The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

IN a move that has sparked claims of nepotism, the University of the Bahamas’ Board of Trustees hired the wife of UB president Dr Rodney Smith –– a member of the board –– as a consultant on a $100,000 contract this summer.

The board also hired American Dr Sulayman Clark, a former employee at Hampton University where Dr Smith once worked, on a $100,000 contract.

The positions were not advertised to other potential applicants.

The board did not unanimously approves the hires; at least one trustee, Senator Jennifer Isaacs-Dotson, voted against the appointments, believing they constituted nepotism and cronyism.

UB’s Office of University Relations said in a statement last night the positions were not advertised because the appointments “are not full-time positions but rather are consultancies…”

UB described the appointees as qualified for their position.

“Further, we wish to assure that President Smith was not present when the HR Committee of the UB Board of Trustees voted on Dr Ramierez Smith’s appointment,” the university said.

“Also, the Special Advisor’s compensation is commensurate with her years of experience in higher education and comparatively less than her previous appointments in similar positions.

“Both Dr Ramirez Smith and Dr Clark are competent and qualified in the areas of donor cultivation and fundraising.”

The university said Dr Christina Ramirez Smith was hired as Special Advisor to the board’s Deputy Chair, Mr Lowell Mortimer, who is the chair of the board’s Investments and Fundraising Committee.

It also said Dr Clark was hired as a Consultant-in-Residence responsible for planning and executing various fundraising activities.

It is understood the consultants were given a short-term contract of one year.

The board is expected to assess whether they merit a longer contract.

UB outlined the qualifications of both Dr Smith and Dr Clark in statements yesterday.

Dr Smith, the university said, has “served in academia for almost three decades” and has “extensive experience as an Educational Administrator and Professor of Educational and Higher Education Administration, leadership, policy and planning.”

Experience

“Her experience in development has included managing and executing strategies for fundraising, grant writing, developing strategic plans for fundraising and federal and private donor cultivation at Jacksonville University, Florida where she served as Dean of the School of Education and Director of Teacher Education.”

A native of Exuma, “she was most recently Associate Professor of educational leadership at Hampton University.”

As for Dr Clark, he has “over 25 years of experience as a senior level development officer with particular expertise in grant writing and major gift acquisitions,” the University of the Bahamas said.

“He previously served as Vice President for Development and Director of the $200 million campaign for Hampton University.

“As the Consultant-in-Residence, (he) will work closely with the Office of the President and the Office of Institutional Advancement and Alumni Affairs to identify, cultivate and solicit prospective major donors.”