The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

IF the College of the Bahamas intends to become a university in 2015, it must first implement nine recommendations, according to a report produced by rapporteurs appointed by the college’s council.

The group of six, chaired by Dr Pandora Johnson, was appointed by College Council Chairman Alfred Sears to assist council with a condensed response to a 500 plus-page final draft report of his University Transition Secretariat team on how the institution should proceed to becoming the University of the Bahamas.

The UTS-team was headed by COB Professor Dr Olivia Saunders, who is also one of the four final candidates selected by COB’s presidential search committee - chaired by a UTS-team member - to be eligible for the institution’s 10th president in 16 years.

Both reports are available on the college’s website for public viewing.

In the 43-page report, Dr Johnson, with Drs Danny Davis, Maria Oriakhi, Tracey Thompson, Ian Strachan and William Fielding, reported that it was critical for COB to focus on the following between now and July 2015: governance, teaching and learning, research, service and socialisation, and sustainability.

With respect to governance, the reporters suggest the formulation of “a governance structure and a legal and policy framework for higher - education institutions within a Bahamas Higher Education System.”

“Propose the enactment of a Higher Education Act of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas which shall govern higher education in The Bahamas and which shall also be the ‘umbrella’ legislation for the establishment of a Higher Education Authority, including a Quality Assurance and a Higher Education Accreditation Board (or similar) governing higher education institutions nationally and thus codifying a comprehensive policy framework for the oversight and regulation of higher education institutions in The Commonwealth of The Bahamas.

“Formulate a governance structure and a legal and policy framework for the establishment of a University of The Bahamas,” the report said.

It is advised that these be implemented by no later than September 2014.

The rapporteurs further advised that by January 2015, a proposed enactment of the University of The Bahamas Act, 2015, to provide for the establishment of an educational institution to be known as The University of The Bahamas (or similar).

For teaching and learning, the college council is advised to “establish a standing committee of the Academic Council/Board called the Board of Research and Graduate Studies (and Research sic) (or similar body)” and “establish a Graduate School with a Dean of the Graduate School who will supervise and coordinate all aspects of graduate education and administration. The Dean will oversee the development of graduate certificates, diplomas and degrees.”

The two recommendations for research, an office and policies, was given an August 2014 and August 2015 deadline respectively.

It is suggested that the college should formulate research policies and procedures, including governance structures (that could also include an office to support research), resource allocation, capacity building details and sustainability measures required for a comprehensive policy framework for research and innovation at the University of The Bahamas.

August 2014 is also the deadline for the college to address the issue of service and socialisation where the reporters to the council advise that the college should create “an Office of Outreach and Community Relations (or similar) to solidify and coordinate the disparate outreach and engagement efforts already underway across the institution and to be a catalyst for the deepening of the ties between The University of The Bahamas and its various constituent groups.”

As for sustainability, it is noted that the college is in need of a new financial model that will have to be implemented by July 2015.

In May 2012, COB was given a mandate by the returning-PLP government to become the University of the Bahamas by 2015. To that end, Council Chairman approved and appointed the UTS-team two months later with the task of leading the processes of envisioning the character of The University and outlining a roadmap for effecting the transition of The College to The University.

They were given a 12-month deadline to produce and present a report to council. However, the 539-paged report was not delivered to council until the end of October 2013, nearly three-months beyond deadline.

Following this, the college council appointed rapporteurs to respond to the findings of the UTS-team and make further recommendations, which it did in December of last year.

The six members of the UTS-team are Sandra Dean-Smith, Quincy Parker, Antoinette Seymour, former Justice Ruby Nottage, and Drs Joan Vanderpoool and Olivia Saunders.