University of Liberia to re-open?
From Akwasi Atta Amoah, Monrovia
When damage to property has been repaired, faculty members' salaries have been paid and the unconditional acceptance of students back to the University have been effected, the University of Liberia which was closed down last August 22, should get back to life in the interest of peace.The University of Liberia which was closed down last August following students' demonstration against the arrest and detention of Dr Amos Sawyer is likely to be re-opened, following new appointments made and judging from the series of meetings being held among and between the various sections of the University.
In a move recently the new administration announced the appointment of heads of colleges and autonomous academic units of the institution. The appointments include the reinstatement of one full-fledged dean as well as two acting deans.
Professor Mary Tidi Bryant who was among the Deans of the University dismissed was reinstated Dean of the Science College and Professor Abraham L. James and Dr Wilmot Dennis were reinstated as acting Deans of Liberia College and A. M. Dogliotti College of Medicine respectively.
Also appointed as acting Deans were Associate Professor Johnny N. Lewis of the Louise Arthur Grimes School of Law, Assistant Professor G. Bismack Rees, acting Dean of College of Agriculture and Forestry, Assistant Professor Timothy E. Thomas acting Dean of College of Business and Public Administration and Assistant Professor Cecilia Freeman Bull, acting Dean of the William V. S. Tubman Teachers College.
Associate Professor George Borchie and Assistant Professor Francis Cooper were reinstated as coordinator of the graduate programme in Regional Planning and Chairman of the Engineering Division respectively. Professor E. K. Ampene is now acting Chairman of the Division of Continuing Education in place of Mrs Cecilia Freeman Bull who was named acting Dean of Teachers' College. But with some of the faculty members' demands not likely to be met by the new administration, one can only hope that concessions will be made by either side for the resumption of normal academic life on the campus.
"I inherited the situation now existing at the University and I have no control over the circumstances," declared Joseph Morris the new President of the University, who has been submerged under a flood of demands made by Faculty members at a meeting arranged for them under his chairmanship.
Dr Amos Sawyer whose arrest led to student demonstrations and consequent closure of the university.
Some of the faculty members also demanded that since some of them were discredited on account of the events of August 22, any appointments or reinstatements by the new administration should be made public through the news media
The new president regretted that people were looking at the situation as something unique but he said similar things have happened on other campuses in other countries. He assured the over 200 members who attended the meeting that everything would be done to ensure that faculty members were secured when they returned to work.
Dr Morris suggested that there should be an in house searching to see whether everything was done to prevent the situation now facing the University of Liberia. He could not be emphatic on when the University was likely to be re-opened. But he invited all the faculty members to return to work towards re-opening the institution.
The University of Liberia was closed down indefinitely last August 22, following student demonstrations against the arrest and detention of one of its lecturers and leader of the Liberia Peoples Party, Dr Amos Sawyer. The lecturer had been alleged to be involved in a coup plot to topple the a Government, an allegation which forced the country's leader, Commander-in-Chief, Dr Samuel K. Doe to cut short his overseas trip and return home immediately. Dr Sawyer has since been released after 55 days in detention.
At their meeting Faculty members of the University demanded from the new administration the setting up of a Commission of inquiry to conduct an in-depth investigation into what actually happened on the University campus when soldiers were ordered to disperse angry students who were demonstrating for the release of Dr Sawyer.
In addition the faculty members who were not affected by the dismissal of the entire University administration and other top officials of the institution are also demanding their three months pay from August to October. During the meeting some of the members complained that they were beaten up, shot at and even lost personal properties during the incidents.
"If there is unrest among faculty members about the August 22 incident, one can imagine the unrest that is among the students who will be returning." To them, they felt that it would be unrealistic to only assess damages that were done to them as human beings, and warned that unless the situation was tackled they were afraid there would be more unrest in the future.
Some of the faculty members also demanded that since some of them were discredited on account of the events of August 22, any appointments or reinstatements by the new administration should be made public through the news media. Members were of the opinion that everything should be exposed to prevent a recurrence.
The issues confronting the University of Liberia are thorny but they are not unsurmountable. With a little flexibility on the side of students, faculty members and the new administration, the much needed peaceful atmosphere could be created for the resumption of normal lectures and other forms of academic activity on the campus.
The lecturers demand for their three months pay and other allowances should be met promptly without any pre-conditions to alleviate the hardships facing them, their families and dependants. Above all, the University should endeavour to make restitution of properties stolen or destroyed by soldiers and the uninvited guests who stormed the University that day.
By their close proximity to the Executive Mansion where the Head of State lives and works, any acts of provocation and hooliganism on the part of students against either Dr Doe, his family or any member of his household or office are likely to be met with fierce force by the security agencies.
Students of the University and their leaders should therefore take note and warn one another to desist from any acts which are likely to lead to the breach of peace. They should also consider the sacrifices of tax payers and their parents towards the cost of their education and endeavour to cooperate to create the necessary atmosphere for the completion of their studies.
Much as the demand of faculty members for an in depth investigation into the events of August 22, merit sympathetic consideration, the reasons assigned that the exposure would prevent a recurrence is not true. No one can keep a close lid on students demonstrations. No in depth investigation can prevent a recurrence.
Since such investigations may be time consuming and costly and since we may even lack the political courage to implement the recommendations made by the Commission or Committee of enquiry, it is hoped that faculty members will rescind that demand. Instead they are advised to go with Dr Morris' appeal to them not to look at the situation as something unique and to relax with the fact that similar things have happened on other campuses in Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
When damage to property has been repaired and faculty members salaries have been paid and the unconditional acceptance of students back to the University had been effected, the University of Liberia, which was closed down last August 22, should get back to life in the interest of peace.
