Monrovia – Students of the University of Liberia (UL) have backed President George Weah’s decision to dismiss Dr. Ophelia Inez Weeks as President of the university.
President Weah made the decision in his latest appointments, replacing Dr. Weeks with Dr. Julius S. Nelson, former Dean of Students Affairs.
FrontPage Africa, in the wake of Dr. Weeks’ dismissal, spoke with a cross session of the students of the state-run university.
While the news came as a shock to many, most of the students have welcomed the move by President Weah.
However, some expressed pessimism over Dr. Weeks’ replacement, while calling on the new UL President to be up to the task.
Emmanuel Swaray said while he welcomed the President’s decision, the new UL President should tackle some of the issues of concerns on campus.
“I hope that Dr. Nelson will be proactive in addressing some of the problems at the University of Liberia. The new president should be able to dialogue with the instructors to see reason to pick up their chalks and teach us. The current situation on campus is affecting our learning process,” he said.
Lloyd Hunte said Dr. Week’s dismissal should not be the beginning of dealing with challenges students are facing. He said although it is welcoming, the decision should be in the interest of the students.
For his part, Theophilus Kpadeh of the Business College said he was shock by the President’s decision.
He, however, welcomed it, noting that during Dr. Weeks’ administration, the University was engulfed with series of problems and she failed to bring them under control.
“We hope the next president – Dean Nelson – will come and work in the interest of students. That the students and administration will have a better environment and we do not want what used to happen in Weeks’ administration continue in Dean Nelson’s administration,” Kpadeh said.
For his part, V. Mulbah Zarkamah of the William R. Tolbert, Jr. College of Agriculture and Forestry, Dr. Weeks achieved some milestone at the University.
“For me, I think Madam Weeks did some good things on the UL campus for which students we need to remember her. During her administration, the free tuition was launched. It was also during her administration that we have digital program where we sit at our various homes and plan our courses. There are lots of things that the Madam (Dr. Weeks) did but it is left with the President to appoint and dismiss,” he said.
Zarkamah, speaking further, expressed hope that the new UL President would address some burning issues including the provision of learning materials and equipment for the Agriculture and Forestry College to enable students learn well.
“We, the agriculture students, lack lots of the things to work with. We don’t have equipment. No tractor, no tools to work with and do our practical. Even the academic building that we use needs renovation. If Dean Nelson can work with the government to address some of these things, I think it will be in the best interest of the students and everyone,” he added.
But for Mary Korpo Kerkulah, Dr. Weeks’ departure is in the best interest of the University.
She said: “When this president (Dr. Weeks) was in power she had too many faculty members who have personal problems. She was unable to settle the internal wrangling within the administrative cycle, ignoring the fact that they are wagons behind the students. I think it is in the interest of the faculty members. We, as students, had our own problems. We tried engaging her but there was no redress.”
Ms. Kerkulah added that Dr. Nelson, as an instructor and Dean of Students Affairs who has been with the school for many years, is expected to address their plights.
“Looking at the economic situation within our country, what I think Dr. Weeks should have done is to talk with the instructors. Our society is such a way that people who are making their sacrifices to the nation are not being given the dividend. So, she should have appealed to the government. But she didn’t.”
She continues: “The instructors had their own buses commuting them to school, but everything is down. I think his (Dr. Nelson) ascendency was favored from the faculty, he understands their plights. I think it is a plus.”
For his part, Cristopher Sebley, a student of Economics, noted that the dismissal of Dr. Weeks was long overdue.
“I think that Madam Weeks deserves to be dismissed. I think it took so long. We saw lots of discriminations and lots of activities going on. She was one of the obstacles to the students getting quality tertiary education,” he claimed, while calling on the new UL President to improve the learning condition of the school.
“We don’t want the new president to tread on the path of Madam Weeks. Madam Weeks has been reactionary to the students so the students will celebrate her dismissal. Dean Nelson should make sure that those archaic materials at the UL be changed. The buses that commute students from Red Light to Fendell are outdated. The library of UL needs reform and upgrade. We need modern lab materials. The laboratories with cook pots should be equipped with modern apparatus and the cook pots be replaced,” he said.
For his part, Kwen W. Kwen blamed most of the problems encountered under Dr. Weeks’ administration to President Weah’s free tuition policy.
Kwen explained that in the midst of the economic challenges grappling the government, it was wrong to introduce such a policy.
“The policy is now having an adverse effect on the smooth operations of the school. When certain decisions are made, they are hard to be overturned. So, we are calling on the President (President Weah) to fund the university 100 percent,” he said.