Report by Selma Lomax, [email protected]
Suakoko, Bong County – The Cuttington University board of trustees on Wednesday, May 30, 2018 met for more than five hours with members of the Cuttington University Faculty Association before announcing its decision to suspend the president, Herman B. Browne.
“The Board of Trustees is aware of the public outcries and concerns about what going on the University main campus,” said Bishop Jonathan B. B. Hart, who is the board’s chair.
The Board of Trustees wouldn’t explain the concerns that ultimately led them to Wednesday’s decision. Father James Tamba, Leon C, the university’s dean of Theology, will serve as interim president.
Students of the university have been demonstrating for weeks, barring vehicles from entering its Suakoko campus as part of a protest against Browne’s administration.
Justice and Education Ministers who led a team of mediators on campus.
Ansu Sonii, Minister of Education, said the government of Liberia stepped in to resolve the standoff because the Board of Trustees made two fruitless different attempts to resolve the crisis.
“We are government and it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that its citizens are at peace with each other,” he said.
Musa Dean, Liberia’s Justice Minister, said the intervention of the government and the cooperation of the parties would reach to a decision” the two Ministers maintained.
For his part, the president of the Cuttington University Faculty Association (CUFA), Lepolu Torlon, described the decision of the Board of Trustees as “victory”, adding “this is the beginning of Dr. Browne’s departure from the institution.”
History of the saga
The students have been demanding Browne’s resignation on grounds that he has failed to live up to the task since he became president a year ago.
They accused Browne, a 1986 graduate of Cuttington, of bad labor practices, poor management and dictatorial leadership.
They have been marching across campus carrying signs that read: “Brown must go” and “No school until Dr. Brown resigns.”
The students’ action has resulted to the cancellation of final exams, which was expected to take place last week.
Four months into his tenure, Browne became embroiled in a heated argument with faculty members of the institution over his attempt to unilaterally reorganize the school’s administration.
It was only one of many power struggles that eventually spilled into the media through a series of news conferences held by the faculty of the university.
Browne seemed determined to prove he would not be controlled by the faculty members.
“At this time, it is important that the Cuttington University faculty remains focused on our top priority and greatest treasure, which is our students,” Torlon said in a statement.
“I think it’s commendable the board had the courage to take action when there were some real mistakes made,” Lepolu Torlon added.
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