November 22, 2004
By Daphne Mack

NEW YORK - Despite limited electricity, overcrowding in the dormitories, a faulty plumbing system, extensive roof damage and the constant need for funding, Dr. Henrique F. Tokpa, president of Cuttington University College (CUC), shared a vision of hope for the university at a November 12 briefing at the Episcopal Church Center in New York.

"I think things are ok now. I'm very optimistic and strongly feel that the worst is over," said Tokpa. "There will be a few backlashes but I hope [with] the kind of training that the U.S. and U.N. has agreed to give our security, army and police [that they] can address it."

CUC, located 120 miles north of Monrovia, is an Episcopal college established in 1889. It is the oldest private, co-educational, four-year degree-granting institution in sub-Saharan Africa.

Until recently, Liberia, West Africa, was the site of a long and bloody civil war led by rebel organizer Charles Taylor which killed millions of people. In 1989 Taylor, along with more than 6,000 rebels, challenged the dictatorship of Samuel Doe. CUC, under the leadership of Dr. Melvin Mason, had to close its doors in 1990 when rebels invaded the campus. Most faculty and students fled to other parts of Liberia, the Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Nigeria and the United States. It wasn't until 1998, in the midst of the war, that the university re-opened its doors. The school has had to relocate twice before returning, in August, to its present campus in Suacoco, Bong County.

"We are looking forward to a very good academic year," said Tokpa.

The outlook for the university seems greatly improved. Enrollment has doubled from last year; thus far 1,000 students have registered to be taught by CUC's 76-member faculty, which includes three Americans. Its graduate program has also experienced an influx of student attendance, growing from 68 to 200.

"We are also involved heavily with an agricultural extension program reaching out to the community," Tokpa said. "We have a demonstrative farm where we teach farmers to grow pigs, chickens, and rice and then give them some to take and raise on their own."

He expressed concern with the enrollment of ex-combatants at CUC. "As of last Wednesday, we have 126 ex-combatants enrolled and we are very concerned about their emotional stability, post-traumatic stress syndrome and the fact that we are not capable right now to deal with it."

The condition of some of the dormitories and buildings does not seem to have deterred those striving toward higher academic standards. Liberia's Bishop Edward Neufville appealed to Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold of the Episcopal Church, USA, for funding to repair extensive damage to the roof of one of the academic buildings. That appeal resulted in a grant which allowed the work to be completed before payment was made in full.

A faulty plumbing system requires students in one of the women's dorms to carry pails of water from a deep well in order to bath and flush toilets, Tokpa explained. "We also have limited electricity where we turn the generator off at 12 a.m. It's going to be 6 to 8 weeks before this is corrected."

According to Tokpa, because of the increase in enrollment, dormitory space has been greatly reduced. Rooms designated for two students now hold four and rooms designated for four students now hold eight, but "no one is complaining."

Adding to the institution's financial shortage, many students cannot afford to pay tuition. Nonetheless, because they are "good students," Tokpa said, "we are looking for the money to help them."

To make a donation, please contact: The Rev. David Copley, Friends of Cuttington College, C/o St. John's Episcopal Church, 100 West Queens Way, Hampton, VA 23669. Telephone: 757.722.2567. Fax: 757.722.0641. Email: friendsofcuttington@highstream.net. Web site: http://www.cuttington.org/.

Episcopal News Service
Daphne Mack is online editor for Episcopal News Service.