The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS 

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

THE University of The Bahamas (UB) is facing backlash from the Union of Tertiary Educators of The Bahamas (UTEB) for appointing Denise Barnes as vice president of UB North without publicly advertising the position.

Ms Barnes, who is currently the vice president of Human Resources, assumed the UB North role in an acting capacity on May 1 and is set to hold the post substantively from July 1, 2025. UB has described the dual role as part of efforts to strengthen leadership, align operations, and support institutional growth.

However, UTEB president Daniel Thompson has criticised the process, calling it a “cloak and dagger” appointment and accusing the university of bypassing transparency and accountability.

“This lack of transparency is deeply disappointing,” said Mr Thompson. 

“Carry on as you see fit, without concern for accountability. These strategies will eventually return to haunt the university. If the university follows its own policies, UTEB will offer its support. However, if it continues to engage in this type of behaviour, UTEB cannot support it, as it undermines the institution’s integrity and makes a mockery of best practices.”

Mr Thompson said the issue is not personal but procedural. He said the core issue is not with Ms Barnes herself, but with the process that led to her appointment. 

He noted that academic appointments at the university usually undergo rigorous interviews and committee reviews but no such procedure appeared to have taken place in this instance, and no opportunity was given for internal candidates to apply.

“When our members heard about the appointment, they said, hold on, we thought this was an opportunity we could have applied for,” he said.

He also expressed concern that a non-academic has been placed in charge of an academic campus, a role traditionally held by scholars.

“The thing about it is that it is not a personal attack to the appointee, but the appointee is not an academic,” he said. “You’re putting someone in charge of an academic institute as a CEO, and they are non-academic. That position was held by an academic, Dr Ian Strachan, and before then, we have always had academics representing.”

Mr Thompson also criticised what he views as a pattern of decision-making that overlooks qualified Bahamians.

“When you juxtapose what they did in this instance, and you juxtapose that to what they recently did with the appointment of the least qualified non-Bahamian candidate for the presidency, it speaks volumes as to the mindset of the institution, how they seem to be more concerned about making America great again, but definitely not about making The Bahamas great, because they have, it seems, no concern or appreciation of local talent.”

He said UTEB had written to the university, and while a response was received, it was unsatisfactory, adding that although the university claimed to have followed procedure, it failed to prove that the position was ever publicly advertised.