The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE UNIVERSITY of The Bahamas (UB) will seek to find “the most qualified candidate” to replace president Dr Rodney Smith, Education Minister Jeff Lloyd said yesterday after it was revealed the president will not renew his contract at the institution, which expires in August 2022.

His comments come after UB’s board of trustees confirmed in a press statement on Monday that Dr Smith will no longer be heading the university when his contract expires in two years. UB officials also said Dr Smith had already begun seeking employment opportunities elsewhere, noting there was a possibility he may leave before his contract expires should an opportunity present itself and he accepts it.

“Accordingly, the board of trustees will establish and convene a presidential search committee to lead the process of selecting a president to succeed Dr Smith. The university community will be advised regarding the search process involving stakeholder representatives and timelines in short order,” UB officials said.

The announcement came after reports circulated online over the weekend, revealing that the UB president was among three finalists shortlisted to become the West Virginia State University’s 12th president.

Speaking about the matter yesterday, Mr Lloyd told reporters that he was surprised learn about Dr Smith’s upcoming departure from UB. However, he maintained that despite this “turn of events”, officials have a plan in place, one that will be executed in the best interests of the institution.

“Well first of all, that’s a bit of surprise certainly to me at this turn of events,” he said ahead of yesterday’s Cabinet meeting. “The impact naturally is going to be whatever impact that they have whenever you’re transitioning to one as it were administration to another and or in particular, individuals such as a president to another.

“But we will respond, and the board is now exercising its requirement in terms of searching for a replacement. UB has a plan and that plan will be executed and it will be administered in respective of who the personality is in that particular position although each personality has his or her strengths and weaknesses and amenities and great benefits.”

Saying he wished Dr Smith nothing but the best in his future endeavours, Mr Lloyd said he was grateful for the president’s contributions in helping to advance the university.

He said: “President Smith and his team (have) done an extraordinary job in reconciling and bringing certain order and discipline to its operations, finances, HR in particular and it’s well on its way to becoming a university. It’s got a number of graduate programmes and I’m very proud of the work that the board under the leadership of Dr Johnny Rodgers and President Rodney Smith has done.

“Wherever he goes, I’m sure he will carry the same capabilities and demeanour of excellence that he has demonstrated here at UB.”

Asked yesterday about prospective presidential candidates, the South Beach MP said officials will search for “the most qualified candidate” that is in the best interests of UB students.

“We will be replacing him with the most qualified candidate that according to the board and the government of The Bahamas (is) the most qualified (and) what is in the best interests of the students who attend the University of the Bahamas,” he said.

“That is what’s most important to me as the minister and this government - what is in the best interests of the students that attend the University of The Bahamas, what is in the best interest of the students of the commonwealth of the Bahamas period. That’s the driving and guiding principle on that jurisdiction.”

Dr Smith was president of the College of the Bahamas until he resigned in 2005 amid controversy over a plagiarism scandal.

He was selected to replace COB’s former president, Dr Betsy Boze, in 2014 and has served at the head of the institution ever since and oversaw its transition into a university.