Over the weekend, Ms. Hodder accepted a $100,000 check from the Pindling Foundation to help build the new Harry Moore Library at COB.
Ms. Hodder’s assumption of the helm of the nationﾒs primary tertiary institution follows months of wrangling and sometimes contentious debate within the college community, with the collegeﾒs student and faculty unions staging protests at different times.
The resignation of former COB President Dr. Rodney Smith, who has found a new role as Senior Advisor on International Education at global news network Maximsnews, initiated the search for a new president. Dr. Smith’s resignation followed a plagiarism scandal.
The College Council, chaired by Franklyn Wilson, decided to widen the search for a new president after the identification of two local candidates ﾖ Drs. Rhonda Chipman-Johnson and Pandora Johnson.
Both COBUS and UTEB objected to the way in which Ms. Hodder’s candidacy was announced. Both groups also stressed that they had no problem with Ms. Hodder herself, although there were rumblings about Ms. Hodderﾒs lack of a terminal degree and the fact that she is Canadian.
However, once Ms. Hodder was confirmed as the new president-designate, both groups pledged to work with her in the interests of the college.
Ms. Hodder has been designated to shepherd the institution through the transition from college to university. She will be meeting this week with the various stakeholder groups within the college.
By: Quincy Parker, The Bahama Journal
