NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The University of The Bahamas (UB) Presidential Search Committee (PSC), appointed by the UB Board of Trustees, yesterday announced the selection of its top three finalists for the position of president of University of The Bahamas, to be appointed at the culmination of current President Rodney D Smith’s term.
The finalists are Dr Erik Rolland, Sir Anthony Seldon and Dr Ian Strachan.
Rolland is a respected professional with 30 years’ experience hailing from the University of California and the California State University system in the United States. Rolland currently serves as the dean of the College of Business Administration at California Polytechnic & State University. Prior to that, he served in leadership positions at the University of California, Merced and Riverside campuses.
Seldon is a prominent figure in the field of education, shaping the debate on higher education in the United Kingdom and globally. He chaired the Festival of Higher Education and founded the Universities G20, a group of leading independent universities. Until recently, Seldon served as the vice chancellor, University of Buckingham. Prior to that, he was Wellington College’s Headmaster.
Strachan is a recognized, innovative leader in the field of education in The Bahamas. Currently, he is the campus president of UB-North in Freeport, Grand Bahama. A former College of The Bahamas (COB) student, Strachan is a member of UB faculty and previously also held vice presidential positions at the university. Prior to leading UB-North, Strachan served as vice president of advancement at COB.
The PSC began its search work in November of 2020. The Board of Trustees hired AGB Search Consultants to assist the work of the committee. Broad input from the university community and other constituents was sought to inform the search through structured listening sessions and interviews. The finalists are expected to complete their final interviews starting the week of July 26, 2021.
