Bermuda College President Dr. George Cook will be standing down from the post by the end of the month after eight years at the helm.

An official announcement of Dr. Cook's departure is expected to be issued today.

But The Royal Gazette can reveal that Dr. Cook will leave by the end of the month. His departure comes on the heels of news that Progressive Labour Party backbencher Randolph Horton has been removed from the College's Board of Governors where he served as Chairman.

Staff and students at the college had demanded the ousting of both Dr. Cook and Mr. Horton in a protest action last April.

Laverne Furbert, spokesperson for the protesters in an interview at the time said: "We're asking for the president and the chairman of the board to resign. We've not asked for the resignation of any other members.'' A petition calling for the resignations and oustings, charged that the College Board had failed to chart a course for the College, lacked management experience and "demonstrated poor fiscal management, thereby leading the College and Stonington Beach Hotel into a fiscal crisis unheard of in the history of the institution''.

The protesters also charged that Dr. Cook failed to develop a comprehensive training and succession plan for both academic and non-academic staff, had poor planning, ignored complaints from staff and students and did not take major concerns to the Board of Governors.

Newly appointed chairman of the Bermuda College Board of Governors, Jan Spiering, last night refused to comment and Dr. Cook said "a statement will come when a statement will come.'' Dr. Cook has reached retirement age and pointed out that he had planned to vacate the post this year.

"This has been in the works for some time now,'' he said, "Cathy you well know that I was planning to retire.'' Speaking to The Royal Gazette from his sick bed at home yesterday, Dr. Cook was emphatic that any statements on his departure would have to come from Mr.

Spiering.