7 News Belize

UB: Prestigious President Installed
posted (August 24, 2011)
Eleven years ago, in August of two thousand - the modern incarnation of the University of Belize was born form the amalgamation of the University College of Belize, the Belize Teachers College, the Bliss School of Nursing, the Belize College of Agriculture and the Belize Technical College.

The jury is still very much out on whether the amalgamation benefitted or blighted those individual schools - but - as they say - you can't put the toothpaste back into the tube.

And so the University is moving forward, with its first non-Belizean President Dr. Cary Fraser, who was formally installed today. He is also the first president picked though a transparent selection process.

The 56 year old Fraser is a Guyanese who has studied, lectured and written scholarly papers all over the world, most recently at the Pennsylvania State University where he was a professor of African American Studies.

His academic record is indeed stellar - but now as President of a national university - he'll have to shape the vision of a university that's only 11 years old.

The weight of that responsibility was made clear when he was installed today at the UB gymnasium in Belmopan:

Imani Morrison - Chairperson, Board of Trustees
"Dr. Cary Frazer, the 4th President of the University of Belize: Dr. Frazer, I formally invest you with the Presidency of the University of Belize. With this act, this process of deliberating the future direction of our national university, and selecting the best person to lead the destiny of this institution is concluded. Dr. Frazer, a symbol of your authority and responsibility is the silver medallion of the University of Belize, which is presented to you by His Excellency, Governor General Sir Colville Young."

Dr. Corinth Morter Lewis - Outgoing Acting President
"The solemnity of what is occurring this morning in these proceedings reflects not just the traditions of Presidential Inauguration. It is also a symbol of the awesome responsibilities that UB President Elect will bare for the next 5 years."

Imani Morrison - Chairperson, Board of Trustees
"To say that the expectations of our little 11 year-old national university are high might be an underestimation - or understatement - it is exceedingly so in my view. Dr. Frazer, our only request to you is that you work diligently at putting UB further along the path toward leadership in all these ways."

Hon. Patrick Faber - Minister of Education
"There is need to increase access to tertiary level education. But how do we pay for it? The Government is currently subsidizing the cost of tertiary education significantly, so that the costs are maintained artificially low. In fact, it is ridiculously low. Please be assured of our commitment to maintaining this funding for tertiary education. However, the situation demands that we explore smarter and better ways of increasing access and making it affordable."

Dr. Cary Frazer - UB's 4th President
"I look forward to working with all constituencies to move the university towards the goal of accreditation, and the establishment of a reputation for academic excellence in training both Belizean and international students. I have enjoyed very frank and fruitful conversations about the university with everyone that I have met, and I am committed to the view that the university must play a significant role in shaping Belize's future and facing the challenges of our globalized world. The primary purpose of the university is to provide a space for us to foster the symbiosis between learning and thinking that will allow us to produce knowledge to educate effective policy-makers and to cultivate a sense of citizenship among all those who pass through its doors. A society that fails to provide to provide access to a dynamic and effective university education for its citizens is a society that will lose its way in the modern world."

Dr. Fraser was installed today but has been in office for some weeks before that...

Home | Archives | Downloads/Podcasts | Advertise | Contact Us

7 News Belize