ticket to the event multiplies a thousand-fold.
Next year The UWI commemorates 70 years of
service and leadership to this region. UWI’s unique
legacy, contributions, and role at the national, regional,
and international levels will be celebrated. Our avowed
mission is to advance learning, create knowledge, and
foster innovation for the positive transformation of
the Caribbean and the wider world. Consider that our
network of more than 120,000 alumni is represented
at the highest level of government, corporate, and
professional life. Twenty-six of our graduates have
been Heads of Government or President; one is a
Nobel Laureate.
In spite of the ups and downs that The University
and this Region face, The UWI will always do its part
to prepare and motivate succeeding generations so as
to achieve that ultimate goal – sustainable development
throughout our lands. It is only fitting, therefore that,
in this 70th year – on January 23 – the Sir Arthur Lewis
Institute for Social and Economic Studies (SALISES)
will host a one-day Memorial Symposium on the life
and work of Arthur Lewis. Sir Arthur served as our first
West Indian Principal and our first Vice-Chancellor. He
was also the recipient of the Nobel Prize for Economics.
Next year, the 70th anniversary celebrations
will kick in across the campuses, and we will find
many reasons to appreciate how The UWI has been a
remarkable force in the development of the Caribbean
and its people from colonial times to Independence
and past that.
It is significant that when the Federation fell apart
in the 1950s, The UWI was one of just a couple of
institutions that managed to survive the cleavages that
occurred.The various forms of celebration that will take
place over the course of the next year, will start with
thanksgiving services across the region.
To our readers, I wish to personally thank you
for your interest and support and for your continued
commitment to the institution and to regional
development.Through you, we havemanaged to sustain
this university as the number one tertiary institution
in the region.
On behalf of my family and on my own behalf, I
wish you a safe and enjoyable holiday season.
My very best to you and your families for good
health, success, productivity, and prosperity!
PROFESSOR BRIAN COPELAND
Campus Principal
This issue of UWI TODAY
is indeed a special one – for
the contributors, the editor,
the entire Marketing and
Communications Office,
and for me. It’s not every day
you reach a hundred, and it
is something to celebrate as
we mark the 100th issue of
the paper and the journey it
has made since 2008.
The paper has evolved
somewhat from the early days. I see it as a vehicle taking
the stories of St. Augustine – its campus community
of staff and students – to the world outside. There is
much that happens within that is remarkable and the
monthly paper helps us to let people know what kind
of discoveries are taking place, and how the academic
institution is actually very relevant to the quality of
their lives.
As we near the end of 2017 and close off, in a sense,
with the 100th issue of our campus paper, it encourages
some reflection on the experiences of 2017.
We began the year with a great consciousness of the
impact of the global financial downturn on Trinidad and
Tobago and on our Campus. Still in the Taoist Yin Yang
concept, the situation was the starting point for change.
It has forced us to continuously explore ways in which
we could be more productive through greater efficiency
and resourcefulness. Change is inevitable.The difference
between success and failure is our ability to gauge the
environment, predict trends, adapt where necessary, and
seize opportunities as they present themselves.
A deliberate strategy on our part has been to engage
the Campus community and wider network of alumni,
partners, friends, and other stakeholders in a variety
of ways. These included public lectures, conferences,
and symposia. Our research continues to increase in
relevance and our teaching and learning is still of the
highest quality in the region.
The face-to-face sessions with our student body
have been very heartening and I congratulate the
current Guild for its commendable leadership in keeping
lines of connection open and active. The activism I
saw as we navigated Campus security matters and the
proposed renaming of Milner Hall has made me proud.
It convinces me that we are doing something right. I
encourage all students of The UWI and of life to hold
your own as critical thinkers, speak out, and stand up
for what you believe in. Remember that the future is
yours and you have the opportunity right now to carve
and to shape it.
There is so much in store for us in 2018. We kick
off the year with our now annual UWI Fete that funds
bursaries for UWI students. The 2016 event allowed us
to give 210 bursaries to undergraduate and postgraduate
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
CHANGE IS HERE
The UWI has been preparing
to launch a year of activities
to celebrate its 70th anniversary with a central planning
committee, chaired by the University Registrar, Mr. C.
William Iton.
Sub-committees on each campus have been working
to construct the calendar of activities. Mr. Iton has now
announced that the opening event will be an Interfaith
Service at The UWI Chapel, Mona, Jamaica on Sunday,
January 7, beginning at 9.15 am.
Mr. Iton has also revealed the 70th Anniversary logo,
which was selected through a logo design competition
extended to university staff, students and alumni.
Entries were invited during the period August 1 to
August 31, 2017. “A panel of judges—comprising Campus
Registrars’ nominees, student and alumni representatives—
reviewed and deliberated over 80 entries. Submissions were
assessed using a specific scoring criteria which included
evaluation of its colour harmony; complementarity toThe
UWI logo; colour harmony; scalability; simplicity as well as
the overall logo symbolism, designer’s concept and intent.
From this process, alumnus, Mr. Kemal Brown emerged
with the most preferred design,” said Mr. Iton.
About the 70th Anniversary Logo
The logo features the pelican—an enduring
symbol of The UWI—illustrating that the
University has indeed soared in its achievements
since its humble beginnings 70 years ago. It
is also representative of an ongoing journey,
and The UWI’s commitment to sustained public
service, leadership, research and institutional
excellence to propel the people of the region
along a progressive and prosperous path.
