–Boakai Meets ULFA, ULSA; Orders Campus Renovation, Financial Probe as Faculty and Staff Maintain Disengagement
MONROVIA, LIBERIA — The standoff at the University of Liberia has taken a new turn after President Joseph Nyuma Boakai met with the leadership of the University of Liberia Faculty Association (ULFA) and the University of Liberia Staff Association (ULSA), acknowledging their concerns and initiating steps aimed at resolving the dispute.
The latest development comes just days after the University administration directed faculty and staff to return to work on Monday, August 17, at 8:00 a.m., while ULFA and ULSA rejected the directive and called on their members to remain away from academic and administrative duties.
The August 15 update from ULFA and ULSA says their leadership met President Boakai at his residence in Paynesville to present the resolutions adopted by the General Assembly of both associations. ULFA President Assistant Professor Alahaji S. M. Dukuly reportedly outlined the concerns of faculty and staff and stressed the need for meaningful interventions to address the challenges confronting the university.
Boakai Moves On Renovation
President Boakai, according to the associations, acknowledged the concerns presented and immediately initiated steps intended to resolve the issues amicably.
A major outcome of the meeting is the President’s recognition of what the associations described as an urgent need for the immediate commencement of renovation and rehabilitation works across the University of Liberia’s campuses.
The associations said the renovation is being viewed as a demonstration of good faith toward addressing concerns raised by ULFA and ULSA. Representatives of both associations are also expected to serve on the committee that will oversee implementation of the renovation works.
Financial Management Probe Ordered
Alongside the renovation initiative, President Boakai has also announced the establishment of a special committee to investigate matters relating to the University’s financial management, as well as other issues presented by the leadership of ULFA and ULSA.
The move introduces a new accountability component into the dispute, which has increasingly centered not only on working conditions but also on broader concerns about the administration and management of Liberia’s oldest degree-granting institution.
The associations welcomed the developments as evidence of the government’s willingness to engage, while making clear that they do not consider the matter fully resolved.
Staff Reject Return Order
Despite the President’s intervention, ULFA and ULSA have maintained their decision to remain disengaged from academic and administrative duties while negotiations continue.
In their August 15 update, the two associations said they would continue negotiating in good faith with the University administration and the Government of Liberia until the legitimate concerns of faculty and staff are satisfactorily addressed.
They specifically instructed faculty and staff members to remain disengaged from all academic and administrative duties at the University of Liberia during the negotiations.
The latest position means the dispute remains unresolved despite the President’s direct intervention and the new measures announced following his meeting with the associations.
Return-to-Work Order Rejected
The latest standoff began after the University administration issued a memorandum directing faculty and staff to report to work on August 17 at 8:00 a.m.
The directive said attendance was mandatory and that administrative offices would resume full operations. Academic departments were also expected to begin preparations for the resumption of classes scheduled for Tuesday, August 25, 2026.
The administration said the Board of Trustees and university leadership remained committed to maintaining professional standards across campus and warned that disruption, unauthorized absence and non-compliance would be addressed in accordance with institutional policy.
ULFA and ULSA, however, rejected the directive, describing it as unacceptable and urging their members to remain at home. The associations also called for university offices and academic units to remain closed while their broader demands remained unresolved.
Dispute Has Deepened
The university crisis has been building around a range of grievances raised by faculty and staff, including concerns over compensation, employee benefits, working conditions, university governance, financial management and the institution’s overall operating environment.
The dispute had previously prompted the university administration to appeal to faculty and staff to return to their duties, while the associations maintained that their concerns required substantive action rather than a unilateral return-to-work directive.
In an earlier statement, UL President Dr. Layli Maparyan appealed to ULFA and ULSA leadership to end the work stoppage and return to service in the interest of students and the country.
Maparyan said the university leadership was moving to address legitimate grievances and described the situation as an opportunity to establish a new era of order, discipline and professional excellence at the institution.
Boakai Intervention Opens New Path
The President’s meeting with the two associations now appears to have opened a new channel for resolving the confrontation, although the immediate return-to-work question remains unsettled.
The establishment of a financial-management investigation and the planned renovation committee could provide mechanisms for addressing some of the concerns raised by the university community, while the participation of ULFA and ULSA representatives in the renovation process gives the associations a direct role in monitoring implementation.
However, the associations have made clear that they intend to remain disengaged until the resolutions adopted by their General Assembly are addressed.
They said their leadership remains bound by the mandate of the General Assembly and will convene the membership when there are significant developments or tangible progress toward implementation of its resolutions.
Students Caught In Middle
The continuing standoff raises renewed concerns about the potential impact on students, particularly with the University administration preparing for the resumption of classes on August 25.
The University of Liberia remains Liberia’s flagship public university, and prolonged disruption could affect academic scheduling, examinations, administrative services and students preparing for the new academic period.
UL President Maparyan has previously framed the dispute as extending beyond the university’s physical infrastructure, arguing that the institution has a central role in shaping Liberia’s future and that disagreements within the university must ultimately be resolved in a manner that protects students.
Associations Seek Full Resolution
For ULFA and ULSA, the latest engagement with President Boakai represents progress, but not the end of the dispute.
The associations called on their members to remain united, steadfast and committed to their collective cause, while expressing confidence that continued engagement could lead to a stronger University of Liberia that values its faculty, staff and students.
The latest developments therefore leave the university at a delicate crossroads: the administration is preparing for academic operations to resume, while faculty and staff associations maintain their disengagement and await concrete implementation of the measures discussed with the President.
For now, the return-to-work order remains contested, but President Boakai’s direct intervention has introduced a potentially significant new avenue for negotiations, institutional reforms and a negotiated settlement.
The immediate test will be whether the announced renovation works, financial-management investigation and continued negotiations can produce enough tangible progress to bridge the divide before the university’s planned August 25 class resumption.
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