The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

UNIVERSITY of the Bahamas North is close to deciding on a new permanent campus in downtown Freeport, according to campus president, Dr Ian Strachan.

He indicated that the school board’s final decision could come as soon as next month.

“I believe that we are close,” Dr Strachan said. “This is going to be a big month in terms of our negotiations and the board making a final decision.”

Dr Strachan said that they are determined to begin rebuilding in the downtown area.

“We think it is in the strategic interest of the university and will make access easier and partnerships easier and beneficial to us,” he said.

Following severe damage to the UB North Campus in East Grand Bahama in Hurricane Dorian, the university was relocated to the Teachers and Salaried Workers Cooperative Credit Union Building in Freeport.

Dr Strachan – who is in support of a more permanent location downtown – believed that the distance of the EGB campus was a challenge for those interested in higher education.

An ideal location has been identified and negotiations have been ongoing between the government and the property owners.

Dr Strachan had hoped an announcement would have been made by the Fall of 2020.

When he was asked about an update on a new campus he said: “It has taken longer than I would have wanted. Most of the staff want to know with some level of certainty, but I have to say again, we are close, but I believe soon there will be some announcement.”

When asked about the resumption of face-to-face learning at UB North, Dr Strachan said they are still having ongoing discussions about that.

“We are in ongoing conversations as an academic community about what would be the best modality for the Fall.

“We are watching the trends, listening very carefully to what the competent authority is saying, looking at how the Ministry of Education and schools have managed COVID-19 and looking at our own safety capacity.

“It is my wish, and the wish of management generally, that we bring back some dimension of face-to-face even if it is in a hybrid form which many schools have done.

“That is something that is still in deliberation with the faculty and administration. No final decisions have been made yet, but that certainly would be my wish.

“Most of us really would like to come back to some greater level of normalcy, and I think you have a richer learning experience in the face-to-face environment. But we also know we have to keep everyone safe.”

Dr Strachan said that there have been some advantages to the virtual platform.

He noted that GB students have been able to enrol in Nassau classes, while still at home.

“We would like to not lose the benefits that we have gotten through the virtual, but to add also all the pluses we know face-to-face presents,” he said.

“In a few months we should have a definite answer on that, but we are watching developments closely, and the pace of vaccinations closely,” he said.

Dr Strachan indicated that UB North is committing to really promoting vaccinations within the Grand Bahama community.

“It is something we will be doing more of,” he said.