Now We Request This Government To Support The Very University

PHOTO: Newly appointed UL President, Dr. Layli Maparyan, an American Professor holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from Temple University

In my first public opinion in 2025, I extended New Year Greetings to all and called on the Government of Liberia to Urgently Appoint the President of the University of Liberia where I currently serve as an Assistant Professor at the IBB Graduate School of International Studies. As I saw it and see it, H.E President Joseph Nyuma Boakai needed to appoint the President of the University of Liberia. I argued that the government could not preside over a closed State University. I wondered why should the government kept the University closed and felt happy to continue to pay salaries of an entity that was dysfunctional? Absolutely, there was and there is no justification for this mishap and anomaly. I reminded that no government in the history of Liberia played around the integrity of the University and went free, and that this government would be no exception to that rule. I also indicated that former student leaders who from the University and are part of this government must see it as their exclusive responsibility graduated to ensure that the Visitor of the University needed to appoint the New President of the University (https://oraclenewsdaily.com/2025/01/03/the-government-of-liberia-needs-to-urgently-appoint-the-president-of-the-university-of-liberia/ ).

The Author: Prof. Tom Kaydor, Jr. serves as an Assistant Professor at the IBB Graduate School of International Studies

Congratulations to the President and the Government for listening to this request that several other Liberians made. This shows that the Government listens to its citizens. Listening to the citizens is good for any democratic government around the globe. I think the government has started the New Year on a good footing. Congratulations, President JNB.

In that first opinion piece of the year, 2025, I emphatically indicated that in Life, delays are dangerous and too many delays are too dangerous. I said that we, at the University, were not happy about its closure. Indeed, President Boakai graduated from the University, and we are now happy that he has appointed the new president to replace Dr. Nelson who resigned sometime ago.

Now we request this government to support the very University. All the villages, towns, districts, and counties in Liberia are represented at the University. Therefore, the Liberian people are all interested in what happens at the University of Liberia . Liberians are now happy about the appointment of the New President of the University. I have been reading and listening to the different views about the appointment and I do understand the diverse world views or perspectives of the different proponents.

This emphasizes the recommendation I made before that there is a need to write the History of the University of Liberia (https://thenewdawnliberia.com/we-welcome-the-doctoral-programs-at-the-university-of-liberia/ ). I understand that Dr. Maparnyan is not a Liberian, but she is married to a Liberian. In the academic arena, tribe or race or citizenship does really matter. What matters is competence. In fact, the first President of the University was an American citizen. This is the country that hosts thousands of Liberians today and almost all Liberians wish to migrate to the United Sates of Liberia. I could become President of an American University tomorrow.

I understand that the New President is an African American. This means that she has a Black background. So, she is one of us. In fact, that she is married to a Liberian, I would not be surprised if she became a Liberian at any time. I therefore take this time to request all students and faculty as well as the public to openly welcome our New President. We need to write a comprehensive history of the University of Liberia. This would allow future generations to fully read, comprehend and appreciate its merits and demerits. Congratulations to H.E President JNB for appointing the University President, Dr. Layli Maparnyan, our new president. Congratulations, Madam President, on your appointment in line with the Charter of the University. Welcome to the University of Liberia, your new place if work. We avail our services as usual to collaborating with you collectively for the progress of the University. I am fully aware that this was a competition that you won. Therefore, I urge you to embrace all those who competed. Embrace all in the best interest of the University.

Welcome and congratulations once more, Dr. Maparnyan, on your appointment as the New President of the University. I, personally and official welcome you at the University of Liberia, the Lux Tenibris. You have our unflinching and unwavering support. Your appointment comes out of a rigid competition. You came out of twenty-two applicants and got shortlisted amongst the three finalists that later became 2 finalists due to the appointment of the third to another job. All the applicants had equally competitive academic credentials. Some are even full professors at the University of Liberia. Thank God that Dr. Zinnah, who we are reliably informed was with you as the singular finalist, has officially written and communicated his support to you. Accordingly, he promised to collaborate with you. I recommend that you welcome this offer and work with Dr. Zinnah and others. He is a former Vice President for Academic Affairs. Also, welcome and work with all other applicants at the University. I think they had exceptionally good plans to implement as well. All of them have personal and official experiences and competencies that your leadership needs.

The ball is in your bosom now to lead the University. Our problems will now stop with you as the team leader at the University. President JNB will rest small. You need to harmonize the interests of all the stakeholders. You need the experiences and guidance of all the professors. In every competition, there must be a winner. And in this process of the final appointment the discretion of the President matters in line with the Charter. We therefore congratulate the Visitor to the University and the President of the Republic, H.E President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr.

Are there issues at the University that require your urgent administrative attention? Yes. I think one off the first things is to conduct a forensic audit of the University. I understand this is almost done. Also, you need to conduct a credential audit of all lecturers and professors at the University. In any given academic community, professors who teach/lecture, conduct research and publish and execute community service need to have the rightful academic credentials. Therefore, the University needs an urgent credential audit. This must be done if you must lead a professional team. We are aware some of those who thrive on fake degrees at the University, and we have been wondering why such people are kept in leadership roles in such a competitive environment where meritocracy should thrive. Gone should be those days that those with fake credentials who survive at the University. They got promoted extremely fast because of their alignment with the ruling parties in Liberia. This must stop. Thankfully, you have no tribal person at the University. You do not hail from any of the counties besides been affiliated with your husband’s tribe and county due to marriage. Your being an American gives you the advantaged role of being beyond tribes, clans, etc. You must take lead and run an inclusive leadership. Besides these two serious issues, there are several other issues that posed a challenge to those you have come to replace. For instance, the issues that you need address include but are not limited to:

1. Restructure the Finance and Human Resource Offices or Departments.
2. Fully utilize the University of Liberia Charter. The ULFA and ULSA teams highlighted the wanton violation of the UL Charter and the creation of several Vice Presidents and Organs at the University of Liberia. Time has changed, but until a New Charter is enacted, fully work with the existing one. You need to drive the process to revise the Charter to meet contemporary realities. Such process must be consultative and inclusive.
3. Fully implement the 2019 faculty promotion policy to its letter based on merit and the Faculty Promotion Policy of 2019.
4. Ensure that the salaries of the University employees are paid on time. Alternatively, since salaries are paid by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, allow the MFPD to directly deposit the salaries of all University employees to their designated accounts once you signa and approve the payroll. In the event of faculty promotion, where salaries are adjusted, that should be immediately communicated to the MFDP for immediate action the  following month.
5. Pay part-tine faculty should be paid monthly based on their contracts. I am reliably informed that their arears will be cleared before you take office on Friday, 10th January 2025. Please follow thru on this.
6. Refurbish all the learning and leisure environment and lavatories. The UL Administration has informed that refurbishing of the campuses and lavatories will be done before January 13, 2025. The 4 campuses are fully renovated.
7. Kindly constitute a committee comprising ULSA, ULFA and MFDP to work on faculty and staff salary disparities and the payment of the previous 40% increment agreed under President Weah.
8. The UL Administration has informed that they have procured 2 buses for Sinje Faculty. We thank the Acting President for this and other efforts that he has made.
9. Conduct faculty performance review each and revery semester. We are not evaluated at all. Other Universities evaluate us each semester.
10. Equip the campuses with unlimited internet. The provision of Wi-Fi and internet access on all campuses cannot be overemphasized.
11. Fully equip the existing laboratories and libraries and open new ones. Also run an online library. Introduce technology for automated services at the University.
12. Reward honour students who graduate from undergraduate colleges with Masters scholarships at the graduate schools within the university and honoured graduates from the master’s programs should provided PhD scholarships or fellowships at the University and abroad. This would help to enhance the faculties’ capabilities.
13. Open the University of Liberia Farm to help produce varieties of food for the country and allow students to practice what they learn.

Particularly for the graduate and research programs,

14. Open a separate account for the payment of fees and tuition for students at the graduate and professional schools.
15. Pay Thesis supervisors at the graduate school for their services as agreed by past administration. It was agreed that no one should supervise more than 10 thesis students. Students paid $200US each for supervision, the University received the payments, but has not yet paid supervisors.
16. There is a need for smart classrooms at the graduate school; bathrooms for graduate students and professors are dilapidated. Graduate and Professional students pay $75 US per credit hour and $150.US for registration. They deserve the full ambiance for their monies like anywhere else at graduate schools.
17. Turnitin is a softer ware that we use to detect similarity and plagiarism for graduate thesis and all research works. University paid about $35, 000 US in 2000 for the software. It has not been renewed since based on scanty information that we have. The University is also using a trial version of its website and emails are provided via a third-party University in South Africa. We must and need to have our own University of Liberia web-based systems.
18. A concept note for an inter disciplinary academic journal at the graduate school was prepared, and some officials were appointed to lead and open the journal. 5 years later, there is no journal. You need to open that inter disciplinary journal. All colleges need their own academic peer-reviewed journals.
19. The university promised it would open a research account of not less than $50, 000US. to fund faculty’s research. You need to open such research account to fund academic research by professors. We need to improve research and publication at the University.
20. There was a graduate school reform report. Undergraduate colleges are linked with graduate schools. Students graduating from the University of Liberia with 3.0 are still sitting entrance exams to enter graduate school. That should stop. The University cannot graduate students and give them entrance exams for the same school.
21. Some faculties have been in one academic rank for years against the approved 2019 policy.

22.Some courses that we teach at the graduate school require special computer programs. There is no computer lab for the graduate school. There is a need to complete the computer lab started on the 4th floor by one graduating class; and

23. Enter into a collective bargaining agreement with the faculty and staff to inform the strategic direction of the UL and to amicably resolve all issues as they may arise from time to time.
24. Regularly pay the Medical College students’ allowances.
25. The University is the owner of the John F. Kennedy Medical Centre as its Teaching Hospital. Please reclaim the JFK as such.

Dr. Maparnyan, you need to raise funds for the University and coordinate private funding and grants for academic research an excellence. Presidents of Universities in contemporary times are grant writers and funds raisers. The Government must also fund its part of the commitment to the University through the National Budget. The government must fund the university and reduce or stop the political interference. Students are at the University to obtain their academic degrees, and this effort needs to be supported and achieved in a timely manner.

AS I SEE IT, as a Former Chair of the Ever-Potent Vanguard Unification Party (SUP), and now an Assistant Professor at the Graduate School,  I call on all students’ political groups to present their aspirations or concerns through official writings to the President for redress. The entire University community should commit to academic excellence. Write  down and publish your grievances. Burning tires, throwing stones, and fighting with cutlasses should be and must be something of the past like in the war years. Pens and papers must convey our grievances. Diplomacy and Negotiation must be our guard. Research and Development through innovation must be the order of the New Day at the University of Liberia. We, as a country own the University of Liberia. We must utilize it for academic purposes. There is a need to conduct peaceful, free, fair, and democratic elections on the campus based on the approved rules and regulations of the University to be able to give students the opportunity to practice good leadership and democratic governance and ensure accountability and stewardship for their work. Stop the Interim Governments. We are not in war situations. There is no need to suspend students’ politics where we teach Political Science. The students must practice what they learn. Welcome, Dr. Layli Maparnyan, to the University of Liberia. Feel at home!

About the Author: Prof. Tom Kaydor, Jr. serves as an Assistant Professor at the IBB Graduate School of International Studies. He holds a PhD from the Department of Government and European Studies, the New University, Slovenia where he specialized in International Development and Diplomacy (with Security Aspects). His dissertation topic was ‘Reconceptualizing Africa’s Regional Integration for Peace and Sustainable Development.’ He earned a Master of Public Policy (MPP) specialized in Development Policy or Development Economics with Distinction from the Crawford School of Economics and Government (now the Crawford School of Public Policy), Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. He also obtained his first master’s degree as a Master of Arts (MA) in International Relations (Highest Distinction), and Bachelor of Arts (BA) Magna Cum Laude in Political Science from the University of Liberia where his Minor was History with Mass Communication as his Elective. Tom holds a Diploma in Leading Economic Growth from the Kennedy Graduate School, Harvard University, USA; and he holds other professional diplomas and certificates from Italy, UK, Pakistan, China, and Israel. Prof. Kaydor is also an Adjunct Professor of International Development Studies at the AME University Graduate School. Dr. Kaydor is an evidence-based researcher, a blogger, a columnist, and a published author. One can reach him via (kaydorth@ul.edu.lr or thkaydor@gmail.com).