The Student Unification Party (SUP), the long-standing campus-based political movement at the University of Liberia (UL), has demanded the immediate resignation or dismissal of Dr. Layli Maparyan, President of the state-run institution, citing what it describes as her “failed leadership” and “directionless stewardship” over the last seven months. In a statement issued on August 30, 2025, SUP argued that Dr. Maparyan’s administration has brought the university to a standstill, leaving both students and faculty in frustration.
The student group’s call for her removal also comes amid the University of Liberia Faculty Association’s (ULFA) ongoing boycott of classes over unpaid salaries and poor working conditions. SUP said it “stands firmly with the faculty’s action,” stressing that the crisis is a direct result of the UL president’s alleged mismanagement. According to SUP, Dr. Maparyan who assumed office in early 2025 has failed to deliver meaningful reforms, leaving the nation’s flagship university in “dilapidation and disorder.” The group listed a series of grievances to justify its call for her resignation.
Among them, SUP pointed to deteriorating campus infrastructure, including broken classrooms, non-functional restrooms, lack of internet connectivity, and the absence of university buses for an entire semester. These failures, it said, highlight her inability to address basic student needs. On academics, the group criticized Dr. Maparyan’s decision to classify the “vacation school” as the official second semester, arguing that the limited course offerings excluded the majority of students and contradicted her earlier assurance that it would be optional.
“This is an affront to more than 25,000 students,” SUP said, noting that many were left without the chance to progress academically. The group also accused the administration of mishandling the Add/Drop registration process, leaving students uncertain about their grades and future graduation timelines. Beyond academic scheduling, SUP’s statement raised sharp concerns over alleged corruption, unfair dismissals, and financial irregularities.
The party claimed that Dr. Maparyan unjustly dismissed eight university staff members earlier this year and suspended another, Mr. Aaron Sengbe, for eight months despite her own investigative committee recommending only a three-month penalty. In addition, it accused her of unlawfully dismissing Vice President for Fiscal Affairs, Isaac Gannet, replacing him with Lester Tenny, who reportedly received $14,000 in retroactive payments for two years without proper documentation. On fundraising, SUP alleged that despite traveling abroad five times, Dr. Maparyan has failed to raise external funds for UL, while continuing to draw what the group described as “exorbitant salaries” amounting to $15,000 monthly when combined from university and government sources. By contrast, faculty have allegedly gone unpaid for seven months.
“Her administration prioritizes corrupt allies over the welfare of students and faculty,” SUP declared, accusing the president of deception and betrayal of trust. In its conclusion, the Vanguard Student Unification Party said Dr. Maparyan’s presidency is a “catastrophe” that threatens the survival of the university. It urged the Government of Liberia, through President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and the UL Board of Trustees, to act swiftly in removing her from office. “Based on ‘Ma Problem’s’ failures to restore infrastructure, normalize the academic calendar, resolve registration and grading issues, reinstate unjustly dismissed staff, and halt corrupt practices, the only way forward is her resignation,” the statement read. SUP vowed to intensify pressure until its demands are met, warning that the credibility of Liberia’s premier state university is at stake.
