The University of Liberia Faculty and Staff Association (ULFASA) has halted all teaching activities, citing unpaid salaries for part-time lecturers and intolerable working conditions.
In a resolution passed unanimously, ULFASA announced that they would not return to the classrooms until their long-standing grievances were addressed.
The association also demanded the resignation of UL President Dr. Julius Sarwolo Nelson and the entire management team, blaming them for the current state of affairs.
Dr. Edna Johnny, President of the UL Faculty Association, highlighted that numerous discussions with the UL administration had yielded no solutions. “When we call a meeting like this, it is because we have talked and we think we have reached somewhere that we can go no further,” Dr. Johnny explained.
She emphasized the leadership’s responsibility to inform and support the decisions made by the association members.
Dr. Johnny detailed the financial struggles faced by part-time lecturers, who have gone unpaid for the past semesters, while the administration continues to deduct taxes without providing any benefits.
Additionally, faculty and staff at the Sinje Campus face significant transportation challenges, often having to spend their meager salaries on commercial transport.
The situation at the Fendell Campus is equally dire, with Dr. Johnny noting severe infrastructure deficiencies, including classrooms without ceiling tiles, inadequate sanitary facilities, and poor road conditions leading to the Science College. “There are series of occasions where our colleagues have complained about not having bathrooms to use; the sanitary situation at Fendell is appalling,” she said.
Dr. Johnny also expressed concerns about the unsafe working environment. Faculty, staff, and security personnel often find themselves caught in the middle when students protest by throwing stones and disrupting classes. “The UL administration under Dr. Nelson’s leadership is failing to improve our welfare and working conditions,” she lamented.
Highlighting the administration’s financial mismanagement, Dr. Johnny revealed that despite generating millions of dollars, the university still struggles with basic needs like chairs for students and essential teaching materials. “If we do not stand together, we will perish as fools. Let us do something for ourselves. We deserve better treatment,” she urged.
Eric T. S. Patten, Secretary General of ULFA, echoed Dr. Johnny’s sentiments. He pointed out the lack of transportation services and salary payments for faculty, while some individuals are swiftly promoted to full-time and associate professors. The UL faculty criticized the administration’s delayed distribution of contracts to part-time lecturers, describing the move as belated and inadequate. “Personally, I’m tired of the entire management team. Let Sarwolo Nelson and his team go,” Patten asserted.
As the search for a new UL President begins, Patten stressed the importance of selecting someone from within the university who understands the institution’s challenges. He called for an open, fair, and transparent selection process by the Board’s Search Committee, emphasizing the need for the university to align with Liberia’s broader “Rescue Agenda.”
“There are qualified, tested, and competent professors at the University who are capable of adequately running the activities of this state-owned institution,” Patten argued. Patten criticized the logic of appointing an external candidate, suggesting such a person would struggle to grasp the complexities of the university’s operations.
The disengagement of UL faculty and staff underscores the urgent need for administrative reforms and improved working conditions at Liberia’s premier institution of higher learning.
The resolution passed by ULFASA sends a clear message to the UL administration to make the necessary change.
Credit: Blamo N. Toe/Staff Writer
