By Patrick N. Mensah, Maryland County
The President of William V.S. Tubman University in Harper, Maryland County, Southeast Liberia, Professor Dr. Olu Q. Menjay has vowed to restore academic excellence at the University without compromising standards.
The Tubman University is the second state-run institution of higher learning in Liberia that was elevated from a technical college to a full degree-granting university in 2009 under the regime of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf with six functional colleges
Students at TU
Speaking in the county at the start of academy semester 2023/2024, newly appointed President Dr. Menjay said he will do everything possible to restore academy excellence by enrolling the best students to provide opportunities for other students rather than trading sex for grades or money for grades.
He spoke Friday, February 3, 2024, during a daylong meeting that brought together lecturers, professors, students, and local government officials at the university campus.
Dr. Menjay underscored that it’s important that students focus on what they can do and be able to identify their limitations as they strive to achieve the university’s dreams and motor, as a place of competitive learning.
He notes that one stumbling block for students is their refusal to recognize what they can do and what they can’t do and how they should leave room for improvement.
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The academician continues that there are cardinal questions students should ask themselves if want to improve in life, namely; who am I? Who loves me? And what am I going to do with my life?
He said if a student can’t recognize these three important phases of their life, people will mislead them, citing his appointment as President of the University as a case study.
According to him, he was appointed president, he read the charter of the university and handbook which focuses on the TRANSFORMATION OF WHOTHY SERVICE as well as the institution’s motor that has made him understand its identity.
“So when I was appointed by the former President of Liberia Dr. George M. Weah, the issue of identity came about and lot of people were saying, how can the President appoint a common high school principal? Although they don’t understand who I was and what I have stood for.”
Dr. Menjay says he now understands Tubman University after reading those literature and is prepared to break down his works into four (4) priorities: Academy Excellence, Students Success, Enterprise, and Brand Prestige.
He says to achieve academic excellence, the University will not compromise anything that will undermine quality of education and provide opportunities for best students to expose their potential.
He caution both faculty and students to be aware of administrative actions if anyone is caught in the act of selling grades or exchanging sex for grades.
He says the University will focus on ensuring students’ success instead of sending them out after graduation with nothing to do when they leave the walls of university.
“Let me say this, I was part of the last graduation although, I didn’t witness the other graduations but I believe the University has graduated several students, so my concern has been, what are they doing now after graduation? It’s not the number of students you graduate, but think about what they can do or what are they doing to achieve their potential because I believe most of the students who have graduated from the University majority of them are not working.”
Dr. Menjay discloses he will introduce Entrepreneurship studies that will provide opportunities to speak with more universities out of Liberia and students from different colleges for them to interact with their peers to exchange ideas so that after graduation, “I believe students from Tubman University will not be consumers but creators of jobs to help the community and society”, he adds.
However, he says despite the bigger dreams, the University is seriously challenged in terms of internet connectivity, wondering how well professors are teaching in the absence of the internet that he sees an emergency issue, that needs to be addressed urgently because there’s no way the institution can run effectively without strong internet connectivity on the campuses.
For his part, Dr. Larry C. Hwang, Dean of College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS) welcomes the University’s new President and Deans of the five ( 5 ) colleges.
Dr. Hwang stressed that it’s important for students to focus on their lessons as programs such as student clubs, service programs, and academy success, among others have been introduced for the current academic year.
“Let me say to everyone, focus on new things and dream big to achieve your goals and objectives for which you left your parents and traveled to Williams V. S. University for quality education”, he adds.
Tubman University was ranked as the best University in Liberia in 2015/2016 under its first President, Dr. Elizabeth David Russell but since then, it has been difficult for the University to even finish third or fourth.
