UTech, Ja Annual Report 2017-18

“Pioneering Past; Bright Future ” ANNUAL REPORT 2017-2018 University of Technology, Jamaica 8 This structure, with three large, state-of-the-art lecture theatres, 20 smart classrooms of varying sizes, and computer laboratories represents marked infrastructural progress for the institution. The university’s hotel, again built with CDB and matching funds, is almost ready for occupation in a new structure. And the university has opened a new pharmacy in the College of Health Sciences. Improvements Other improvements recently completed or just about to come on stream at the Papine Campus include the rejuvenation of Sculpture Park; improvement to a number of laboratories; enhanced lighting for security purposes; improvements to the campus book store; renovation of the “Drawing Room”, as a set of lecture theatres mainly for the Law Faculty; and renovation of the University’s Chapel. 60th Anniversary In March 2018 the University launched a year-long calendar of activities to mark our 60th anniversary. Since starting out life as the Jamaica Institute of Technology in 1958, the university served Jamaica and the region under the popular name of CAST (the College of Arts, Science and Technology), and then assumed the mantle of the University of Technology, Jamaica. As part of the 60th Anniversary celebrations we have hosted a series of Distinguished Public Lectures, including memorable ones by H E the Hon Patrick Robinson, judge of the International Court of Justice; Dr Horace Campbell, professor at the University of Legon, Ghana; Ms Tracy Robinson, former President of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights; and H E the Most Hon Sir Patrick Allen, governor general of Jamaica, the University’s Visitor and our Chancellor and former Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Edward Seaga. These lectures have been of the highest quality and have addressed a variety of topics. We have also enjoyed a range of high quality anniversary concerts which included a nostalgic evening featuring Ernie Smith. Assisting students The university remains mindful that the payment of fees constitutes a major challenge for many of our students. I acknowledge that there are several students who ultimately fall by the wayside owing to the pressures of having to find fees while moving along with their studies. Against this general background, the university has sought to implement measures that may assist students in their quest for tertiary education. We make every effort to keep our fees low, but also believe that we need to balance our budget. In order to help our students the university had several scholarships and bursaries, numbering approximately 140 for the academic year 2017/2018. For that year, the value of scholarships and bursaries to students was of the order of about $100 million. In addition, last year the university provided more than 2,000 welfare grants totalling more than $23 million for items such as tuition, boarding, lunch subsidy, transportation, school equipment and text-books. The university is grateful to the sponsors who provide assistance to our students, sometimes for many years, as they invest in Jamaica’s future. I offer my personal thanks to them all. The university also has in place an Earn and Study Programme under which students may receive employment on campus. Students, if selected, are able to earn $200 per hour for a maximum of 50 hours per fortnight. For the academic year PRESIDENT’S OVERVIEW Cont’d.