UL's President and Students Adopt List of Priority Challenges, but SUP Raises Stern Objection

Monrovia, Liberia: In a lively and jam-packed town hall meeting, hundreds of University of Liberia (UL) students gathered at the Fendall campus to engage with University President Dr. Layli Maparyan.

The meeting was part of efforts to foster communication between students, faculty, and administration, allowing Dr. Maparyan to hear firsthand from students about the challenges they face.

Addressing the students, Dr. Maparyan stressed the importance of collective effort in tackling the issues confronting the university. She emphasized that change is a gradual process, urging students to approach their concerns with patience and civility.

“My intention is to enforce the penalties that are in the handbook. I want to get us back on track. I want to see everyone in the classrooms and not running around or protesting, as I was told by some teachers yesterday,” she said firmly.

Dr. Maparyan also called for students to uphold moral conduct and discipline, which she described as essential to maintaining the university’s core values. She made it abundantly clear that violators of the student handbook would face penalties, including possible expulsion or suspension.

In a bid to understand and address the students’ concerns more effectively, she initiated an interactive dialogue where students listed their top grievances.

Among the most pressing issues were the removal of the “add and drop” button, poor bathroom facilities, inadequate learning conditions, and a lack of sufficient chairs and buses. Students also voiced frustrations over the failure to issue student identification cards, despite payments made during registration.

“We want to engage in a conversation with you about the problems that have been troubling you. I would like to engage you in an activity where we can brainstorm about what the problems are, and then we are going to prioritize them,” Dr. Maparyan noted.

At the conclusion of the discussion, students agreed on a five-point priority list, which they presented to Dr. Maparyan.

The list, arranged by urgency, included the reactivation of the “add and drop” button, provision of additional chairs, and renovation of bathrooms, as well as improved transportation and the issuance of student IDs.

Dr. Maparyan expressed her gratitude for the students’ input but reiterated her stance on the “add and drop” button, stating that it would not be reinstated.

Instead, she announced that students would be manually enrolled in the system. This decision sparked immediate backlash from students, with some expressing disappointment.

The controversy surrounding the “add and drop” button took a sharp turn when the Secretary General of Student Unification Party (SUP), Odecious Mulbah, publicly opposed Dr. Maparyan’s decision.

Mulbah argued that thousands of students were unable to plan their courses due to the removal of the button, which he said was causing major disruptions to students’ academic schedules.

“We want to be clear here: if the school administration cannot reactivate the ‘add and drop’ button, there will be no classes here. Over ten thousand students are affected, and the administration cannot ignore it,” Mulbah declared.

Following the town hall, the SUP announced plans to convene a special meeting with its leaders to determine their next course of action, including the possibility of protests and class disruptions.

Dr. Maparyan’s commitment to addressing student concerns remains strong, but the friction between her administration and the student body, particularly over the “add and drop” issue, is likely to continue.

Edited: E. Geedahgar Garsuah, Sr.