With over 19 decades in teacher training the Mico University College holds the enviable record of being the oldest teacher training institution in the Western Hemisphere. The Mico University College stands as a beacon of excellence in the delivery of high quality teacher education in Jamaica, the wider Caribbean region and beyond. The Mico embodies resilience, endurance and relevance especially in the 21st century. Its remit is enshrined in the College’s Strategic Plan, which envisions The Mico achieving full University status offering degrees at all levels in science, technology, liberal arts, and the humanities. A significant feature of the stability of The Mico since its inception in 1836 is the reliable and affirmative support of the Lady Mico Trust.
The Trust is consistent in its support and oversight of both the ownership and management of the College. During the 1970s, the College initiated a development and expansion programme to address the need to acquire more properties and other tangible assets. The then Principal, Dr. Errol Lawrence Miller, encouraged the Board of Directors to establish a locally managed entity in which assets not acquired through Government of Jamaica subventions to the college, could be privately managed. A foundation was deemed as a suitable measure to implement the idea. The idea was actioned in 1981 with the establishment of the Mico Foundation as a registered company under the Companies’ Act of Jamaica, with registered offices at 1A Marescaux Road.
The Foundation's objectives are to provide a safe and efficient administrative system to own, manage and protect both the newly acquired assets and the legacy of The Lady Mico Trust. Additionally, the Foundation will be engaged in fundraising to assist with the capital development and maintenance of the Mico and the Foundation.
The Foundation began with thirty members, drawn in equal numbers from The Mico Past Students’ Association, The Mico University College and the Lady Mico Trust. A nine-member Board of Directors was appointed with equal numbers of representative from the foregoing bodies with Mr. Lemuel Augustus Lindo as its first Chairman. Other first time appointees were Principal Errol Miller, Managing Director and Cynthia Graham as Executive Secretary. A Trustee member, the Foundation's accountant and Executive Secretary all sit on the Board of Directors as non-voting members.
During the period 1981-1999 The Foundation's achievements attracted the attention and interest of the Lady Mico Trustees who were duly impressed with its work and management. This resulted in the Trustees' decision to make the Foundation the custodian of its property in Jamaica. In October 2000, the property at 1A Marescaux Road, the location of the The Mico University College, was transferred from the Lady Mico Trust in England to The Mico Foundation. The Foundation is now a formidable entity as the chief stakeholder in the ownership and management of the Mico properties. The Foundation's primary focus is to develop, expand and manage its tangible and intangible assets and to preserve the Lady Mico Trust heritage.
In 2014, the Foundation's Board of Directors reviewed its governance and operations and made significant changes to the articles of incorporation to achieve greater independence in its operational management. A significant change was made in its management with the appointment of a full-time Secretary/Manager replacing the college Principal as its Managing Director. Under the new governance structure Mr. Laban Roomes became the first appointee as Secretary/Manager.
Careful consideration was also given to the selection of the Board of Directors to ensure a neutral relationship between the Boards of the University College and the Foundation. The Foundation Board has three standing committees: Financial Management, Projects Management and Governance Committee responsible for policy oversight to ensure transparency and integrity in its governance and operations. The Secretary/ Manager leads a small staff in the conduct the Foundation's business. The Mico Foundation earns income from its commercial enterprises, projects and property rental. The funds raised are used to manage the Foundation, improve the University College’s campus, provide scholarships and other financial assistance to students and staff of The Mico University College.
WHAT IS THE MICO
The Mico is the only surviving educational institution of those established by the Lady Mico Charity (Trust). Founded in December 1835 on Hanover Street, its names have been: The Mico Normal School, The Mico Institution, The Mico Training College, The Mico Teachers College,The Mico College and currently, The Mico University College. The Mico is Christian but Non-Denominational, institution focused on teacher training. The Mico is a Trust Institution in Jamaica's public education system. Since 1879, like other Trust and Church owned schools and colleges, The Mico's status in the Education Act of Jamaica is defined differently from that of the Government of Jamaica fully owned educational institutions.
WHAT IS THE MICO FOUNDATION
Having started as the Mico Enterpise in 1979 it has transitioned to The Mico Foundation, a Limited Liability Company, Not for Profit, and was registered in 1981 under the Companies Act of Jamaica. The Mico Foundation is the most recent entity of the original Mico constellation of the Lady Mico Charity created in 1666, The Mico Normal School in 1835, the Board of Directors of the Mico in 1880, and the Mico Old Student Association in 1922. Each has its own legal remit. The Mico Foundation and the Lady Mico Trust are owners of all fixed and movable assets of The Mico, and its goodwill. In addition, The Lady Mico Trust is the owner of Brand Mico, globally.
The Mico Foundation is the legal firewall separating Government of Jamaica subvention grants for operation as a public education institution from Trust Funds and the income generating business enterprises involving the physical plant, technology, talent and expertise of Mico employees beyond their use and involvement in student tuition. The Foundation is the repository of funds raised by past students self-obligated to give back to their alma mater, endowments and surpluses generated by institutional entities and is the guarantor that all such funds are used solely for the purposes designated by their contributors.
The Mico Foundation brings all entities of Brand Mico into a dynamic, flexible, collaborative, coordinated and constructive relationship. The Mico Foundation is structured to function as the entity that ensures contact, communication, cohesion, and consensus among all constituents of Brand Mico for the common good of The Mico. The Mico Foundation is pivotal to conserving the ideals and spirit of The Mico among all its constituents.
THE PURPOSE OF THE MICO FOUNDATION
The sole purpose of the Mico Foundation is to benefit, enhance and ensure the continuation of The Mico in its mission to deliver high-quality education appropriate to succeeding eras.
