By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
THE board of trustees of the University of The Bahamas has concluded its search for the next UB president after an “overwhelming majority” reached the same decision on the school’s next successor.
According to UB officials, an announcement on the new appointment was delayed because of the 2021 general election and subsequent change in government, but is expected to be made soon.
This comes amid calls for university officials to select a Bahamian to head the institution as opposed to a foreigner, with one assistant professor recently saying that hiring a non-Bahamian would be a “grave insult”.
In a statement released Tuesday, UB board of trustees chair Jonathan Rodgers said: “Please be assured that the UB board of trustees (BOT) remains engaged in fulfilling its governance mandate. At all times, we act in good faith and good will.
“Regarding the naming of the university’s next president, the BOT is actively pursuing a public announcement on the heels of a successful presidential search. The board successfully deliberated on three finalists and reached a decision, with an overwhelming majority.
“The announcement has been delayed due to matters beyond the BOT’s control, namely a national election and subsequent change in government…the BOT continues to work with the government to bring this matter to a conclusion and looks forward to making an announcement soon.”
UB’s board of trustees appointed a presidential search committee in November 2020 to establish the process by which a new president would be selected and hired to succeed Dr Rodney Smith.
In July, UB announced the finalists for the school’s president search had been narrowed down to three candidates: Dr Erik Rolland, Sir Anthony Seldon and Dr Ian Strachan, the latter being the only Bahamian in the group.
Dr Smith has previously announced that he would not renew his contract at the institution. His contract expires in August 2022.
However, the union representing tertiary educators in The Bahamas said that Dr Smith is lobbying to remain at the school even though he is almost 70 years old.
“As a result of my communication to members yesterday (Monday), I’m able to confirm that the president intends to or has already begun to lobby for another contract of employment for the period beginning August 2022,” UTEB president, Daniel Thompson said in a recent interview with The Tribune.
“He has retired many UTEB members at the age of 65 while claiming it was not forced by him. He had an epiphany about the non-discriminatory age clause of the UB Act 2016 and now wishes to have it applied to himself,” Mr Thompson also said.
UB officials did not address the matter in their statement issued on Tuesday. Several attempts to reach Education Minister Glenys Hanna-Martin were also unsuccessful up to press time.
Comments
ThisIsOurs 2 years, 6 months ago
"reached a decision, with an overwhelming majority."
Congratulations Dr Strachan! If its not him I'll eat my hat.
Maximilianotto 2 years, 6 months ago
In a global world looking at us…is nationality a qualification? LoL
ThisIsOurs 2 years, 6 months ago
For my part my congrats were based on the assessment that he's qualified to do the job not that he's Bahamian.
licks2 2 years, 6 months ago
What if the rest of thte world do the same thing. . .never hire a Bahamian "over" its own citizen. . .plenty high-ranking Bahamians from many developing countries would have to "make-they-way-back-home" to these islands!!
The same "dumb" people dem from UB who don't want an "overseas" leader. . .dispite the person having the best credentials. . .makes no good and pratical academic sense. What if the Americans did say "only American should hold this job". . .then Dr. Rodney Smith would have not become ppresident of Ramapo College. But, with the PLP track-record for "putting their people them" in high positions. . .regardles of their skills levels, just because they are PLP or Bahamian, who knows!! Dr. Strachan will be "stuck in there" where he will go on to make a "mess of things". . .as usual when the PLP only place their cronnies in position!
Then we will have the ministry of education "all bitched up" by an unqualified and equally incompetent director of education from a prominant PLP family. . .by selecting dr. Strachan UB will have an unqualified and equally incompetant director who is also from a prominant PLP family!!
No wonder most Bahamians "say" that the PLPs are mostly "dumb peoples dem". . .FNMs are usually "smart and educated". . .the FNM are more prone to promote better qualified persons. . .mostly for their quailifications and not coming from a prominant FNM family!!
Say whatever ya want. . .Bahamians "see PLPs are dumberer" than FNMs as a whole!! Perhaps it is bacause the PLP tend to "put up" their peoples dem because of "being PLP" only rather than qualifications and compentencies!! If ya doubt my reasoning. . .just take a look at the director of education. . .being from a "big" PLP family is his only claim to fame!!
ohdrap4 2 years, 6 months ago
The smart and educated fnms, prone to promote better qualified persons became an endagered species due to Covid.
tribanon 2 years, 6 months ago
I think you mean "due to Minnis."
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID