University of The Bahamas (UB) faculty have begun the 2022-2023 academic year with a commitment to adapting to the uncertainties and challenges of this era while achieving the mission of UB.
Ahead of the start of the Fall 2022 semester, faculty attended the Academic Affairs Faculty Seminar held at the Performing Arts Centre of UB’s Oakes Field campus under the theme "Resilience and Reinvention".
President Dr. Erik Rolland, whose tenure began on 1stAugust, affirmed the pivotal role of faculty in creating a better future.
“We are, as a university and as professors and administrators, the only proven path to social mobility and to the betterment of communities in the world,” said President Rolland. “There is no other tool. You’re ‘it’. That’s what you do every day and until somebody comes up with a better mousetrap for that, we’re still ‘it’. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t have to change.”
Later in the afternoon Dr. Rolland was engaged in a conversation on accreditation. UB is seeking international accreditation and creating a culture of continuous improvement as a priority. He also noted that together the University will create a shared vision through the forthcoming strategic planning that will happen, engaging all stakeholders.
Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Maria Oriakhi said the academy must find new and innovative ways to offer degree programmes through stackable and micro-credentialing options; introduce trans- and inter-disciplinary studies; and provide more experiential learning for students. She also heralded many of the achievements of the last academic year and faculty accomplishments that demonstrate progress and the excellence in the university.
Despite the challenges of a new era, UB has leveraged opportunities to thrive in the 2021-2022 academic year. The Office of Sponsored Research & Grants Management secured grants totaling $2.6 million. Ten new partnerships with higher education institutions abroad were added to increase opportunities for study abroad experiences for students and faculty collaborations. Additionally, a web-based tool that will keep students on track to graduate in the prescribed timeframe and increase overall student retention was launched. Additionally, the Gerace Research Institute in San Salvador has re-opened to faculty, students and researchers, welcoming some 24 groups.
“As we build on lessons learned in the past and further adapt to returning to campus in order to facilitate an even more inclusive quality education for our students, I believe it will truly reveal our level of dedication to accomplishing our value proposition – Preparing students for life in a global society,” noted Dr. Oriakhi. “It is not our current circumstance, but rather our response to it, that will define our university for years to come.”
Chair of the UB Board of Trustees Mrs. Allyson Maynard-Gibson Q.C. also addressed the faculty. She stressed that quality has always been a guiding principle for the institution and accreditation is the means through which it will be demonstrated in operational rigor, fiscal integrity and continuous improvement.
“We know that our students, their parents and guardians, and the country at large are looking to UB, demonstrating their confidence in this institution and in the strength of its education and its mission,” she said. “So, it behooves us to stand united, together, as we let the world “mark the manner of our bearing” as we press towards meeting highest international standards.”
The Office of Academic Affairs hosted the faculty seminar in hybrid mode; faculty at the Oakes Field Campus attended in-person, while those at the UB-North Campus and Grand Bahama were connected through virtual channels. Other activities included a presentation by plenary speaker Dr. George Mehaffy, Senior Advisor, Sova Solutions, on “Resilience and Reinvention”. Counseling psychologist, public speaker, and adjunct faculty, Mr. K. Darron Turnquest also presented on “We’re Back: Keeping it all Together”.
