UL inducts its new President

The University of Liberia inducts its new President, Professor Dr. Ophelia Weeks, this Wednesday, 13 September which is expected to take place at the Fendall Campus outside Monrovia.

Authorities of the UL are poised to convene a special convocation for the induction of Dr. Weeks who formally replaces Dr. Emmet A. Dennis.

Acting spokesperson of the University of Liberia, Rev. Dr. Julius Sarwolo Nelson, Jr. says Dr. Weeks was endorsed by the Board of Trustees following months of vigorous search by a search committee.

During the 2016/2017 (December) commencement convocation, Dr. Emmet A. Dennis voluntarily announced that he was stepping down to give chance to another person to head the state-run university.

Thereafter, the Visitor to the University, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf appointed a 22-member search committee headed by the Rev. Dr. John G. Innis to look for new president.

Following the submission of the committee report early March this year, the Board of Trustees unanimously endorsed Professor Dr. Ophelia Inez Weeks as the 14th President of the University of Liberia, and on June 16, 2017 the gavel of authority was handed to her.

Dr. Weeks is the 2nd female to head the University of Liberia, following the late Dr. Mary Antoinette Brown Sherman, who was the 1st female University President in Africa.

The in-coming President of the University of Liberia, Professor Dr. Ophelia Weeks, was appointed recently by the Florida International University as Professor Emerita of the College of Arts, Science and Education.
She was appointed during a visit to the United States of America (USA) this month.
“In recognition of your thirty years of distinguished service to Florida International University, the President and I are pleased to appoint you Professor Emerita of the College of Arts, Science and Education effective Spring 2017”, a release press from the University of Liberia signed by the Acting Vice President for UL Relations, Dr. Julius Sarwolo Nelson, Jr. says.
The release also disclosed that Dr. Week’s appointment was enthusiastically supported by the Biological Sciences department where she worked for many years as Faculty, Chairperson and Dean prior to taking up the new job in Monrovia.
The emeritus status entitles Dr. Weeks to continue campus courtesies, within budgetary constraints, and under the same condition of active faculty.
The release quotes Dr. Weeks’ appointment letter as saying that Florida International University is indebted to her for the numerous scholarly contributions she made during her 30 years of service in the Department of Biological Sciences.
“Particularly your efforts as a mentor and in establishing student-centered initiatives such as the MSRC U* START and QBIC programs have left a lasting mark and raised our students’ profiles.”
She retired recently from Florida International University following 30 years of distinguished service to that institution. Editing by Jonathan Browne