By Taisiah K. Merfee

The Authority of the University of Liberia (UL) has vowed to weed out trouble makers who will get in the way of the university as classes begin in July this Year.

Speaking at a News conference on Monday at his UL office in Capitol Hill, Prof. Dr.  Julius S. Nelson Jr., said the University of Liberia some time ago a ban on all students’ politics on all of its campuses and called on students to uphold this order.

Dr. Nelson said the University of Liberia as part of it security measure in the coming days will ensure strong protocol on the movement of students and visitors who will be going on the campuses of the UL in other to prevent violence and trouble.

He said as part of the prevention measure they are also going to be doing a vigorous research on students who have completed all of their courses and are still on the University campuses causing problems for other students.

He added that the University of Liberia is putting in place some safety and protective measures for politicians who will desire of going on the campuses of the University to talk to students or to lectures. The safety measures will also cover the students.

Dr. Nelson mentioned that a student’s academic sojourn, from admission to graduation, is guided and governed by policies and procedures enshrined in a number of instruments including the Revised Student Handbook.

NOTE I SAY, “Revised” because, we just revised the Student Handbook in the last three years to conform to changes that have occurred in our society at large”.

He said students, as important constituent of the University family, have rights that must be respected at every stage of the teaching and learning experience, in the same way they protect the rights of faculty, staff and the administration.

“Our task as Custodians, Managers, Administrators of this institution, is to follow the rules as fairly as possible, without fear and favor, whenever there’s an issue that calls into question the integrity and image of our institution. 

“Cognizant of the fact that faculty and students must have time to exercise their civic rights during the electoral process in October 2023, the University of Liberia is pleased to release the following schedule for the First Semester of AY 2022/23,Registration will begin June 19th  and end on July 8th, Classes will commence on Monday, June 26, 2023, Mid-term Exams will run from August 7th to 12^th, Lectures will end on September 9th While Final Exams will be conducted from September 11th to 23rd”.

He said at the moment, the electronic applications of more than 8,000 candidates are being processed by the Office of Enrolment Services (OES) and those successfully vetted will start receiving Admission Letters via email beginning, Monday, June 12, 2023, and this exercise will continue until Friday, June 30, 2023.

According to Dr Nelson on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, the Center for Testing and Evaluation, through UL Relations, released the schedule for the First Entrance & Placement Exam and Aptitude Test for the 2023 cycle.

“The exam and Aptitude test will run from mid-July (for Undergraduate) to early August (Graduate and Professional Schools). Registration for this year’s entrance, which began on Thursday, June 8, 2023, is being conducted completely online”

Meanwhile the UL President said the first phase of the renovation focused on the Capitol Hill Campus, mainly affecting the roads that run through campus, some of their iconic buildings such Tubman Hall and the Firestone Quadrangle (FQ Building).

“Additionally, the first phase tried, and to a larger extent, succeeded in addressing the wash and sanitation challenge on our Capitol Hill Campus with the installation of a borehole water system to deliver water into our bathrooms and elsewhere in some of our buildings. Many of the restrooms were also renovated during this phase and the renovation is not over yet.”

 The second phase will focus on our Fendell Campus, and then it will be extended to the other campuses. 

 We have already engaged the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning for the funding to commence the second phase. 

“Let me take this time to assure you and members of the public, especially our huge alumni community here and in the diaspora that the Administration of this great institution is very committed to ensure that protecting the image of the University of Liberia exists among our highest priority”.