The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

THE College of The Bahamas (COB) has taken a step back in its journey towards university status next year in the eyes of its students. The College announced this week that its planned December graduation ceremony will be cancelled and all students who had planned to participate should now make arrangements to graduate in the spring of 2015.

Students are enraged by having to wait nearly six months to celebrate their success and claimed yesterday that the College has again “failed” in its attempt to be a world-class tertiary-level institution. Last December, COB re-introduced the fall ceremony after then President, Dr Betsy Vogel Boze, took exception to the number of guests standing at graduation ceremonies.

Earlier this month, COB asked students planning to to take part in the fall graduation to submit all necessary forms to its Records Department to be processed. Then came word that institution was again changing course, reverting to its one ceremony a year practice.

Yesterday, COB remained tight lipped on the official reason for the cancellation but students speculated that it is due to poor planning and management.

In December 2012, the COB executive was informed by government of a 25 per cent reduction in subsidies over a two-year period, forcing the College to better handle its finances. This was followed by a hike in tuition fees amidst controversy in the fall of 2013. At the time of the fee increases, Dr Vogel Boze told students that the increase was in the best interest of the college. She said that COB was trying to enhance its services to better suit the needs of its student population.

Following the resignation of Dr Vogel Boze, COB’s advisory board re-appointed former president, Dr Rodney Smith as her successor amid controversy. In 2005, Dr Smith made a speech at COB’s honours convocation which was later revealed to have included a portion of that speech previously given by an American academic. Dr Smith did not attribute the remarks and left after being accused of plagiarism.