Published: March 7, 2025
MONROVIA – The University of Liberia’s new President, Dr. Layli Marpayan, has promised to tackle what she described as continuous indiscipline on the university’s campuses.
Dr. Marpayan disclosed her plan to address student hooliganism as part of her efforts to rebrand the institution and elevate it to the standards of other universities in the subregion and beyond Liberia’s neighboring countries.
During an interactive consultation with students yesterday on the Fendall campus, she listened to their concerns and the many challenges they face while pursuing tertiary education at the university.
In her opening remarks, the seasoned higher education administration expert said she views herself as a parent who wants the best for her children while also ensuring they are properly disciplined to represent their families well outside of the home.
Earlier, she read a prayer from her Bahá’í Faith, which emphasizes that God created all humanity from the same stock and should raise the banner of the oneness of mankind. She expressed that it is time for religions to agree and unite nations as one family. She added that when she looks at the students attending the University of Liberia, she sees them as noble beings with talents and faculties. However, she noted that when students fail to uphold noble values, they stray off course, making it necessary to correct them.
While acknowledging the many challenges facing the university, Dr. Marpayan emphasized that solutions cannot be found in an environment lacking law and order, where students act contrary to established educational norms.
“I know there is a handbook for students. While we listen to your important challenges, including the lack of buses, poor bathroom and sanitary conditions, and the need to reopen the add-and-drop option, discipline must also be taken seriously. We will implement the disciplinary provisions of the student handbook. If you commit an offense, depending on its gravity, you will receive a warning. Repeating the same or a similar offense will lead to suspension. Persistent unruly behavior will result in expulsion,” she stated.
Traditional student politics at the University of Liberia has often granted student political groups unchecked freedoms, leading to protests that frequently result in property destruction, injuries, and disruptions to movement on campus.
Dr. Marpayan stated that if a child who is expected to walk a noble path deviates, they can be guided back—but this requires discipline out of love.
She assured students that her engagement was not targeting any particular group but was meant to ensure that representatives from each department were heard.
Currently, the Student Unification Party (SUP), the most prominent student political group, is protesting the administration’s decision to shut down the system that allows students to add and drop courses. The administration, however, argues that students had ample time to complete their registration and course planning since October 2024.
After listening to students, Dr. Marpayan agreed to prioritize resolving the crisis, giving consideration to the add-and-drop option but implementing it through students’ departmental offices. She also announced that the university would transition to a trimester system (three semesters per year) after the current academic year. Additionally, she assured students that improving bathroom conditions would be addressed with urgency.
Due to water shortages, the Vice President for Administration’s office had closed bathroom doors, forcing students to relieve themselves in nearby bushes—a situation they described as humiliating and unacceptable.
Dr. Marpayan acknowledged that while these concerns are legitimate and require attention, they cannot be resolved instantaneously, as time and funding are necessary. She urged students to be patient and trust her commitment to addressing the issues.
“I cherish peace, unity, love, and discipline. You need to be disciplined and organized. When we are organized, we achieve peace and unity, and our actions are infused with love. That way, we grow together with smiles on our faces,” she remarked.
Addressing the notion of being revolutionaries, Dr. Marpayan quoted Ernesto Che Guevara: “The true revolutionary is guided by great feelings of love.” She expressed sadness over the previous day’s student protests, which she described as neither peaceful nor loving.
“I am a revolutionary, and I am guided by love. I love you. Even though I am your President, my experience is that of a mother. A mother loves her children but also disciplines them. I love you, but if you cross the line, I must enforce discipline,” she emphasized.
She stressed that love and discipline go hand in hand and are not intended to harm anyone. “I discipline for two reasons—one, to guide people back on track, and two, to protect and preserve the institution and its properties.”
Dr. Marpayan acknowledged the long-standing challenges at the university, which she has observed since 2010. She noted that these problems are complex, complicated, and frustrating but emphasized that solving them requires strategic, well-planned interventions.
She sympathized with students who are eager to graduate but face prolonged academic journeys due to systemic issues. However, she cautioned that creating additional problems is not the way to resolve existing ones. She urged students to see themselves as protagonists—problem solvers and agents of positive change—rather than adversaries against the administration.
She encouraged students to avoid actions that further destabilize the university and instead work collectively for its growth and prosperity.
“As the chief executive officer, I must set things in motion. But what is a general without soldiers? We must work together. You, the students, are a critical part of this mission to elevate the University of Liberia to the standards of other universities in the subregion and the world,” she stated.
Dr. Marpayan stressed that no donor would invest in the university if it lacks stability, academic excellence, and discipline.
She urged students to see one another not as opposition forces but as partners at the discussion table, working together with the administration to find solutions.
She warned that an adversarial mindset only leads to endless disruption and drains the energy needed to solve real problems.
“We need all hands on deck. We must set aside political affiliations, tribal and ethnic differences, religious divisions, and gender biases. If we do that, we will see a transformed University of Liberia, and we will all take pride in the progress we make together,” she noted.
The American-trained scholar reminded students that attending college is a privilege, as not everyone has the opportunity to complete high school and enter college. “Most people go to college when they are young, at a time when they are energetic, creative, and hardworking. Use this energy to improve your life and the lives of those around you. That is what education is for. Direct your efforts toward growth, rather than positioning yourself in constant opposition. We understand the problems, and we ask for your patience as we work toward solutions.”
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