EDITOR, The Tribune.

With regard to the ongoing public discussion about Mr Franklyn Wilson’s comments about his concerns of the likelihood of Dr Rodney Smith being reappointed as President of COB, it would appear that both the chairman of the COB Presidential Advisory Search Committee and the president of the Union of Tertiary Educators of the Bahamas completely misunderstood the import of Mr Wilson’s statement.

Of course this might be because they, nor the majority on the search committee, know very little about educational administration, especially in higher educational institutions. And more importantly, they obviously know little or nothing about the history of COB.

In higher education, generally, plagiarism is a cardinal sin. However, and most importantly, over the years students have been expelled from COB after being found guilty of plagiarism.

Therefore, how could anyone now consider appointing a accused plagiarist as President of COB? If Dr Smith is reappointed, how in the future could the college justify punishing another student who is found guilty of plagiarism? Also, how could COB take a seat again among its sister institutions in the Caribbean?

The college would lose all respect in academia when it becomes known that it knowingly appointed a plagiarist as President! The Council should think about this!
I sincerely believe that Dr Rodney Smith’s name should not have been short-listed by the search committee. Also, I agree with Mr Wilson that it would be “a significant error” for The Bahamas if Dr Smith is reappointed as the president of COB.

A CONCERNED FRIEND OF COB

Nassau,

July 16, 2014.