To deter further academic fraud at the university, president has established the Committee that would Investigate Academic Fraud (CIAF) to become a standing committee.
However, for attempting to offer a ‘fake degree’ to Commerce Inspector, D. Door Cooper (2024) and having committed other fraudulent acts, the administration of the University of Liberia (UL) on
Tuesday, April 29, 2025, dismissed eight employees and suspended one with immediate effect.
Up to press time about 10 p.m., it remains uncleared whether the UL administration has contacted IG Dorr Cooper.
Meanwhile, the dismissal of the eight employees followed a thorough probe, which uncovered that the affected employees participated in the commission of academic fraud and misconduct.
UL President Dr. Layli Maparyan, who made the announcement on Tuesday, warned that under her watch, the university will not tolerate fraud(s), but restored to academic integrity and excellence.
“This is our primary objective; our educational mission will be freed from the shackles of academic misconduct and corrupt practices,” Dr. Maparyan.
Those dismissed are Arthur B. Sharpe, chairman, Public Administration Department; Thurston Lewis, Instructor and Clearing Officer, Department of Public Administration; Goffa K. Suah, Coordinator and Teaching Assistant (TA), Dean’s Representative on the Clearing Team, Public Administration Department and W. Remsee Deranamie, Deputy Registrar, Office of Enrollment Services (OES).
Others are Lawrence Seitua, Assistant Dean of Admission, OES; Shadrach K. H. Pah, Assistant Dean of Records and Registration, OES; Foday Jaleiba, Office Assistant to the Dean of Records, OES and Jonathan Kangar, Support Specialist, Office of Information Technology (OIT).
Additionally, the university has suspended Aaron B. Sengbe II, Associate Vice President and Registrar, OES.
Meanwhile, the university has reinstated Ms. Mercy Koquoi, OES Data Entry Clerk, Business College and Augustine Z. Garpi, OES Coordinator, Business College.
The decision comes after a four-month investigation of facts related to several instances of alleged academic fraud and misconduct at the state-run institution, including the case that has been referred to as the “Dorr Cooper Incident,” as well as other cases.
“Today, I received the final report of the Special Committee to Investigate Academic Fraud at the UL, and so I must act,” Dr. Maparyan said on Tuesday.
“The report concludes definitively that coordinated acts of academic fraud did occur. These acts involved several UL employees from multiple units of the University, including the Department of Public Administration (PADM), the Office of Enrollment Services (OES) and the Office of Information Technology (OIT),” she added.
Dr. Maparyan: “Based on the report, eight employees are terminated from their jobs at the UL effective immediately; one employee will be suspended until the end of 2025 and two employees will return to work because no conclusive evidence of their involvement was uncovered.”
“Let me be clear, academic fraud is the antithesis of academic integrity and the enemy of academic excellence. Academic fraud undermines the university’s educational mission and destroys the university’s academic reputation,” Dr. Maparyan warned.
By addressing academic fraud and misconduct head-on and unflinchingly, Dr. Maparyan said the university is in a position to elevate its academic standards and reputation by creating the excellent, effective and ethical educational institution that the country’s students, faculty and staff deserve.
Dr. Maparyan said, people who commit academic fraud or engage in academic misconduct at the UL will be held accountable and impunity will not be an option.
To deter further academic fraud at the university, Dr. Maparyan has announced the establishment of the Committee to Investigate Academic Fraud (CIAF) to become a standing committee.
She also disclosed that a UL Whistle-blower Platform (ULWP) will be established for students, faculty, staff, alumni and others to anonymously or confidentially report suspected incidences of academic fraud.
Dr. Maparyan, hs meanwhile promised to completely overhaul the Office of Enrollment Services (OES) and employee and student policies related to academic fraud will be strengthened, with concomitant stakeholder awareness programming.