The University of Liberia Faculty Association (ULFA) has, with immediate effect, passed a unanimous vote to disengage from all academic activities until their plight is fully implemented by the UL administration.
The holding of the General Assembly, which saw a huge turnout of faculty members, is in line with the ULFA’s constitution and by-laws, as enshrined in Article 10 Section 3.
The decision was reached during the weekend by the leadership of ULFA in an emergency General Assembly convened on the Capitol Hill campus of the University of Liberia on Friday, June 23, 2023.
This latest decision comes at a time all students of the University of Liberia were expected to resume normal academic activities on June 26, 2023.
The members of ULFA in the GA lamented the non-compliant behavior of the UL authorities to fully implement the MoU for the almost two years of its existence.
ULFA said its leadership has become wary of continuously pursuing the full implementation of the issues concerning the plight contained in the memorandum of understanding (MOU).
In the General Assembly, the ULFA members highlighted faculty enrollment with NASSCORP, retirees and benefit payments and Board of Trustees and credentials audit of all UL employees.
Other key issues include faculty promotion and tenure, part-time payment, human resource manual, bus services for Sinje faculty, renovation completion of all campuses and retroactive payment.
“Whereas, the Acting President of ULFA briefed the General Assembly highlighting issues of the lack of implementation of the October 1, 2021 memorandum of understanding (MoU) with special emphasis on faculty enrollment with NASSCORP, retirees benefits payments, reconstitution of the Board of Trustees for UL, credential audit of all UL employees, faculty promotion and tenure, part-time payment, production of human resource (HR) manual, provision of bus services for Sinje faculty, completion of the renovation exercise on all campuses, retroactive payment, etc.,” ULFA underscored in its adopted resolution.
In the resolution, signed by the Association Secretary General, Eric T. S. Patten, ULFA noted that the itemized plight is cardinal to the welfare of its members and, as such, they must be given an urgent attention.
ULFA therefore encourages all deans and chairpersons as well as heads of all academic programs and faculties to fully comply with the decision of the General Assembly, which is the highest decision-making body.
“Whereas, all members of academic programs at the UL are encouraged to fully comply with the implementation of the disengagement as members of ULFA; WHEREAS, the General Assembly is the highest decision-making body of ULFA and all its decisions taken are binding on its members; Now, therefore, assembled on the Capitol Hill Campus of the University of Liberia, members of the University of Liberia Faculty Association (ULFA) resolved and adopted the following as mentioned supra,” the resolution added.