The University of Liberia has been thrust into turmoil as its Faculty Association (ULFA) and Staff Association (ULSA) jointly declared a dramatic vote of no confidence in the institution’s leadership and launched an indefinite strike, halting academic and administrative operations across the nation’s flagship public university.
The resolution, adopted during a tense General Assembly on Friday, July 17, 2026, directly targets UL President, Dr. Layli Maparyan, Acting Vice President for Fiscal Affairs and Finance, and the Associate Vice President for Human Resource. Faculty and staff accuse the administration of failing to honor longstanding commitments on salaries, benefits, and welfare, describing the leadership’s inaction as intolerable.
According to ULFA’s press statement, members unanimously resolved to withdraw their services until the administration demonstrates “visible evidence” of compliance with demands. These include settlement of NASSCORP obligations, implementation of a 40 percent salary increment, correction of salary disparities, adjustments to employee status, and provision of operational funds for university units.
“All faculty and staff are hereby mandated to stay away from all University activities until otherwise ordered by the leadership of ULFA and ULSA,” the statement declared, warning that violators would face disciplinary action. Supervisors and administrators were also cautioned against compelling employees to resume work contrary to the General Assembly’s directive.
The strike threatens to paralyze instruction and services for thousands of students, raising fears of prolonged disruption in Liberia’s higher education sector. Analysts warn that the impasse could erode confidence in the university’s governance and destabilize academic progress if left unresolved.
As of Saturday, the UL administration had not issued a public response to the sweeping vote of no confidence or the indefinite strike.
Yet, in a sharp counterpoint, the Adjunct Faculty Association (AFA UL) rejected ULFA and ULSA’s action, branding it “self-centered and groundless.” In a statement, AFA UL praised President Maparyan’s leadership, citing reforms and achievements since her ascendency, including: Regularization of the academic calendar to align with global standards, launch of three PhD programs, construction of a Solar Oasis student utility park and a student health clinic, both near completion, attraction of grants and donations, creation of a new athletics division, improved and regularized payment of adjunct lecturers’ salaries, and signing of multiple MOUs to strengthen institutional partnerships.
“We believe the reasons for their action are unjustified and risk undermining significant reforms,” the adjunct faculty declared, pledging continued support for Maparyan’s vision.
The clash between associations underscores deep divisions within UL’s workforce and intensifies pressure on the administration to reconcile competing narratives of progress and neglect. For faculty and staff, the strike is a last resort to force accountability. For adjunct lecturers, it is an unwarranted disruption that jeopardizes hard-won gains.
As Liberia’s premier university grapples with this crisis, the outcome will shape not only the institution’s stability but also the broader trajectory of higher education in the country. Whether compromise or confrontation prevails, the University of Liberia now stands at a crossroads, its leadership under unprecedented scrutiny.
