The following are excerpts from:

Annual Report of The President on the work of The University College Of The Cayman Islands (“UCCI”) for the Academic Year September 2012 – July 2013

Introduction:

Even by the most rigorous and exacting standards, the Academic Year 2012/2013 would qualify as another year of stellar growth and improvement for the University College.  The exception to this achievement is in the institution’s finances.  While this matter will be fully explored in a subsequent section of this Report, suffice it to say here that it is clear that the University College’s finances have never recovered from the Hassan Syed fiasco.  At the very least, some entity or individual should have been responsible for reimbursing the approximately CI$300,000.00 which the Auditor General’s Office claims is unaccounted for at this time.

Notwithstanding this aberration, however, the current Board of Governors and the University College as a community continues to work conscientiously at making the College a respected, popular and academically acclaimed institution.  Over the past academic year, there has been a continuing trend of positive developments. Important among these are:

Administrative:

1.   The Administration, Faculty and Staff Manual, 2013 (Employee Handbook);

2.   The launch of the UCCI Strategic Visioning Exercise.

Academic:

1.   The revision of the Pre-College Studies Programme;

2.   The launch of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Programme;

3.   The completion of the Associates Degree in Legal Studies  (ADLS) for launching September

2013;

4.   Associate Membership of the UCCI into the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) and the Virtual University of Small States of the Commonwealth (VUSSC);

5.   The reorganization and  rebranding  of  the  Graduate  Studies  and  Professional  Development Centre under its new Director, Dr. J.D. Mosley-Matchett, Acting Dean;

6.   The addition of the Commonwealth Executive Masters in Business Administration (CEMBA) and the Commonwealth Executive Masters in Public Administration (CEMPA) degrees (see 4. above);

7.  The addition of the Distinguished Lecture Series in which eminent academics and other distinguished personalities are invited to deliver lectures on current matters;

8.   Grade Point Average Realignment, placing the UCCI in line with international best practices.

Finances:

As alluded to earlier, finances, or the lack thereof, continue to be the proverbial ‘sword of Damocles’ hanging over the University College’s head. There can be no   better illustration of the precariousness of the financial situation than to draw the  reader’s attention to the situation between the Academic Year 2011/2012 when the Chief Financial Officer reported a modest surplus of just under half a million dollars, in comparison to the situation which exists at the time of this Report. The surplus has dwindled to a paltry CI$12,205.00, with no hope for improvement.

In any organization this would be reason for alarm, especially as such a reduction did not occur from fraud, misappropriation or any similar malfeasance on the part of the present administration. I have long held that the relationship between the University College and the Ministry of Education should be re-examined with a view to crafting a more modern and enlightened relationship with regard to financial support of the UCCI.  The current situation is frustrating, straightjacketed and inimical to the growth of the University College.  Let us examine the reasons for this conclusion. Over the recent past, the University College administration has made two concerted attempts to persuade the Ministry of Education that tuition fees, which have not been raised since 2003, need to be raised.  Even with Board support, the Ministry of Education was not amenable to these pleas. In a subsequent move, the Chief Financial Officer, with the concurrence of the Board and the administration, meticulously prepared a document entitled “Recapitalizing the University College of the Cayman Islands”.  Again, this effort was drowned in negativity and intransigence and, up to now, remains uncommented upon.   Failure to address this challenge has brought unwarranted strain on the cash flow situation at the UCCI.

Contrary to what transpires in Cayman, in the academic world tuition fees are raised at regular intervals.   If we take the United States, for example, tuition fees are raised an average of approximately five percent per annum.

As if the above did not complicate the situation enough, let us take the examples of the development of the Dual Entry Programme and the Pre-College Studies Programme.  In discussions leading up to the drafting and implementation of these programmes, the Ministry of Education gave the distinct impression that, as a partner, the UCCI would not have to bear the brunt of the finances for these programmes.

While this may have been the intention, the actuality is far more sobering as, in the case of the Pre- College Studies Programme, only Board intervention allowed the University College to collect the agreed money for the programme’s drafting and approval in the first instance whilst the annual grant for its continued existence ceased after that initial collection.  It is no small accomplishment that the University College has not only been able to continue this programme but, as of the Academic   Year   2013/2014, anticipates significant improvements. As for the Dual Entry Programme, not even increased numbers have brought additional remuneration to the University College.

Falling Enrollment:

Falling enrollment in other programmes (see Registrar’s Report) over the past academic year has not only impacted negatively on revenues, but also impinges on the College’s ability to offer certain programmes.  For the University College to achieve its full potential, the Government (Ministry of Education) must do more to ensure that enrollment is consistently at its maximum.  While the University College has its own campaign to attract students, the current policy of funding students to study abroad for programmes offered at the undergraduate level at the UCCI is inimical to the interests of the University College and counterproductive to its growth and development strategies.

Employee Handbook & The UCCI Strategic Plan:

For the first time since its existence the University College will have a document which informs on how the institution is run on a day-to-day basis, as well as to inform on systems, standards and protocols.  Produced by the President and some Senior Administration members, this valuable document comes at no production costs to the University College.

It is anticipated that this document will be accepted by the Board of Governors and, having already been accepted by faculty and staff, comes into effect early in the 2013/2014 Academic Year.

The UCCI Strategic Plan is completed and was presented to the Board of Governors on October 23rd, 2013.  Assuming that this document and the Employee Handbook are accepted by the Board, there will then have to be some assessment and quantification of the costs associated with the implementation of the accepted recommendations in both documents.

I underscore this development lest it be misunderstood or misconstrued as to suggest that there are  no  budgetary  implications  involved  in  the  acceptance  of  the  recommendations  in  these documents.

In the ideal situation, such an assessment and quantification should be made within six weeks of the acceptance of these documents.  Thereafter, a presentation should be made to the Board for its approval of the strategies and recommendations.

Departmental Matters:

I wish to publicly commend Department Chairs for the stellar performance during the Academic Year 2012/2013.  Much remains to be done, but marked progress has been made and there is an anticipation of continuing improvements.

It would be remiss of me to not give special kudos and gratitude to Dr. Robert Weishan, the former Chair of the Business Studies Department, for his inspiring leadership during his years as Department Chair.

Welcome  and  congratulations  go  out  to  Dr.  Martin  Richards  who  succeeds  Dr.  Wieshan.    Dr. Richards is similarly motivated and committed and we look forward to continued success under his leadership.

Congratulations are also due to Miss Erica Gordon upon successfully completing her probationary period and being appointed to the Chair of the Arts and Humanities Department.  In addition to her departmental responsibility, Miss Gordon is the co-Chair of the UCCI Strategic Visioning Exercise Committee.   Her energy and involvement is indicative of that of her colleagues and it is these persons who make the UCCI a great place for our students.

Two other members of staff are to be congratulated upon their appointments to senior posts. These are Dr. J.D. Mosely-Matchett, Acting Dean and Director of Graduate Studies and Professional Development Centre, and Mr Jayson DaCosta, Acting Dean of Admissions and College Registrar.

Both of these persons are members of the Administrative and Academic Committee, a statutory committee established under  the University College Law (2012  Revision) and members of  the Senior Management Team which, while not legally constituted, does provide valuable advice and guidance to the President.

Outstanding Matters:

Let me now turn to challenges which I see facing the University College and, by inference, the Government.

The first of these has to do with the ability of the University College to remain on the cutting-edge of instructional technology.   Currently, the University College has an enviable track record in incorporating ICT in its teaching and instructional development.  Ipads are mandatory for each student studying at the UCCI and most recently the College was the recipient of twelve Apple T.V.s which takes our instruction up to a higher level yet.

The Cayman Brac Campus is serviced from the main Campus on Grand Cayman by a Polycom system.  Currently, one of the two cameras is not operational.  As there is no money budgeted for replacement, some inconvenience is being experienced.   This, and similar situations, will be aggravated and exacerbated by the inability of the Government to increase the grant or to allow the College to raise its tuition fees.

As President, I find myself frequently soliciting private sector donations and sponsorships.  It is a role with which I will have to accustom myself, although I must say that it is often humbling and does take up much time.

Of an even more serious nature, however, is the ageing and dilapidating state of the Campus.  Most recently, the University College received a citation from the Fire Inspectors as our automated fire alarm system is completely rusted out.  While the replacement costs an unbudgeted CI$52,000.00, the situation could have been worse.  The equipment, however, has to be replaced immediately.  I am concerned also about crumbling ceilings in some classrooms and possible exposure to mould.

There is no available nurse and gender segregated sick bay – an unheard of situation for a college of over one thousand students.   This is a situation which can only be described as a “ticking time bomb” and yet there seems no attempt on the part of the Government to address it, in spite of the repetitive flagging of this matter in my reports.

The Campus is not human rights’ compliant and is ill equipped to cater to physically challenged students. The only wheelchair ramp in existence, besides that leading to the entrance of the Sir Vassel Johnson Hall, has only been constructed in the recent past.  This, of course, is compounded by a lack of elevators.

To accommodate the School of Nursing and the Pre-College Studies Programme, a total of four modular classrooms were received as a gift from the Ministry of Education.  The University College wishes to convey its gratitude to the Ministry of Education for this donation.  While it is obvious that these classrooms have been refurbished to a high standard, it is also clear that their presence among the other buildings is an incongruity more indicative of a third world backwater than a jurisdiction which touts its high ranking among the world’s financial centres.

Let me suggest that the time has come, indeed is now, for the authorities to consider what physical structure will be needed if the University College is to continue to serve these Islands into the future. All of this allows me to segue seamlessly into the conclusion of summary.

The Way Forward and Beyond:

The University College as a tertiary level institution is well on the way to establishing itself as an excellent teaching institution which is renowned for developing character in its students.  The UCCI prides itself on its unique character building programmes.   Men of Standard and Women of Character are voluntary programmes in which our students are taught how to navigate and deal with the challenges of young persons in a changing Cayman Islands.

There was no offering of the Men of Standard Programme during 2012/2013.  The reason is that the programme has now been expanded to include Elocution.  Spread over two semesters, the programme will also include expanded modules on Civics and Citizenship.  As an elective, those students who have successfully completed the programme will be eligible for three credits commencing in the 2013/2014 academic year.

In addition to these programmes, Board permission was received for the creation of a new post of Placement Officer.  Such a person would have been assigned to work with Student Services and would have had responsibility for coordinating, monitoring and recording the community service which  the  UCCI  students  are  mandatorily  required  to  complete  prior  to  their  degrees  being awarded, as well as to organize and manage the internships and work experience modules of the courses.

Regrettably, there were no funds available to activate this position so, although the post was advertised, interviews conducted and a candidate selected, the plan has to be placed in abeyance. To my mind this situation will, in future, be far more representative of the routine than an aberration.  I can only record my concerns that these kinds of incidents can only be symptomatic of a more serious underlying challenge, namely that the financial relationship between College and Government is flawed.

The Government-wide austerity plan has seriously eroded the University College’s ability to service its needs.  As the figures show, this year’s plans call for an additional CI$871,361.00.  I caution that our inability to meet this demand places us frighteningly close to the situation of what I term “diminishing returns”; meaning that we will see no improvements for the money spent because there are so many glaring needs.

New Developments:

As President, I am only too well aware of the importance of placing the University College in a position which reduces its reliance on an austerity challenged Government.  In this regard, I have solicited interest from the UCCI faculty members and some persons from outside the College to participate  in  the  development,  costing  and  marketing  of  two  new  progammes  which  I  am optimistic about.

The first of these I have labeled “Corporate Governance in the Public Sector”.  Such a programme will be primarily designed to prepare Board Members, Civil Servants and staff in Government companies and statutory bodies for their roles and responsibilities of the posts.

A second programme, offered at the degree level, I have tentatively described as “Island Studies”. With its focus on the unique challenges of small Islands and micro-states, this programme covers areas such as climate change, sustainable development, environmental science, tourism, etcetera.

These can be financially rewarding for the UCCI since I have reason to believe that the Caribbean Development Bank has an interest in its development and spread to other relevant regional jurisdictions.  If the feasibility study bears this initiative out, it is anticipated to be launched for the Academic Year 2014/2015.

Discussions are currently underway with the Commonwealth of Learning with a view to enlisting their support in a UCCI Quality Assurance Assessment.   This Assessment should inform us as to what improvements we will need to effect prior to embarking on an accreditation exercise.  As a corollary to this,  the decision  will  have  to  be  made  as  to  whether the UCCI opts to  join  an accrediting agency in the United States or whether it exercises the option to accredit its programmes. There is also a third option, that is that the UCCI could apply to join one of the Canadian  Associations  of  Universities  and  Colleges,  for  example,  the  Ontario  Association  of Universities and Colleges.

I note that next year (August 24th, 2014, to be precise) will be ten years since the institution will have been chartered as a University College.  It strikes me that this will be an ideal time for all involved to examine the future relationship.  In so doing, the first principle to recognize is that the University College as an academic institution has some fundamental differences from the Civil Service, with which so many seem to compare it.  It goes without saying then that the ‘one formula suits all’ cannot work for the UCCI.  May I then suggest that this anniversary will be an opportune time for a full review of the current University College Law (2012 Revision).

By way of anniversary celebrations, it is my suggestion that the event should be marked by some special celebrations which will serve to signify and highlight the importance of the University College in Caymanian society.

In conclusion, I commend this Report to the Board of Governors and look forward to the promise of the 2013/2014 Academic Year and to the exciting and stimulating events such as the Conferences and Open Campus to be held in the Fall and Spring of this Academic Year.

This Report is the official Report of the President of the University College of the Cayman Islands

J. A. Roy Bodden, JP

To read the whole report go to: http://www.ucci.edu.ky/_docs/president/reports/President’s%20Annual%20Report%202012-2013.pdf