By LETRE SWEETING

Tribune Staff Reporter

lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE University of the Bahamas announced the surprise resignation of president Dr Erik Rolland yesterday, saying he will leave his position on June 30 for “personal, family reasons”.

After a lengthy, exhaustive process, Dr Rolland was named UB president in May 2022.

The university said Janyne Hodder, a permanent resident of The Bahamas for the past 40 years, will serve as acting president for the remainder of Dr Rolland’s contract, which expires in July 2025.

Ms Hodder was the president of the College of the Bahamas from July 2006 to June 2010.

In a statement, the university said: “A veteran educator and leader in higher education administration, Ms Hodder began her career as a teacher at Queen’s College and went on to teach at The Bahamas Teachers’ College, joining the College of The Bahamas faculty at its founding.  She later served as principal and vice-chancellor of Bishop’s University in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada and vice-principal at McGill University before returning as president of the former COB.

 “We have advised the chair of the academic senate and the leaders of the bargaining units at UB, which represent all UB team members.  We are grateful to our colleagues for their commitment to national and international accreditation to promote the university’s growth and development. The board is deeply grateful and thanks all administration, faculty, staff and students, as well as external stakeholders for their unwavering support of our national university.”

 Daniel Thompson, president of the Union of Tertiary Educators of the Bahamas, said Dr Rolland had an excellent relationship with UTEB.

 He said following the departure that UTEB wants to ensure its industrial agreement negotiations go well and will conclude soon.

 “We don’t select the president, but whoever succeeds as president, we must ensure that they succeed in what they do for the sake of national development and the job security, continuity and sustainability of our members,” he said.

 In July 2021, UB announced that a presidential search committee appointed in November 2020 shortlisted Dr Rolland, Dr Ian Strachan and Sir Anthony Seldon for president. The university took months to announce its choice, sparking speculation that the board was anxious about how and when to reveal its non-Bahamian choice for the role.

 UTEB advocated for Dr Strachan, the only non-Bahamian shortlisted, to get the position. It is not clear why he was not named acting president of the institution. He was appointed executive vice president effective April 1, 2022.