I
u-ti-i'-

-EduainEpwr
^^^^^^Nation ^

l ll I,

For the first time, UB will hold a graduation ceremony; this will
be in addition to the traditional June graduation, and it occurs on
J January 16, 2010. The January graduation ceremony is for
students who completed in Summer and December 2009. Unlike
the June ceremonies, January will have one ceremony for all
campuses at the central campus in Belmopan: Belize City, Punta
Gorda, Belmopan and Central Farm Campuses. It occurs at
aUa G U10:00 am at the Recreation & Sports Center (UB Gymnasium). Above: June 2009 graduate
Graduation practice will be held on Friday, January 15th at 9:00 smile proudly.
a.m. for candidates from the Punta Gorda, Belize City, Graduation Gown
Belmopan and Central Farm campuses. UB will provide buses to Design Contest
Bigin L B transport students from Belize City and San Ignacio (return) for Remember: The deadline f
the practice and ceremony. The prospective number of students submission of entries is
20 n S graduating is 350. The January graduation theme is "We Care." January 25, 2010. Check
opi@ub.edu.bz for detail

-B and (e On Friday, December 18, 2009, UB
B designed a Memorandum of
( e Understanding (MOU) with the
P 6 Caribbean Regional Fisheries
Mechanism (CRFM). It occurred at UB
S i -FMASS, Belize City. Signing on
Behalf of UB was President Dr. Santos
Sf Mahung. Signing on behalf of CRFM
-u was Mr. Hugh Saul, Executive
Director. Partners include CERMES
(Center for Resource Management and
Environmental Studies) within the
University of the West Indies,
o represented by Dr. Patrick McConney,
the United Nations University
(Fisheries Training Program) and the Front L- R: UB's Dr. Santos Mahung and CRFM's Hugh
University of Akureyri (pronounced Saul.
of Iceland. Representatives of Standing L-R: Patrick McConney, senior lecturer at CER
SAcure) of Iceland. Representatives of Thor Heidar Ageirson, Deputy Program director at UN
the latter two organizations were also University, Arsaell Arnasson, University of Akureyri in Ice
present at the signing ceremony. They Dr. Ogmundur Knutsson, Asst. Professor at University of
P were in Belize over several days Akureyri, and Milton Haughton, Dep. Executive Director o
Cal of meeting with relevant personnel on the CFRM. (missing from picture: Helgi Gestsson, University
way forward with capacity building. Akureyri)
(Continued on pg. 6)

es

or

S.

MES,
eland,
f
of

DEADL] ~INEI~ I REINDE UB's Graduatio Gow (undergraduate)
Deign Cots : Jaur 25 is th dedln fo sumsso of enris

'I13 eho-: Muwttci e.' t feh.i bitta. xetta -!
The second aani.il UB Cho CiBiists CoDnceil pioinised It be .s
leoiri, .iiinh ,is flie 2'"iN plemie co~h cet .1id iI \di' II occinelled on
Sattliid\. December 5. 2l 11 i I IUBs 1. A1 Aihlomiini in BelIolBp.i
The concern \\is etiltled Behie .t Cl( miisit The UIB C liho thi.ink the
Beliie Choial Socieit. lthe Ca(\o NlInnic School. the Oflice A' Stlideiilt
.\lllT'S and Its peri oiinel. especially\ Nihs \'ickt\ ( iet/.il. ind Si Col ille
Yot'ii_ Ibi lihe 1_in1Il IIB SONG Bi,. kildos ,_o o01 lo C0 (l'1i Diecitoir.
UB's own Dr. Leopold Perriott and manager UB's Dr. Jean Perriott. The
choir, which was formed in 2008, has already made appearances at
universities in Mexico and elsewhere in Belize.

On December 3, 2009 UB's tourism students, of the Events
Coordination class, held a successful and delightful "Taste of Taiwan"
exhibit. It was an end of year class project and the students chose
Taiwan to feature at a booth set up at the Belize City campus of the
Faculty of Management and Social Sciences. Taiwanese culture, food,
and crafts were on display and, yes, food tasting was a part of the
activities!

UB-Toledo Students Contribute to "Angel Says Read" Program
"Angel says: Read" was founded in May 2009, and its organizer, Jackie Spinner, gave
profuse thanks at a public launch of the program to the UB-Toledo students who have
joined this innovative literacy effort. The launch occurred at the Leo Bradley Library in
Belize City on November 3, 2009. The reading program has partnered with the
University of Belize, primarily though its Toledo campus currently, in implementing the
project. The Angel Says Read organization was formed in the effort to give lovers of ;
books, especially those who also travel with a novel or two, to donate their books while
traveling to other countries. Spinner says that Belize is the first chapter in what she Above: Members ofthe Angel
hopes will extend to other parts of the globe. Spinner, a former reporter for The Says Read" governing committee
Washington Post and herself a book author, has traveled extensively, and the idea came
to her during one of her travels as she herself is an avid reader. The stated mission, Below: Audience at the Leo Bradley
available at angel@angelsaysread.com is as follows: "Angel says: Read is dedicated to Library for the launch
providing books donated by tourists to the Belize public library system. As an
organization, we believe in the power of words, the creative underbellies of poetry,
essays, short stories and long stories. It is our mission to provide a way for these words
to be recycled." The project is endorsed by the Belize Tourism Board. UB's students
have been assisting in the area of collecting and placing books. Kudos are in order for
Lecturer at the UB Toledo campus, Mathias Vairez, and the Toledo students who are
involved.

A w--micni -41lic UB Ch-eir iiarinin-_, tip hc6orc
Ilic Dcccinhcr 5. 211,14) Chrilina% C-enccrl

OCEANA: FST Lecturers and Students Participate in Launch

1On Noneilemer I,. 2'"I' Oce.ana opened itsl oflice in
Beli/e Oce.in.i i$ i111 oin11ii/.[io ll11i.i c.11ip.i11a 11 I0
piotect anid lesltoic lie \,ol,'s ocean. I Neamn of n.i ie
scientist. economists. li\\\ers and ad'k\,c.aes pi)romoies
specific a;nd c oncrete pIoic\ clh.imnes I letiLce pi)olltii'on
and pie\enls [lie ine\ ersible ,o llapse of' ishi i lMIli.ions.
marine environments and other sea life. In Belize, Oceana
is led by Belizean lawyer and media personality, Audrey
Matura Shepherd. Mrs. Matura Shepherd involved
members of educational institutions in Oceana's launch,
and UB was well represented, with over 90 students and
faculty attending the opening night lecture given by Dr.
Daniel Pauly. Dr. Pauly spoke on "World Fisheries at
Risk-Causes and Solutions" to a packed audience at the
Bliss in Belize City on November 16, and in addition to
UB and other students, members of the audience included
faculty, organizations, particularly those in conservation,
ministry representatives, diplomatic representatives and
members of the public. For UB, the majority of students
were from the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST),
as UB boasts an impressive marine science program. Dr.
Pauly, who holds a Ph.D. from Kiel University in
Germany, gave a dramatic audiovisual presentation. His
scientific output, mainly dedicated to fisheries
management and ecosystem modeling, comprises writing
and editing more than 500 books, scientific papers and
reports. UB's Chairperson of the FST Science
Department, Juliane Pasos, gave the Vote of Thanks, in
which she expressed UB's thanks for Oceana's assistance
with bus transportation and information in assisting with
Belmopan students' attendance at the Bz City lecture.

aW N

L-R: Eden Garcia of FST, Dr. Daniel Pauly of "Sea Around
US" project, Audrey Matura-Shepherd, vice-president of
Ocean's new office in Belize, and Juliane Pasos, Chair of
UB's FST-Science Department

Above: UB lecturer in the Faculty of Science and
Technology, Jair Valladarez, participating in Oceana's
lecture discussion

Following Phase One of a UNDP, UNICEF and
UB initiative to establish a Policy Observatory
Unit, Phase Two began with the holding of a
capacity building workshop at the Black Orchid
Resort in Burrell Boom Village, Belize on
December 4, 2009. The purpose of the Policy
Observatory Unit (a name not yet confirmed) is
to build national capacity to enable
implementation of efficient and effective public
investment strategies, methodologies and tools.
Phase One began in December 2007, but with
the country's national elections coming in
February 2008, conclusion of Phase One was
delayed. (Continued on pg 7)

-iW

Above: Sylvia Cattouse of
UB's President's Office
coordinated the workshop.

UB's Recreation and Sports:
Volleyball, Basketball, Softball, Football, Canoeing

UB Black Jaguars Win Big in ATLIB B-ball!
Coniuatiulalions 10 LB's Black .Ja as baslketbailleis1 Both t[lie imaile .anii leia.ile te.aiis did e\lieniel\ \ell .anii boill
ainmled I'nsi place The ATLIB (Associallion ol' Tenrtiia InisiilIILions ol' Beli/ei Niationil Biasketbaill Toiiinameun \\a.
lield at tlie St John s Collee G in on thlie 2MIli No\eniber 2 '1111 For tlie leniles. in Game 1. \\esle\ Jui ioi Collee
delfeated Eciumenical Juniol Colle'e 21 -15. then \\ent on to lose to LiB in ,iame 2 i5'i-1i In Gam1ie 3. LiB lien
delfe.ied Ecimienic.al 34 -- In thie males. liB look thie erl\ le.ad. defeain,_ N iullles Jmnioi Colle_'e in _iamne I \illi a1
score of 54-32. UB then returned in Game 5 to defeat Galen University 79 -22 and then, it was UB's turn again min
Game 8, in which UB defeated Sacred heart Junior College with a score of 73 11. The University of Belize and its
Black Jaguars male and female basketball teams-leaders in sports!

L-R Coach Kevin Siroki, Travis Lennon, Daniel Nolberto, Stephen
Williams, Jarrell Velasquez Jorett Jones and Farron Louriano .

2010: Upcoming in Sports!

FEBRUARY:

ATLIB. Football Regional-Feb. 6, 20

ATLIB Football National-Feb. 20, 2010
(Note: Female players are needed!)

ATLIB Softball Regional-March 27, 2010

ATLIB Softball National-April 17, 2010
( Male players are needed!)

MARCH: UB in La Ruta Maya Canoe Race
and in the Annual UB Relathon!
(Female participants needed!)

(Back) Coach Darren Bovell (L-R) Stacey Pope, Lupita Lopez,
Ashley Elrington, Shalika Ferguson, Gemma Guerra Shanice
Garbutt (front) Kimberly Spence and Nelissa Ramirez

This December the UB Black Jaguars visited the community,
spreading Christmas cheers. The team showed us all that
basketball is not the only activity on their minds and they
spoke to the children at Hummingbird Elementary School in
Belize City about the importance of staying in school.
Similarly, you may recall last Christmas the Black Jaguars also
visited the children in the Crooked Tree area who were affected
by the floods and showered them with gifts. The Santa Clause
in the picture and last year... Coach Siroki!

Lwwwr-y or SUM

LZ_

6B Mor Reioa an Inentoa Links-

Bikide\\a.iei SLate Colleie i BSC'i of Boson.
Nliss1chluiselS 1I [he Uinied Stlies \\.s on I
I.inulhiri/;Ilon [ISl tO Beli/e fron December 5-'i
21 Ii'. ineelinm, \\ li [lie inimsli,,\ ofEduc.ilion I IoE i
aind iIIILII[ons lo\\.a s e l\plo,:i in po'Is ble ar1e as olf
mutual educational cooperation. The high level team
met with UB's chairperson, president, acting
provost, deans and other personnel on December 7th
at the Administration Building's conference room
and later took a tour of UB's central campus.
Following the meeting, the following points were
agreed upon: BSC's Dr. Ostroth and UB's Dr.
Thompson will jointly draft a proposal for
collaboration in the area of community service;
BSC's Professor Battaglino and UB's Dean Wright
will jointly draft a proposal for collaboration in the
area of Special Education; Dr. Minnock and UB's
Dean Akinkuolie will jointly draft a proposal for
collaboration focusing in Business. The three draft
proposals should be completed by Feb. 1, 2010, in
time for a second meeting before, during, or after the
regularly scheduled Belize COBEC meeting.

L-R: UB's President Dr. Santos Mahung, UB's Provost
(Ag.) Dr. Angel Cal, BSC's Dr. Lisa Battaglino, MoE's
Ms. Carol Babb, UB's Chairperson Mrs. Imani
Fairweather-Morrison, BSC's Dr. Edward Minnock, and
BSC's Dr. David Ostroth: The Dec. 7, 2009
familiarization meeting is expected to lead to collaborative
educational outputs.

The Instituto Politecnico Nacional (IPN), which is headquartered in Mexico City,
made a return visit to the UB Central Campus on Friday, December 4, 2009. The
IPN has 122 post graduate programs that cater to over 300,000+ students, and UB
is pleased with the ongoing developments with IPN for mutual educational
collaboration, particularly with UB's Faculty of Science and Technology. Leading
last December's discussions at UB were Dr. Cynthia Thompson, Assistant Provost,
in the area of online and distance education; Dr. Urbina, in discussions for
collaborations in science; and Jair Valladarez, who led discussions for research and
other cooperation. The process of collaboration with IPN began through earlier
meetings involving UB's President Dr. Santos Mahung and UB's Provost (Ag.) Dr.
Angel Cal. The UB Bulletin thanks Jair Valladarez, UB Marine Science and
- _1 1 _ 1 21 I

The Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network (CKLN) is a multilateral project, supported by
the OAS, the World Bank, the European Union and the Canadian International Development
Agency (CIDA). It was launched by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the
Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) in 2004. UB is one of the regional educational
institutions that is expected to become an integral part of its network, C @&ribNET. To this end,
UB's Assistant Provost Dr. Cynthia Thompson attended a familiarization workshop in Jamaica
November 17 -19, 2009. Following that, Howard Armstrong, a CKLN consultant, visited Belize in
December and met again with UB as well as with the Ministry responsible for governance to
establish what exists in Belize in terms of IT capabilities. The idea is to establish a high speed
Internet link, which the IDB will be sponsoring, for networking among educational institutions.
For more information on CKLN, visit http://www.ckln.org/

UB's Assistant
Provost, Dr.
Cynthia
Thompson

UB Hosts Coral Reef Traveling Exhibition
UB %%as, lic Il io. t foi r Il.ic BclImopai i n;cil_. ol a
VulnercabehnZ coral iccf c\1ibiioili The c\lhbiI. %%Iiicli
Cast on dlispla. from Dcccinebi I to .4. 2111 ) at UBs
Ja tl~a 1 .\udIloII1um IIcailIucd lii'c uhlal pa .Ick of ,liC
coral reef s stcm, its beauty and cliallcngcs. The
exhibition was interactive and hundreds of students
visited it during its stay at UB. The traveling
exhibition was sponsored in Belize by the Healthy
Reef Initiative, and the UB segment was organized by
UB's Dr. Leandra Cho-Ricketts, UB's FST lecturer
Cecy Castillo and several students and staff. The
name of the exhibit, which has been traveling
throughout the Caribbean, is "Our Reefs-Caribbean
Connections." For more information, visit
www.ourreefs.org

(Continuedfrompagel) UB Signs MOU with CRFM
One immediate output is a training workshop in leadership being planned for 2010, possibly in April. Dr.
Santos Mahung, in his presentation at the ceremony, also linked the intentions of the MOU to being in line
with UB's provision of relevant education, training and service to the country, and he noted that UB's recent
Establishment of its Environmental Research Institute (which focuses on marine and terrestrial research)
and its tie in to the CFRAM initiatives in terms of the impact of research and the data it will yield to drive
sustainability of the marine environment.

Seurt Cosutn Met wit U P bi aet- uevs r

"School Security, Safety and Discipline" was the theme of
a two-hour session held on October 28, 2009 that drew
together eight of UB's Public Safety supervisors. It was
organized by UB's Public Safety director Michael
Gutierrez and facilitated by Carl Cambridge, a security
consultant by profession who was recently in Belize.
Gutierrez says the purpose of the session was to inform
and update UB's security personnel on present existing
matters concerning campus security. Those present were
representative of UB's staff and grounds supervisors. Mr.
Gutierrez notes that Mr. Cambridge has done similar
presentations in St. Lucia and most recently in St.
Vincent. He attended the Texas Safety Association in
Security Management and Supervision, the Texas
National Security Academy and America Security
Academy. Additionally, he worked in the Trinidad and
Tobago Customs Department and worked as Safety
Officer for the Trinidad and Tobago Home Developers
and Industrial Developers.

L-R: Mr. John Salam, UB Belmopan Public Safety
supervisor, Jerome Ellis, UB Belize City Public Safety
supervisor, Carl Cambridge, security consultant, and
Michael Gutierrez, UB's Public Safety director.

FEA Lecturer Presents on Early Childhood Strategies
Pi iscilla Bion LopLz kctuiici in the FactiltN of Education and AJ is Icoipktin' IL.i doctoiat, this ai[ and sil..
is Ikilpiin to link uip LiB \\ itli sc cial I d tlcational in tatit[ s ( On DLcc nibli 2N 2111 ILI s;h iit. t \\ itli colk.ails fiorn
Indiiana \\.sIc~.ian IUnl lcisitL and \\ ashbuiiii IUnli isit both of tihe. _i S to slti. a pi.sLiintation on Inno at i .i
InstI ictiolial Stiat[.i,;s foi Eail\ (C hIldlood Education Thi pilscintation \\as sch;ditild to bc a palt of a Bclizcan
Intli national Simposiull on Education in lat. Dc.iniibi but it has had to bK postpoind NonLtlichIc.ss on
D-DcccmbcLi Pinscilla tihl i S colkaIc s Dic Judith i i ( onnil-Fain ci and Pamnla (ook and UB s Si aana Udz
and S\ I\ in Cattoul_. m.t to dscliss pOssiblc \\a\s of sial li.I ILsailchli ifoi ilnat ion \A IO c lal foia llo\ up to that
iiict.ll.. i.s L\pLcctl' to tak. placL possible a asai .NL nt htla i in 2_i1l Rncc ntl\ Piiscilla Bio\n Lop.z also imad.I
aiallabk to thi. IB C i.ntial Libiai a 6l)-pa-cI. iLpoit "An E'ahliation of T.achi.l Effc ti'' cnc tLnss in Iliiban Schools in
Belize, C.A." It is unpublished research sponsored by the Coordinaci6n Educativa y Cultural Centroamericana
(CECC), UB, and the Ministry of Education. The study examined the effectiveness among teachers who have
completed an associate degree in teaching and whether they continued to apply the pedagogical skills they acquired
during training. The Likert-scaled questionnaire with an internal
consistency of .82 was administered to teachers and administrators and analyzed f
using an independent sample t-test. The t-tests results at p<0.5 revealed that there
were no significant differences among teachers' and principals' perceptions of
effectiveness. Classroom observations were conducted with a random selection
of 12 teachers in the Belize and Cayo districts. These illustrated that, while
they acquired some skills, there were notable weaknesses in planning for
instruction, addressing individual needs, classroom organization, effective use
of resources and classroom assessment. Above: UB's Priscilla Brown-Lopez
UB's SOST Assists Trinity School
The University of Belize Social Studies for Primary Teachers (SOST 304) classes in
Belize City through the guidance of their lecturer, Kevin G. Tucker, did a Service-
learning project at Trinity Methodist School in Belize City towards the end of last ........
semester. On Saturdays, they volunteered their time (up 19 hours within 4 weeks) to
paint the entire external school building. Students also painted the lavatories and
helped to landscape the campus. This service-learning project was part of an effort to
build positive attitudes toward the community and increase civic responsibilities,
both of which are hallmarks of social studies pedagogy. Congratulations!

UB's SWSA's RED RIBBON AWARENESS
Kudos also go out to UB's Social Work students and lecturers. Amidst the bustle of final papers last semester, the students
and faculty at the Belize City campus paused to focus on an urgent issue affecting an increasing number of persons in our
society. On Tuesday, December 1, 2009, the Social Work Student Association (SWSA) hosted a RED RIBBON
AWARENESS hour to focus on the issue of HIV and AIDS and to call for solidarity in the fight against discrimination.
The activity, which was well attended, had a guest presentation by the executive director of the National AIDS
Commission, Dr. Martin Cuellar, on the "Situation of AIDS in Belize." Other highlights included "Are You Positive?"
which was a play by students of Excelsior High School and a "Candle of Hope" lighting ceremony in honor of all those
affected by AIDS. All those in attendance also participated in the RED RIBBON signing.
(Continuedfrompg. 3) UB Gears Up to Host Public Policy Unit
However, UB, UNDP and UNICEF formed an initial working group, called the Project Executive Group (PEG), which
continues to be the primary implementing body until such a time as a Public Policy Working Group (PPWG) is formalized.
The Unit would address one area of weakness identified in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Symposium
held in September 2006. This area is the lack of adequate research and statistics to help drive development
decisions. UB was one of the organizing partners of the MDGs, along with the then Ministry of National Development,
UNDP and Galen University. The concrete result of Phase One was the production of a 52-page "Plan of Action for Phase
Two of the UB-UNDP-UNICEF Policy Observatory Unit." It was prepared by consulting economist Dr. Carla Barnett, and
she served as the main presenter at the December 4, 2009 capacity building workshop. Also presenting was the UN's
Joseph Hendrikx. UB's President Dr. Santos Mahung delivered Opening Remarks. Participants were provided
with handouts that contained the summary points of the Plan of Action.

arj Calendar of Events

SJanuary 2010

SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT
1- 2-

3 4 -Faculty and staff 5 6 -Grade reports 7 8 9 -Nova 's
return available in the Registration -Registration doctoral cohort
Registrar's Off. begins continues meets in Belize
-Orientation for Nova at UB 8:30 a.m.
new students at Southeastern -5:00p.m.
Bmp campus University's
only 9a.m.- doctoral cohort
3:30p.m. meets at UB,
5:30-9 p.m.
10- 11 -Registration 12- 13- 14 15 UB on 16 UB holds
Nova's continues Registration Registration ends KREM radio/ first January
doctoral continues TV promoting Graduation
cohort at -UB on LOVE Graduation Ceremony,
UB, 8:30 radio/TV Gown Contest Bmp, 10 a.m.
a.m.- promoting
12:00 Graduation
p.m. Gown Contest
17 18-Semester Two: 19 20 21 22 23 -
classes begin
-Drop/Add begins
-Late Registration
period begins
-Withdrawal w/100%
tuition refund begins
-Audit switch begins

24 25 -Deadline for 26 27 -UB Recruits 28 Launch 29 Last day to: 30
submission of entries at OW Tech of UB's ERI -add a class
to UB's Graduation -Sexual (Environment -audit switch
Gown Design Harassment, FEA al Research -withdraw
Contest Bz City, 5:30- Institute) w/100%tuit. Rf
7:30p.m., Rms -do late register
127-129
31 Looking Towards February 2010

+ Feb. 1: UB's Official Census Day-Semester Two 09-10
+ Feb. 6 and Feb. 20: UB in ATLIB Regional/National Football
+ Feb. 11: UB's Open Day-Scholarship Fair

Looking for the latest updates on UB ? ALWAYS CHECK the UB NEWS and UB Calendar of Events on www.ub.edu.bz

I

The UB
Mission:
The University
of Belize is a
national,
autonomous
and multi-
location
institution
committed to
excellencein
higher
education,
research and
service for
national
development.
As a catalyst of
changeit
provides
relevant,
affordable and
accessible
educational
and training
programs that
address
national needs
based on
principles of
freedom,
equity,
transparency,
merit and
accountability.