The Council of the College of The Bahamas remains tight-lipped amid a growing controversy surrounding embattled president, Dr. Rodney Smith.
Council President Franklyn Wilson told The Bahama Journal last week that the Council has the matter under review.
Meanwhile, a rally will be held on the front lawn of the college today in support of Dr. Smith, who recently admitted that he neglected to provide attribution when he gave a speech at a recent commencement-related event.
Since the admission, calls for his resignation have grown, but the president is expected to receive some comfort during the rally, scheduled for 10am.
Speakers will include Dr. Earle Johnson, immediate past president of the Union of Tertiary Educators of The Bahamas; Gwen Charlow, shop steward of the Bahamas Public Services Union; Quentin Lightbourne, College Of The Bahamas Union of Students President and Dr. Ian Strachan, chairperson, School of English Studies.
A recent statement forwarded by Dr. Strachan on behalf of “the faculty and staff of The College of The Bahamas” expressed “strong support for Dr. Smith.”
The statement said, “He is the legitimate and highly capable leader of this institution and we stand behind him. He has publicly apologized for the regrettable error made during his address at honours convocation and we accept his apology.
“We recognize that professionals at all levels and from all walks of life are capable of error. As educators we know that plagiarism is a serious academic offense and we neither overlook nor minimize it.”
The statement also pointed to Dr. Smith’s performance in his first year as president, saying that it has been stellar.
“This has been one of the most promising and productive year for the college in recent memory. Faculty and staff are motivated and excited by the vision Dr. Smith has brought to the institution and by the new culture he is fostering.”
It added, “It is disturbing to see that certain individuals within the community overlook all the positive developments at The College and instead advance in the media the false notion that the institution is in disarray.
“It is also unfortunate that in recent years the media appears to have focused more on the negative than on the tireless efforts of hundreds of faculty and staff committed to creating a university of which all Bahamian scan be proud.”
The statement said a call for Dr. Smith’s resignation is an overreaction.
“We are astonished by some of the negative sentiments made in the press,” it said. “Though we are disappointed by the mistake made by Dr. Smith, we stand behind him and we support him as president”
Article from The Bahama Journal
