Church leader calls on govt to reject Smith for COB post

As of Monday, August 11, 2014

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

CHURCH leader Rev CB Moss yesterday called on Cabinet to reject the College of The Bahamas College Council’s recommendation that Dr Rodney Smith be reappointed as president of COB.

In doing so, Rev Moss joins former COB Council President Franklyn Wilson and the Bahamas National Citizen’s Coalition (BNCC) who have also said that reappointing Dr Smith would not be in the best interest of the college as it transitions to a university because of the plagiarism scandal that forced him to vacate the presidency in 2005.

Rev Moss said: “In 2005, Dr Smith was asked to resign as president of the College of the Bahamas following his admission that he had plagiarised portions of a speech which he delivered at the college’s Honours Convocation in 2005. Dr Smith left the college with a generous settlement package.”

“The Council’s justification for the about-face is that Dr Smith is the best choice coming out of a search by the candidates’ (search) committee. This is an outright admission by the candidates’ search committee that the work of the committee ended in failure.

“Instead of settling for an unsuitable candidate, the committee should have expanded its search and extended the time if necessary. There is little question that Dr Smith is academically and professionally qualified for the position, but these are not only desired and expected assets that the holder of such an august office should possess. Plagiarism is one of the ‘cardinal sins’ of academia and simply being ‘sorry’ is a woefully unacceptable reason to even consider his reappointment.

“The Council should be instructed to initiate a renewed search, preferably with a new search committee. Present and future students at the college should not be burdened with the mistake of a flawed decision.”

While making a speech at a COB’s Honours Convocation in 2005, Dr Smith recited part of a speech used by then president of New York University Dr John Sexton without attribution.

Dr Smith has repeatedly defended himself against suggestions that he would not be a worthy COB president. He enjoys considerable support within the college community and has said that the scandal involved an unintentional omission by the person who drafted the remarks and that Dr Sexton had given him “carte blanche permission to use the document in whatever manner” he wished.

The College Council, acting on a recommendation made by COB’s Advisory Search Committee, recommended to Cabinet in mid-June that it should select Dr Smith as its new COB President.

It is unknown when Cabinet will announce its selection.

sheeprunner12 9 years, 8 months ago

Rev CB is a lone wolf ................ all right thinking Bahamians including the thousands of alumni need to speak out ........ the Cabinet/politicians dont care ...... most of them and their children never went to public school OR COB ................... they say thats where the "poor" go.......sigh

Frosty 9 years, 8 months ago

Rather than all these outside sources, ask those directly involved if they want Dr. Smith for President. That is, only the student's opinion on the matter should count. As far as i can recall the academics at the College of The Bahamas have no qualms with him being president, not even the very outspoken and "students first" Student Union President

justthefactsplease 9 years, 8 months ago

This is not just about the COB community or even The Bahamas ... we are seeking to move to university status and we live in a globalized environment where we cannot be seen as watering down the standards that are held internationally. Our education system will be a laughing stock for others if we go back to Smith.

Frosty 9 years, 8 months ago

The student's themselves know this better than anyone. Even when COB obtains university status, they still have to use that degree when applying for jobs locally/internationally or applying for other degrees including masters. They understand the risks better than anyone that if other institutions hold Dr. Smith to a fault for a plagiarized speech their degree will be mocked or even disregarded. But the faculty and students are still willing to to take that bet with Dr. Smith. The COB community understands that out of all the representatives who applied for role of president, Dr. Smith will get them where they need to be. The students showed during the budget issues and former President Boze's tenure that they will not be let themselves be lead astray or have their degrees cheapened by anyone. They understand that the Academic community will/should look past Smith's speech incident. Which the community did as he held another presidential role at a tertiary institution after the COB speech debacle.

During the presidential search each candidate made their case to students and faculty, Dr. Smiths vision for COB of the future even convinced me and a fellow "stubborn" friend that he was the man to get the job done.

sansoucireader 9 years, 8 months ago

As a PARENT who pays my daughter's tuition there, I DO NOT want him as President.

thomas 9 years, 8 months ago

The students should decide? Why not?

GrassRoot 9 years, 8 months ago

Dear Mr. Church Leader, please go back to safe the unfortunate ones, the sick ones, the poor ones, bless the great leaders of our Country and pray that they switch on their brains.

sheeprunner12 9 years, 8 months ago

Did you go to school in this country???? Would you care to identify your educational background .............. was it a boarding school in Canada or Switzerland?????????? or one of the elite private schools???????? or one of the public "ghetto" schools???????????? ...................... SMH

sheeprunner12 9 years, 8 months ago

My SMH stands for Shake My Head ............. it means I feel sorry for you and your cesspool of ignorant ranting and self hate.

Frosty 9 years, 8 months ago

"COB is a ghetto dump"..... that can compete internationally with other colleges and universities.

"COB is a ghetto dump"..... that is an accredited college, you can lookup what accredited college means.

"COB is a ghetto dump"..... that produces capable men and women who enter the workforce around the world and hold their own.

"COB is a ghetto dump"..... that is networked and partnered with colleges and universities around the world.

"COB is a ghetto dump"..... that is about to establish it's own Masters degree curriculum, something not many other colleges do.

"COB is a ghetto dump"..... that provides those who seek quality tertiary level education at an affordable price.

"COB is a ghetto dump"..... that has non Bahamian students who skip over colleges and universities in their country to come here.

"COB is a ghetto dump"..... that has companies both local and internationally (see microsoft as an example) that come to the college to recruit students.

"COB is a ghetto dump"..... that despite being a ghetto dump has accomplished all that.

The College of The Bahamas is a ghetto dump is certainly your opinion you are entitled to. No matter how erroneous it is and we will all respectively agree to disagree with you

ohdrap4 9 years, 8 months ago

COB, will soon be the only university who takes people with D average-- in the us people go to community college to catch up. Many who try to save money by attending COB for a year discover they have to retake classes because many major schools reject their credit. BGSE is not recognized in most american universities.

It is not a ghetto dump, but it will never be a university until it drops its community college complex.

sheeprunner12 9 years, 8 months ago

What do you mean "takes people with D average" ........... there are thousands of HS honour roll students at COB on scholarship. You dont get a scholarship with D average ................. DONT GO THERE. COB has evolved as a community college and it probably will always have that component....... but it has the potential to be a well respected University ...... just like many of the HBCUs in the USA and UWI

ohdrap4 9 years, 8 months ago

when paul adderley was min of ed, cob required 5 c or above in gce o level and bgcse after that. now they take D, and have a PRE-COLLEGE PREP program, they are teaching 4th grade English there, below BJC.

the "high school diploma" the plp promised is given to people with D or above.

this has been publicized in the news but no one comments.

sheeprunner12 9 years, 8 months ago

In Paul Adderley's day ...................... all standards were higher (agreed). This dumbing down is a global phenomena ....... nothing unique to us.

ThisIsOurs 9 years, 8 months ago

I doubt you can get into UWI with a D average, I stand to be corrected. UWI is a university, COB is a community college. They can stick any title they like on it, until they update the standards they will remain a community college in everybody's mind with exception of political spinmeisters. It's not all bad, they have many bright spots on the faculty like Ian Strachan and Chris Justillien. They just need to improve the quality of students accepted.

ThisIsOurs 9 years, 8 months ago

Ahmmm..COB has a looonnnnnggg way to go before it has UWI standards

Cobalt 9 years, 8 months ago

Can't believe I'm saying this.... but generalcrazy is absolutely right. COB is beyond a dump! It is NOT an accredited institution because it's simply not up to global academia standards! Universities within the US do NOT recognize credits from COB, and transfer students often find themselves having to retake certain courses. On a Bahamian scale COB may be acceptable. But on a global scale (as it related to academia and higher education) they are NOT recognize. It's just another embarrassing example of Bahamian failures!! I mean... COB is actually considering hiring a known cheater as their president, for crying out loud!!! This act alone disqualifies them from any credibility status. So don't allow a misplaced sense of patriotism to delude you!! The simple truth is.... COB is just another bungling Bahamian mess!!!

sheeprunner12 9 years, 8 months ago

COB sits on the site of the Old Government High School in an urban setting .......... I can name hundreds of excellent Colleges/Universities that are situated on old, inner city/urban campuses. The site of the campus is a non-issue. But I do agree that COB needs better security, and maybe if the whole campus was walled in it would be better patrolled.... However, having the campus next to the inner city can be an incentive for those children to aspire to go to COB ........... I had a number of classmates who said that to me.

sheeprunner12 9 years, 8 months ago

Cobalt ........... you are been very unfair to COB. Maybe you have a "private school/USA is better" bias. If that is the case.......... then I understand your comment. But COB prepares students well for further studies............ as a matter of fact many do better at post COB studies than while at COB I ....................and I can almost see your response..................). In terms of the USA schools not accepting COB credits .......... there is some truth to that .......... but that doesnt always have to do with quality ............ its the systems of study (UK vs US).

Cobalt 9 years, 8 months ago

sheeprunner12...... I know first-hand that COB is a mess because, me, my three brothers, my twelve cousins, and most of my friends, have all attended COB.... and it's a dump to say the least. The curriculum was not up to standard, the classroom environment was not conducive to learning, many of the lectures were unqualified to teach core requirements, and in many cases certain classes needed for graduation were unavailable. I understand that COB may be underfunded, but I think that their inefficiency begins at the top. I agree with your position that many students excel after attending COB.... I can actually testify to that fact. But the success of me and my colleagues who've attended COB, is not to be attributed to COB itself (by no means). The college of the Bahamas had in no way enhanced our academic skill levels! Like many students who've been successful post COB, the foundation of a good education, along with the motivation to do well, was instilled in us by our parents in conjunction with our high-schools... not COB. You will find that students who do well after leaving COB were pretty much doing well in school before COB. In other words, you can't give credit to COB for something that existed before them. As a matter of fact.... COB continues to frustrated many young Bahamians students trying to educate themselves. Ask yourself this question.... what is COB's graduation rate??? What is the ratio of enrollees to graduates??? Did you know that this ration influences their accreditation status??? What are their post graduate test score, such as the GRE??? Are these test scores up to global standards??? Long story short...education and knowledge are universal components. The laws that govern science is no different in the Bahamas than it is in the UK or the US. Knowledge is knowledge and should not be reduced or contingent on a country's standards. Contrary to what Bahamians may think... there is and should only be one standard of education.... which is the global standard. To me it seems that we've diluted our standards into a mesh of mediocrity just so that we can have something to celebrate. And in a strange twist of irony, it is this standard of mediocrity that's stifling our country. (Nothing personal. Just my opinion).

Cobalt 9 years, 8 months ago

And for the record... US schools ARE better than COB for the simple fact that they have State and Federal resources at their disposal along with qualified government and private personnel that monitor these resources. Many universities within the US have been and are currently engaged in research projects that's changing the world as we know it. Physicists from the University of California were just nominated for a Nobel Prize for Pete's sake! From drug synthesis, to bio-engineering, to alternatives to fossil fuels... US schools are light years ahead of us. Why do you think that our brightest minds leave the Bahamas to study elsewhere??? When last have you taken any medicine or drugs patented by a science professor at COB??? I bet you that you wouldn't try. Lol. C'mon sheeprunner... you know better.

Don't allow your pride or sense of patriotism to the Bahamas to deceive you from the truth. Our educational system in this country is deplorable.

sheeprunner12 9 years, 8 months ago

You make some good points that I agree with .......... at the end of the day COB is our only recognizable public tertiary institution after 41 years of so-called Independence...................... as a Bahamian........... whats your solution??? Its easy to say that US schools are better....... we are not Americans (not officially).

Cobalt 9 years, 8 months ago

Well??? As far as solutions go.... we first of all need to establish a credible government. Secondly, we need to supplement our GDP by enhancing our fishing industry. There is more sea in the Bahamas than sun and sand, so we must contrive certain methods that will generate large scale product. We need to find a way to make our natural resources work for us. Large scale fishing continues to be a million dollar business and statistics have proven that this is a plausible solution given our geographical location and structure (an archipelago).

Rather than spending millions of dollars on pointless referendums, we should consider constructing several fish- farming facilities on the major family islands such as Exuma, Abaco, etc. If managed properly, the Bahamas should be able to not only replace a depleting fish population, but also emerge as a major global manufacturer and distributor of seafood. We should be saturating ALL of North America with authentic seafood, not drugs! Think of how many young Bahamians will have jobs as marine biologists or some other related field. Think of how many jobs this would create! Furthermore, our new government should allow the United State to occupy a marine and naval base in Great Inagua Island for a period of 10-20 years. This will reduce poaching, illegal immigration, and drug trafficking and won't cost the Bahamas much of a financial burden. The Yanks would be more than happy to erect a military base which will allow them to curtail some of their illegal drug problems aswell. In the mean time, the base can also be used as a training facility for our police and defense force (lord knows they need it).

Thirdly, our entire educational system needs to be reconstructed to suit the 21st century! I can go on for days as it relates to this point... but why bother. No one's reading anyways. Just some food for thought, sheeprunner. Just some food for thought.

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