It has come to the attention of the members of the College of the Bahamas Union of Students (COBUS) that the representation, voice, and collaboration of the student body in matters of importance and decisions directly dealing with students have not been heard. In fact, no student voice, let alone official representation, was considered when decisions regarding the staffing of positions that directly interface with students and which impact student life on Campus were determined.

The exclusion of students’ voices and the complete disrespect for their elected COBUS representatives came to light when we discovered that a new Residential Life & Housing Director, a new Student Leadership & International Relations Director, & a new Part-Time Advisor for the Spectrum Student Newspaper had been appointed without any student involvement. Your COBUS representatives wrote about their concerns regarding these appointments and advised the College Administration responsible for the choices made and the exclusion of Students, particularly the VP of Student Affairs and the COB President, to cease and desist. Nevertheless, about one month later, we were introduced to ‘The Director of Campus Life” who was appointed again without student voice or involvement again!

NO students, NO clubs, and certainly NOT your COBUS representatives were informed or involved of this appointment until it was done.

This is NOT acceptable.

This dismissive way of making appointments was asked to stop. Our requests have been ignored by the VPSA. Having argued this issue at Council, COBUS' voice was heard, and the matter was now placed under investigation by the Campus Life Council Subcommittee. There, COBUS will present a strong case, but we need to present a strong support base for it as well. It is now time for us as a student body to send a message and request to the College Council to ensure that best practices are carried out and that the actions of College Administration reflect the values of a dynamic, collaborative, developmental and engaged student body that are represented in all interviewing and decision-making processes of COB.  That is where we as students come in:  

Signing this petition is important because it makes your voice heard! Let's voice the rights of our Campus! Your signing will ensure students are represented in all interviewing and decision-making processes of COB. It will also ask that the College Council investigates the hiring practices of the Administration, that they move swiftly to resolve the flawed employment process of positions recently endowed by the Vice President of Student Affairs and sanctioned by the College President, that the College Council reassess and take action to address the competencies and leadership of both the Vice President of Student Affairs and the College President, and that they subsequently execute some action pertaining thereto regarding said individuals.

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