MONROVIA – The University of Liberia (UL), the country’s premier public university, has been thrown into uncertainty after its faculty and staff associations declared a vote of no confidence in President Dr. Layli Maparyan and two senior administrators, while announcing an indefinite suspension of all academic and administrative activities.
By Patience Jones
The action, announced following a joint General Assembly of the University of Liberia Faculty Association (ULFA) and the University of Liberia Staff Association (ULSA) on Friday, July 17, marks the most serious labor dispute to confront Dr. Maparyan’s administration since she assumed office in 2025.
In a statement signed by ULFA Secretary General Eric T. S. Patten, the unions said members unanimously voted to withdraw confidence in Dr. Maparyan, the Acting Vice President for Fiscal Affairs and Finance, and the Associate Vice President for Human Resources, citing unresolved labor grievances and dissatisfaction with the administration’s handling of staff welfare issues.
“The members of ULFA and ULSA convened in their regular General Assembly on Friday, July 17, 2026, have unanimously passed a vote of no confidence in the President of the University of Liberia, the Acting Vice President for Finance and Fiscal Affairs, as well as the Associate Vice President for Human Resource,” the statement said.
At the same meeting, the two unions voted to disengage indefinitely from all academic and staff activities until their demands are fully implemented.
Those demands include payment of NASSCORP benefits, a 40 percent salary increase, salary adjustments to eliminate disparities, changes in employment status for affected workers, and the provision of operational funding for various university departments.
“In view of the foregoing, all faculty and staff are hereby mandated to stay away from all University activities until otherwise ordered by the leadership of ULFA and ULSA,” the statement said.
The unions warned that any faculty or staff member who violates the strike directive would face disciplinary action from their leadership. They also cautioned university supervisors and vice presidents against compelling employees to return to work against the decision of the General Assembly.
The industrial action is expected to disrupt lectures, examinations, administrative services and other campus operations, affecting thousands of students at Liberia’s largest state-owned university.
Leadership Under Pressure
Dr. Maparyan became the 16th President of the University of Liberia in 2025 after her appointment by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai. A distinguished academic with more than three decades of experience in higher education, research, and university administration in the United States, she entered office with a mandate to strengthen governance, modernize academic programs, expand research opportunities, and deepen international partnerships.
Her appointment was widely welcomed by many within Liberia’s academic community, who viewed her international experience as an opportunity to reposition the university and improve its global standing.
Since taking office, Dr. Maparyan has championed reforms aimed at enhancing institutional transparency, digital transformation, curriculum development, faculty advancement, and student services.
However, her administration has increasingly come under pressure from faculty and staff unions over longstanding labor concerns. Employee representatives have repeatedly complained about salary disparities, delayed implementation of a promised salary increase, unresolved NASSCORP benefits, employment status issues, and inadequate operational support for university units.
The latest vote of no confidence signals a significant deterioration in relations between the administration and the university’s workforce, placing additional pressure on Dr. Maparyan’s leadership at a time when the institution is pursuing major reforms.
As of Sunday, the University of Liberia administration had not publicly responded to the unions’ decision or the allegations outlined in the statement.
With classrooms and offices expected to remain closed until further notice, attention is now turning to whether the university administration and the government can reach an agreement with faculty and staff leaders to restore normal operations and prevent prolonged disruption to Liberia’s premier institution of higher learning.
