The College of The Bahamas’ (COB) Advisory Search Committee has narrowed down its candidates from 20 to four.

Acting President, Dr. Earla Carey-Baines said the committee officials are pleased with the response to the call for a new president and that in the next few weeks the college community will have the opportunity to meet with several candidates.

“We had some 20 applications for the post of president and we believe that speaks well of the heritage and history of the institution as well as our future plans as we transition to university,” she said.

“Our search committee has narrowed that down and has interviewed many of the applicants. Of the 20 candidates, they got down to eight applicants and my understanding is that at least four of the candidates will be invited to visit with the college community.”

She also said that non-Bahamians applied for the top post as well.

“Many people are interested in COB because they realise the phenomenal development that we have been able to achieve over our 40 year existence,” Dr. Carey-Baines said.

“They also see the progress towards university and the plans towards achieving that goal. No matter though, our council has determined that the next president of the College of The Bahamas will be a Bahamian. We hope soon that the final four will visit with the college community in New Providence and the northern Bahamas.”

The Bahama Journal understands that of the eight candidates interviewed, three were woman and of the final four selected, two are women.

“We are hoping to share who the four candidates are by next week with the public,” the acting president.

The last president, Dr. Betsy Vogel-Boze, finished her three-year stint at the college on December 31.

With COB facing a 25 per cent reduction in subventions this year, Chairman of COB’s Council, Alfred Sears said it is important that the suitable candidate be able to form strong private-public sector partnerships in order to build the institution’s endowment.

“We have some of the highest net-worth individuals who live in The Bahamas and have second homes in The Bahamas,” Mr. Sears said late last year.

“We also, through the research agenda, will be able to access multilateral funding from multilateral agencies and foundations from throughout the world and of course, we have to see the intellectual resources of this academy as capital.”

Last May, the college’s council appointed a 12-member Advisory Search Committee headed by retired Justice Rubie Nottage, to spearhead the search for a new president.

The deadline for the nomination of candidates was on October 24, 2013 and prospective candidates had until October 31 to submit applications along with five professional references.

The presidential search process can be followed at a special webpage created on COB’s website at www.cob.edu.bs.