By Jerromie S. Walters
MONROVIA, LIBERIA – The University of Liberia is hurtling toward a full-blown institutional crisis as a confrontation between the administration and the faculty and staff union over a return-to-work order has now been joined by a mass protest threat from the students.
In a memorandum issued Friday, University of Liberia President Dr. Layli Maparyan and Board of Trustees Chair Senator Numene T.H. Bartekwa ordered all faculty and staff to report to campus on Monday, August 17, 2026, at 8:00 AM, citing the need to prepare for the resumption of classes on Tuesday, August 25.
However, the University of Liberia Faculty and Staff Association (ULFASA) has swiftly rejected the mandate, describing it in a press release as “dictatorial slave mentality” and “the lowest in the history of leadership at the University.”
The official memorandum, addressed to “All Faculty and Staff Members,” emphasized the importance of upholding the academic calendar and maintaining professional standards across campus. The administration warned that “disruption, unauthorized absence, and non-compliance will be addressed in accordance with institutional policy.”
“Every employee is expected to report on Monday and fulfill their professional obligations to our students, the university, and the nation,” the memorandum stated, signed by both Dr. Maparyan and Senator Bartekwa.
Union’s Defiant Response
In a rebuttal, ULFASA leadership categorically rejected the administration’s order and urged all members to remain home. The union has activated task forces across all campuses to ensure offices remain closed, including the Cassell Building.
ULFASA has taken the extraordinary step of declaring President Maparyan, the Acting Vice President for Finance and Fiscal Affairs, Senator Bartekwa, and the Associate Vice President for Human Resources as persona non grata on all university campuses, labeling them “dangerous to the existence of the University of Liberia.”
The union’s statement instructs all faculty and staff to “remain disengaged from all Academic and Staff Activities until the wishes of the General Assembly are fully fulfilled,” and emphasizes that “absolutely, no Academic or Administrative employee shall report to work.”
Student and Political Reactions
Adding a new dimension to the standoff, the campus-based Student Unification Party (SUP) has rallied over 25,000 students to demand the reopening of the university on August 25, as announced by President Maparyan.
The political arena has also weighed in heavily. Simeon Freeman, Political Leader of the Movement for Progressive Change (MPC), described the current condition of the University of Liberia as a “recipe for chaos” during a town hall meeting with SUP leadership on Friday.
Freeman criticized the state of the main campus, arguing that “the UL main campus does not look good for students to sit and acquire education,” and warned that without urgent intervention, “the situation will continue to produce frustration among students and faculty.”
Freeman’s proposed education agenda includes a pledge to pay tuition fees for 1,000 students for this semester, with 300 of those beneficiaries exclusively reserved for SUP members. He urged SUP members and the broader student body to remain peaceful and engaged in national issues, stressing that “education must be prioritized.”
