The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

OFFICIALS still aim to effect the transition of the College of the Bahamas into a university by the end of the year, College President Dr Rodney Smith said yesterday. 

However, Dr Smith could not provide a date for when the transition would occur as he said it would have to be determined by the government. 

Nonetheless, Dr Smith said officials are still currently doing “a lot of work behind the scenes” on the college, the “physical evidence” of which he said should be apparent “very very soon”. 

Dr Smith’s comments came during the announcement of Commonwealth Brewery Ltd’s (CBL) $500,000 endowment to the College, which will fund “in perpetuity” two full scholarships valued at $7,500 a year. 

It was initially forecasted that COB’s transition to university status would happen this month. The process has been projected at around $16m. 

However, Dr Smith said yesterday: “We are still aiming to transition to university this year in 2015. At this point in time I can’t give you an exact month yet, I think that has to be determined by the government in terms of what is the charter day. We’re actually doing a whole lot of work behind the scenes right now, and we expect to see a lot of the physical evidence of some of that work very, very soon. 

“One of the things we are going to be implementing is a system referred to as the banner system that’s used by colleges and universities around the world, to better manage its databases as well as its administration and financial administration sections, the registration, the degree auditing as mentioned. Once we begin that process, which will be this semester coming, it’s going to take between 12 and 18 months to complete that process.” 

Dr Smith also said officials have yet to begin construction and renovations on several existing buildings on the Oakes Field campus, as well as breaking ground on the construction of a residential hall in Grand Bahama. 

He also said officials are in the process of implementing a new database managing system that will take “between 12 and 18 months” to complete.

“Construction on the Franklyn R Wilson graduate studies centre is nearing completion,” he said. “In short order we expect to begin construction of additional buildings on campus, including the GTR Campbell small island sustainability research centre, our first on-campus residence hall and renovations to the Portia Smith building, as well as breaking ground for the construction of a residential hall in Grand Bahama.” 

He added: “We will announce, shortly, significant technology upgrades and an administrative system upgrade that will significantly improve registration and bill paying, degree auditing, human resources management, and financial administration, along with a host of other university level efficiencies.” 

Yesterday, COB officials announced CBL’s endowment of $500,000 to the college, which will fund “in perpetuity” two full scholarships valued at $7,500 a year. According to officials, the endowment will include year-round internships with CBL, as well as the opportunity for students to study and intern abroad once in their third year of study. 

The scholarships apply to merit scholars, meaning students must have a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) to qualify. However, it applies to students in any field of study at the college.

“Scholarships such as this one are a critical part of higher education and its impact, not only on the education of its recipient, but also their lives and that of their families,” Dr Smith said. “Commonwealth Brewery Ltd recognises this potential impact, and as a result has thoughtfully and generously established this half million dollar endowment, and for this we are indeed deeply grateful.” 

Hans Neven, CBL’s president and managing director, said: “As an organisation we are fully committed to the education, employment and development of our most valuable resource, our people. Therefore we look forward to the endowment fund paving the way to a relationship between CBL and the College of the Bahamas, where we can, wherever practical, utilise courses and COB for employee development.”

Last October, State Minister of Finance brought a resolution to Parliament seeking approval from the House of Assembly to borrow $16m from the Caribbean Development Bank to fund COB’s transformation into a university. 

The Golden Isles MP said at the time the loan represented the funding of phase one of the institution’s transformation into a university, adding that COB would realise university status by July 2015. 

In a recent interview with The Tribune, College Council Chairman Alfred Sears vowed that phase one of COB’s transformation would add new life to the Oakes Field Campus. 

Mr Sears said that plans are in place to achieve not only the Prime Minister’s university mandate but insisted that initiatives have been approved to enhance the product the institute presently delivers.