MONROVIA – A growing standoff at the University of Liberia (UL) prompted direct intervention from House Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon on Friday, September 5, 2025, as he met with student leaders, University President Dr. Layli Marpayan, members of the veteran community, and several lawmakers at his Capitol Building office.
According to a press release from the Speaker’s office, the discussions focused on finding a solution to the ongoing crisis that has disrupted academic activities across both campuses. Students have staged a series of demonstrations demanding the resignation or dismissal of Dr. Marpayan, citing a host of grievances, including deteriorating sanitary conditions on campus, inadequate transportation services, a shortage of classroom seating, and the delayed publication of findings from the Dorr Cooper academic fraud investigation.
In a statement ahead of the meeting, the Student Unification Party (SUP) emphasized the urgency of their demands. “We can no longer tolerate an administration that ignores the plight of students while campus conditions worsen daily,” the SUP said. “The lack of clean washrooms, buses, and adequate chairs reflects a serious failure in leadership at the University of Liberia.”
Dr. Marpayan, for her part, reaffirmed her willingness to engage the student body and called on them to remain law-abiding while advocating for their rights. She warned against violent actions, condemning students for bringing dangerous weapons onto campus and vandalizing university property, behavior she stressed she could not condone.
Following hours of discussions, Speaker Koon appealed to the students to reconsider their demand for the president’s removal. He urged both students and administrators to work with a specialized committee comprising lawmakers, students, and university officials to address key concerns in a timely manner.
Despite the Speaker’s intervention, the student leadership remains firm in its stance, signaling that the resolution of the standoff will require continued dialogue and decisive action. The outcome of the ongoing crisis will likely shape the university’s operations and governance for months to come.
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