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News > Boze Outlines Future Direction of The College
President Boze Outlines Future Direction of The College During Inaugural Address
College of The Bahamas President Dr. Betsy V. Boze delivers her Inaugural Address at the Investiture held at The College of The Bahamas Performing Arts Centre on Thursday, April 7th, 2011. (Photo Courtesy of The College of The Bahamas) Addressing hundreds who filled the Performing Arts Centre of The College of The Bahamas, eager to hear her vision for the future direction of the institution, newly vested President Dr. Betsy V. Boze articulated how The College will support the aspirations of future leaders and innovators while driving the development of an economically resilient and dynamic nation. It was a message laced with hope and which sought to inspire students, staff and faculty to support a thriving culture of high education where there is a fundamental respect for differences and collaboration, transparency and accountability are embraced. President Boze also made it quite clear that the destiny of The College and The Commonwealth of The Bahamas are inextricably linked. "I have spoken widely about the importance of access. Our students of today are the leaders of tomorrow. Access incorporates many elements and access to higher education is one of the most crucial issues facing The Bahamas today," said President Boze. "It is unquestioned that a better educated population is essential to economic development and prosperity. Yet less than 8% of Bahamians have a college or university degree. And we are losing ground. Each generation and age group has less tertiary education than its predecessor! As the nation's tertiary institution, we must partner with public and private secondary schools to ensure that all Bahamians are prepared both for the workforce and for university level work." 
Mr. Eric Fingerhut, Chancellor, University System of Ohio delivers the keynote address at the Investiture of Dr. Betsy V. Boze on Thursday, April 7th, 2011. (Photo courtesy of The College of The Bahamas) "Our work is to fuel cultural, technological and economic development, to model civility and tolerance and appreciation for individual differences. The life of the college is about intellectual rigor and discovery, in the classroom and in the laboratory. It is about the generation of new knowledge and the development of a new generation of leaders. The University must be a vital component of our overall national research. It is most appropriate that The Bahamas look to The College of The Bahamas for leadership, expertise and neutrality in the creation, transmission and application of knowledge-for leadership and expertise," President Boze said. Transitioning to the University of The Bahamas is a pivotal part of that mandate and a priority for President Boze, who has been in office for less than 100 days. She identified key commitments in order to maintain and enhance The College's intellectual vibrancy including: academic excellence, access and student success, improving the student experience, transparency and sustainability. "We will critically evaluate our curriculum to ensure that it is vibrant, creative and technologically adapted to the 21st century. We will be thoughtful about this. We will not develop new programmes just because we want to teach them. We will be purposeful in our selection and ensure that the programmes are of the very highest quality and anticipate the evolving needs of The Bahamas," said Dr. Boze. She also announced that this summer, The College will complete its first Strategic Enrolment Management Plan, an important tool in understanding the factors that affect student success. According to the College President, less than 8 percent of Bahamians have a college degree, making access to higher learning one of the most crucial challenges facing The Bahamas. Additionally, President Boze announced that as she nurtures a culture of planning, accountability and transparency, public budget hearings will begin next month. Next fall, a new leadership academy will also be launched to develop future administrators at the institution. "Together we will shape our students. We will shape our college and university. We will shape our society and The Commonwealth of The Bahamas. We will shape our future. To join you in this mission, I am more honoured and grateful than I can say. It is a challenge that I accept humbly and with great determination." Appointed College President effective January 1st, 2011, Dr. Boze has identified academic programme review, the creation of a Faculty Senate and benchmarking The College against similar institutions as institutional priorities, especially as the institution evolves. Dr. Boze's experience spans 20 years in multi-campus university environments. She holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration from the University of Arkansas and masters and baccalaureate degrees from Southern Methodist University.
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