Minister of Education. Hon. Jerome Fitzgerald addresses the media, flanked by members of the College Council and the presidential Advisory Search Committee.

The Minister of Education, Science and Technology, the Hon. Jerome Fitzgerald announced,during a press conference held at the Ministry of Education on Wednesday, August 20thhe had affirmed the recommendation of the College Council to appoint Dr. Rodney Smith as President of The College of The Bahamas.

The Minister’s approval of this recommendation is in accordance with Section 6 of The College of The Bahamas Act.

“I now therefore authorize the College Council to negotiate reasonable contract terms with Dr. Smith consistent with terms agreed previously with former presidents taking into consideration the usual cost of living increases,” Minister Fitzgerald said.

“I also wish to indicate that Cabinet was also united in the view that if financial terms and benefits can be agreed with Dr. Smith that the term of the contract in the first instance should not exceed 3 years with the usual option to renew. In light of everything that has transpired the Cabinet felt this was a reasonable and prudent position to take,” he added.

In June, the College Council advised Minister Fitzgerald of its recommendation that Dr. Rodney Smith be appointed the new President of The College of The Bahamas, indicating that it had arrived at the recommendation following an open, fair and transparent process.

Dr. Smith, one of four finalists for the position, is the current Vice President of Administrative Services at Hampton University and a former President of The College. The other finalists were Dr. Gregory Carey, Assistant Professor and Director of Student Summer Research and Community Outreach, Center for Vascular and Inflammatory Diseases at the University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Medicine; Dr. Phillip Carey, Full Professor of Sociology and former Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, North Carolina A&T State University; and Dr. Olivia Saunders, a Professor in the School of Business at The College of The Bahamas, former Team Leader of the University Transition Secretariat and former Dean of Business, Hospitality and Tourism Studies.

In making his announcement, the education minister also called for the country to support the new leadership paradigm at The College.

“...this process is a fine example of our precious democracy at work. I now ask that the country move on and put its full support behind the college community and its leaders as we move the college towards university status,” he said.

A statement released from the Office of the College Council Chairman Mr. Alfred Sears said Dr. Smith’s appointment as President would commence once successful contractual negotiations have been completed.

“We are confident that all will go well with these negotiations, and we look forward to announcing his appointment in the near future,” the statement said.

Mr. Sears, members of the College Council and the council-appointed Advisory Search Committee, who managed the presidential search process, were present at the press conference for the announcement. Leaders of the various constituent groups at The College were among them and expressed their support of the decision of the College Council and the Minister of Education.

“It has been over a year that we have been through this process and I am glad to see us arrive at this point where we now have resolution and can move forward. We, as the Union of Tertiary Educators, are looking forward to this new era at The College of The Bahamas. We anticipate the full support of the faculty members at The College behind this new leadership and behind the leadership that will be moving us through this 2014 academic year into our transition to university,” said Mr. Mark Humes, president of UTEB.

“On behalf of the students of the College of The Bahamas, we thank the minister for ending this process and giving us vision as to the leadership of our college. We understand that this has been a very hard process for...all of us. We understand the pressure that has been put on him and may I double the thank you for supporting the decision and endorsement of our Council,” said Mr. Matthew Kemp, president of the College of The Bahamas Union of Students (COBUS).

“This is an historical day for us because the middle managers had a voice in the selection of the President and this is the first time ever and we are so grateful for being a part of this historical day. We are going to give the support that is needed to take the country, not only The College of The Bahamas, to the world,” noted Ms. Anastasia Brown, Public Managers Union (PMU) representative on the Advisory Search Committee.

“We are indeed pleased with the decision that has been made and the acceptance of the proposal that Dr. Smith be president...We are happy to see what is going to come out of this. I think there is a very bright future for the University of The Bahamas,” noted Mr. Marcus Laing, President of The College’s Alumni Society, College Council member and Vice-Chair of the Advisory Search Committee.

“We were privileged to be involved with the process working with the presidential Advisory Search Committee and we can attest to the fact that the exercise was above board and an excellent demonstration of team work and with the focus in regard to the national interest of the country...The College of The Bahamas has a critical role to play and therefore the leadership is of utmost importance to the further development of our country,” said Anthony Hamilton, President of Civil Society Bahamas and member of the Advisory Search Committee.

“I know this wasn’t an easy task and we know that a tough decision had to be made and I am pleased to see that your government is on the road to making these tough decisions. This is one of those good ones and I appreciate that very much,” said Mr. Rodman Brown, Bahamas Public Services Union representative on the Advisory Search Committee.

Dr. Smith resigned from The College in 2005 following claims that he had used a portion of a speech without duly attributing the source. He said in a public statement, released this month, that it was a “serious mistake” that he deeply regrets and will never happen again.