Senate Grills UL President Over Shutdown

CAPITOL HILL, Monrovia, November 4, 2026: Maryland County Senator Brown has pressed the President of the University of Liberia (UL) to explain the prolonged disruption of academic activities, questioning the institution’s management, financial situation and plans to resume normal classroom instruction.

Speaking during a Senate hearing on Tuesday, November 3, Senator Brown challenged the UL president to account for the institution’s difficulties after approximately 22 months in office, amid growing concerns over the interruption of classes.

The senator questioned whether the crisis was caused by inadequate government funding, administrative challenges or institutional policies requiring urgent reforms.

He reminded the university president that her appointment was intended to transform Liberia’s premier public university, improve academic standards and strengthen institutional performance.

“You were brought in, not just to keep it open, but to transform it,” Brown said, expressing concern that students had remained out of regular classes for several months.

He also questioned whether the government’s financial allocations were sufficient to sustain the university’s operations and meet its obligations.

In response, the UL president maintained that funding was not the institution’s primary challenge, acknowledging financial support from the government.

Her response prompted further questions from Brown, who sought to establish whether she had submitted a comprehensive transformation plan to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.

The university president confirmed submitting a work plan but faced additional questions about its approval and implementation.

Brown also challenged her assertion that the university had not officially closed, arguing that the prolonged absence of classroom instruction effectively amounted to a shutdown.

“For us, that’s what we mean when we say the university is closed. The classes are not operating,” he told the hearing.

The Maryland County lawmaker emphasized that the Senate was deeply concerned about the disruption, particularly its impact on students and the country’s higher education system.

He said several lawmakers were graduates of the University of Liberia and understood the institution’s importance to national development.

However, Brown clarified that the hearing was not intended to apportion blame but to identify practical solutions to the ongoing crisis.

“We want to help. The hearing here is not to cast blame. We want to find solutions,” he stressed.

He subsequently challenged the UL president to outline concrete measures for resolving disagreements with faculty and staff and restoring academic activities.

The senator demanded a clear roadmap identifying the interventions required from the Legislature and the Executive to ensure students return to classrooms without further delays.

The Senate hearing comes amid concerns over the prolonged interruption of academic activities at the state-run university, with lawmakers seeking greater accountability and an immediate resolution to the crisis.

The outcome of the legislative engagement could determine what additional measures lawmakers pursue to help restore normal academic operations at the University of Liberia.