Faculty at the University of Liberia have dedicated a lounge for themselves to make their work easier.
-The University of Liberia Faculty Association (ULFA) has officially dedicated a modern faculty lounge at the Capitol Hill campus in Monrovia.
The ceremony, which brought together a large number of ULFA members from across various campuses, the President and other administrators of the state-run university, some top government officials, and members of the larger society, took place on Friday, June 7, 2024.
Providing an overview of the project, ULFA President Dr. Edna Johnny expressed joy and a sense of achievement for the dedication.
She emphasized the significance of the new lounge, describing it as the beginning of many positive developments for the faculty and its members.
According to Dr. Johnny, the lounge represents a substantial step forward in addressing a long-standing need for a dedicated space for faculty members to work and relax.
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Reflecting on the journey to this achievement, she recounted challenges faced since 2021, particularly issue of disparity with the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
She added that although the ministry resolved some of those disparities, additional support for faculty facilities is lacking.
Dr. Johnny maintained that efforts to secure loans from financial institutions like EcoBank were unsuccessful, as concerns about the university's ability to repay loans were raised.
She stressed that despite these setbacks, ULFA remained determined and managed to save a significant portion of dues paid by members.
"We are not only here to teach, but we can put into practice what we teach; we teach people to go out there to make money. We teach people to be innovative, so today, we will showcase that we can do exactly what we teach," she said.
According to her, over the years, many faculty members who are free on campus awaiting their next class time do not have a better place to relax, so they have to either stand somewhere, sit under a tree, or move around until their time comes to teach.
"We thought that was slightly below our dignity as a faculty. So we decided to take the initiative and say now, we can do something. We told Dr. Nelson that we need that space to renovate it for our faculty lounge," Dr. Johnny noted.
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The ULFA boss stressed that despite the many disappointments encountered along the way to achieving this milestone, the faculty members remained focused and determined. They emphasized the significant role they play in society, which should give them a better life and facility.
"Ladies and gentlemen, today, we have a faculty lounge. When we got elected in 2021, we told ourselves that we would improve the faculty; we have taken some steps, and this is just the second project. The first was the Credit Union, which the UL Administration is even proud of, and we can boast of its effectiveness and impact."
At the same time, Dr. Edna Johnny highlighted the lack of better facilities for faculty members on the University of Liberia Fendell Campus, stressing the need for state-of-the-art infrastructure with several facilities, including a swimming pool, a cafeteria, a conference hall, and other recreation activities.
"We deserve that. Ladies and gentlemen, faculty members, you deserve a hand of applause because your money built this place. What you did was pick the right person at the time," she indicated.
Also speaking, the President of the University of Liberia, Dr. Julius Sarwolo Nelson, commended ULFA for its milestone achievement.
He pledged the administration's continued commitment to supporting the association and announced a contribution of one thousand United States Dollars on behalf of the university towards ULFA's project at the Fendell Campus.
The new faculty lounge is expected to serve as a valuable resource for faculty members, providing a comfortable and conducive environment for their academic and professional activities.
