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University of Technology, Jamaica
• ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015
UNIVERSITY SECRETARIAT
The University Secretariat serves the University’s main
governing bodies, the Council and the Academic Board
and their respective standing committees. During this
review period matters relating to the appointment of
a President and Deputy President were high on the
agenda.
Appointment Processes for President and Deputy President
A Succession Planning Committee was established
on April 14, 2014 by the University Council with the
responsibility to identify a nominee for the post of
interim President for the University for the period
April 2014 and February 28, 2015, when the contract
of the then President of the University would expire.
The Committee completed its work on April 28, 2014
and recommended the appointment of Ambassador
the Hon. Burchell Whiteman OJ as Acting President
for the period of June 1, 2014 to February 28, 2015.
His appointment was approved by the Council on April
28, 2014. His contract was subsequently extended
to July 31, 2015 by the Council at its meeting held on
February 25, 2015 on the recommendation of the Joint
Committee of the Council and Academic Board for the
Appointment of President and Deputy President
The Joint Committee of the Council and Academic
Board for the Appointment of President and Deputy
President was established in June 2014. In keeping
with the provision of the Ordinances, Committees for
the Search and Selection for President and Deputy
President were also established to execute these
processes.
The work of the Search and Selection Committee for
Deputy President was completed in November 2014.
The Council on December 15, 2014 approved the
recommendation for the appointment of Professor
Colin Gyles as Deputy President.
The work of the Search and Selection Committee
for the Appointment of President continues into the
2015/2016 period.
Septennial Review Committee
In keeping with the provision of the University of
Technology, Jamaica Act 1999, which requires the
establishment of a Septennial Review Committee
every seven years, the Council at its meetings held on
July 28, 2014 and September 29, 2014 approved the
membership of the Committee. Professor John Wood,
Secretary General of the Association of Commonwealth
Universities has been appointed as chairman. The
inaugural meeting of the Committee was held on the
3rd March 2015.
Review of UTech, Jamaica Act
The establishment of the Committee for the Review
of the University of Technology, Jamaica Act (No. 27)
of 1999 was approved by Council at its meeting held
November 17, 2014 subsequent to the approval of the
Terms of Reference of the Committee by the Council
on July 28, 2014. The Committee had its first meeting
on January 28, 2015.
Special Audit Committee
The Committee had been established in keeping with
the recommendations of the Breaches Committee
to consider breaches that were committed in the
reappointment process for the President in 2012. The
Committee met on three occasions in the last quarter
of 2014/2015 and is to complete its work in 2015/2016.
Governance Instruments
Several Governance instruments were reviewed or
developed and subsequently approved by the Council
on the recommendation of the Governance Committee
to improve the corporate governance framework of
the institution. Ordinances, administrative policies
and procedures, proposals, and matters related to
committee administration were the main areas of focus
during the fiscal year.
Appointments to Standing Committees
Mr Vivian Crawford, Pro-Chancellor, Ms Nicole
Foga, Managing Partner of Foga and Daley and Dr
Kofi Nkrumah-Young, Vice President, Planning and
Operations, were reappointed as Pension Trustees.
Ms Nicole Foga was also appointed as Chairperson.
External persons were appointed as co-opted members
to the Governance and Finance Committees in keeping