Monrovia — The President of the University of Liberia, Dr. Layli Maparyan, has formally declared Ms. Izetta Jones Howe the legitimate Valedictorian (Dux) of the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, following an internal investigation sparked by public allegations questioning her academic standing.
In a detailed letter dated February 23, 2026, addressed to Mr. Martin K. N. Kollie, Lead Campaigner of the Campaigners for Academic Crimes Court (CACC), Dr. Maparyan outlined the University's policies and procedures governing the selection of valedictorians and dismissed claims that Ms. Howe's honor was improperly conferred.
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The dispute, which has played out publicly on social media, has stirred debate about transparency, academic integrity, and the boundaries of activism in higher education.
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Allegations and Immediate Response
According to Dr. Maparyan, she had already begun reviewing the matter after receiving an anonymous letter raising similar concerns days before Mr. Kollie formally submitted documentation via WhatsApp and email on February 21. After consulting key administrators--including the Dean of the Law School, the Registrar, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, and the Vice President for Legal Affairs--the UL President concluded that Ms. Howe was duly selected in accordance with current university policy.
"I received Ms. Howe's academic records and had the opportunity to view them myself," Dr. Maparyan wrote, noting that she also examined the records of other top-performing Law School students to assess comparative standing.
Her conclusion: Ms. Izetta Jones Howe is the legitimate Law School Valedictorian of the 105th graduating class.
How UL Selects Its Valedictorians
Central to the controversy is the interpretation of the University's Student Handbook and the institutional process for determining valedictorians. Dr. Maparyan clarified that valedictorians at UL are selected through a formal procedure: The Registrar makes recommendations under the authorization of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. These recommendations are presented to the Faculty Senate. The Faculty Senate votes, and once approved, the decision is official.
Valedictorians are chosen at multiple levels: one for the undergraduate body as a whole, one for graduate and professional students, and in some cases, individual schools such as the Law School. Importantly, the President noted that the terms "Valedictorian" and "Dux" do not appear in the 2018 Student Handbook. Instead, the Handbook details distinctions such as the Honor Roll, the Honors Program, Special Distinction, and Special Honors--each governed by different criteria.
Distinguishing Academic Honors
Dr. Maparyan devoted much of her response to clarifying academic terminology that she believes may have been misunderstood in the public debate. The Honor Roll is a semester-based recognition for students who complete at least 15 credit hours and earn a GPA of 3.200 or higher in that term. The Honors Program, housed within the College of Gender Studies and Interdisciplinary Research, is a separate academic track. Students in the program must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.33 from sophomore to senior year but may or may not appear on the Honor Roll in any given semester. "Special Distinction" at graduation--such as Distinction, High Distinction, or Highest Distinction--is awarded to students who take designated Honors Courses and meet corresponding GPA thresholds. "Special Honors," on the other hand, are conferred solely on the basis of cumulative GPA at the end of a student's academic career.
These include: Cum Laude (3.250-3.499) Magna Cum Laude (3.500-3.749) Summa Cum Laude (3.750-4.000)
Dr. Maparyan emphasized that a student may repeat no more than two courses and still qualify for Special Honors, provided the cumulative GPA meets the required standard. Crucially, she noted that it is theoretically possible for a student to be named Valedictorian without earning Special Honors, as the title is awarded to the student with the highest academic achievements in a given graduating cohort.
While this often overlaps with Special Honors status, it is not legally or procedurally identical.
A Question of Process and Public Accountability
While affirming Mr. Kollie's stated commitment to academic integrity, Dr. Maparyan expressed concern about the manner in which the allegations were made public. "You implied in your communication that you have other evidence with regard to this matter. How obtained, I am not sure, since you are not an administrator of the University of Liberia," she wrote, raising questions about access to student records and the ethics of public disclosures.
She further described the social media debate as having caused anxiety for Ms. Howe and her family and potentially harming the University's reputation. "It is good to make people accountable, but it is best to do so in ways that are dignified, law-abiding, and kind," the President urged, appealing for restraint in future engagements.
The letter also referenced a previous instance in early 2025 when Mr. Kollie publicly questioned Dr. Maparyan's own academic credentials, allegedly relying on outdated online information regarding her tenure as Chair of Africana Studies at Wellesley College.
Broader Implications for UL
The episode comes at a time when the University of Liberia, the country's premier public institution of higher learning, is under increasing public scrutiny over governance, standards, and reform. Dr. Maparyan reaffirmed her commitment to strengthening academic legitimacy within the scope of her authority, stating that she is actively working to ensure that UL's faculty, students, staff, and administrators maintain credible credentials.
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The matter has also drawn the attention of senior officials, with copies of the President's letter sent to members of the UL Board of Trustees and top administrators, including the Dean of the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law and senior officers in academic and legal affairs.
The University maintains that Ms. Izetta Jones Howe remains the duly recognized Dux of the 105th graduating class of the Law School.
Kollie Maintains that Howe is not the dux
Even with everything made public in her report and communication, Dr. Maparyan's communication appears to have fallen short of meeting Martin Kollie's satisfaction as he insists that evidence available at his disposal suggest that Howe did not meet the requirement to become the valedictorian for the graduating class of the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law.
According to Kollie, available students' grade records are in his possession from Cllr. Tiawan Saye Gongloe's Human Rights Class contains that no student earned 98 or A+ but Izzetta Howe's record shows that she obtained the grade.
Cllr. Gongloe has, meanwhile, joined others in commending Howe for her outstanding academic performance, something which tends to challenge Kollie's quest for a reversal of the decision granting the student the academic honor.
