32 faculty authors at the University of Liberia (UL) were certificated Wednesday, 17 February by the university authorities in recognition of their scholarly works, while also stimulating their peers to learn a lesson and put their dreams into action by beginning to write and publish.
The honorees included professors, associate and assistant professors and instructors. The university authorities discussed during the program on Fendall campus that honorees’ publications covered the period from academic years 2018/2019 and 2019/ 2020.
The president of the University of Liberia Rev. Dr. Julius Sarwolo S. Nelson pledges that his administration will expand and cultivate the culture of research among UL staff, the students and faculty members.
Dr. Nelson announces a Research Grant Fund Platform in the amount of US$50,000 as seed money to cultivate research at the University of Liberia.
According to Dr. Nelson, honoring the faculty members serves as a means of encouragement for them as well as a stimulant to others who have developed the thought, but have been hesitant in putting those thoughts into words and actions.He therefore challenges other UL faculty members to make the difference and publish.
The keynotes speaker at the program Prof. Dr. William Ezra Allen indicates that peer review publications develop a trained core of faculty, help to give universities a positive image, and provide an equitable standard for academic promotion.
“Every upward movement has its material and psychological reward. When you go to the faculty promotion exercise, the “Publish or Perish,” when you go through that exercise and you are promoted, there are incentives that come with this promotion,” he says.Dr. Allen, an immediate past UL Vice President for Academic Affairs, notes that these include material incentives and psychological incentives or benefits.
He says that that feeling of self – satisfaction, having gone from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor or to full professor, while also benefiting an upgrade in salary or the material benefit.He adds that those who have not published should give it a try and do publication, saying by doing so they will be producing knowledge that is needed by the university and the society at large.
Further, he says they will compete for the seed money already announced by UL President Dr. Nelson. Additionally, Dr. Allen suggests course reduction for professors who are engaged in research and publication so as to afford them the opportunity to give time to their writing work. By Winston W. Parley
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