MONROVIA: The Special Committee that investigated reports of Academic Fraud at the State-owned University of Liberia (UL’s) A. Romeo Horton College of Business and Public Administration, has recommended the names of several administrative officials and instructional staff for dismissal and suspension. The committee’s recommendations followed a thorough investigation that was conducted relating to the recent graduation exercises.
According to the committee report on academic fraud at the UL which is in the possession of this paper, the following officials: Jonathan Kangar, Support Staff (OIT); Thurston Lewis, Public Administration Clearing officer; and Arthur B. Sharpe, Chairman of the Public Administration Department should be dismissed for their alleged criminal actions in the recent graduation exercises.
Others held liable and subsequently recommended by the Probe Committee for six months without pay include Mercy W. Koquoi, Data entry clerk (OES); Shardrach K. Pah, Dean of Admission; Goffa K. Suah, Teaching Assistant; Remsee Deranamie, Deputy Registrar; Augustine Z. Garpi, OES Coordinator; and Lawrence Seitua, Assistant Dean of Admission.
On September 23, 2024, the UL set-up a five- member investigation Committee, headed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs of the UL, Professor /Dr. Agnes Reeves-Taylor.
The Committee was mandated to conduct a thorough investigation, aimed at establishing whether D. Dorr Cooper, who was among recent graduates of the UL, was a student of the University of Liberia.
The Committee was to also investigate as to how he was able to obtain the University’s academic and graduation Clarence.
Earlier, Dr. Taylor was alerted on a purported fraudulent candidate who was poised to graduate although he was never a student of the University.
According to the University’s records, and based on the information provided, Dr. Taylor requested Dr. Edwin B. R. Gbargaye, Assistant Professor, and Acting Dean of the College to check the candidates’ listing of the Department of Public Administration, particularly, number 18 of the final roaster that was approved for graduation by the Faculty Senate.
However, the special committee report also disclosed that upon Dr. Taylor instruction, the Dean checked the list and it was confirmed that the name, D. Dorr Cooper, was on the list for graduation.
It was this time the probe Committee contacted Thurston Lewis, and Arthur B. Sharpe concerning Dr. Taylor assertion. Both informed her (Dr. Taylor) that they had no knowledge on how the name, D. Dorr Cooper, appeared on the Department’s final list of graduating candidates.
The report also mentioned that despite their denial, D. Dorr Cooper was cleared for graduation by the Department.
Following the information, the Dean was instructed to remove his (Cooper’s) name from the graduation list without any delay.
“The Committee reviewed records from the university’s digital service provider, the Department of Public Administration’s spread sheets, grade input sheets from 2015-2024. We also reviewed the university’s student enrollment records from 2015-2024 as well as students’ ledger for the period under review,” the Probe Committee’s report stated.
Also, findings of the investigation revealed that
the University’s records were altered and a student, Dahngbaye M. Wogbeh, with Identification Number: 26371, was fraudulently replaced with Mr. Cooper allegedly by Kollie T. Kamara, a former employee of the University. Mr. Cooper managed to surreptitiously do one senior course, Public Enterprise and Public Administration (PADM 406) in 2017/2018 second semester and obtained an (F) grade under Mr. Prince Wisseh, who taught the course, according to the Department of Public Administration records.
“The Committee discovered that on May 10, 2024, another modification was made to the Identification number: 26371, by Jonathan Kangar who swapped Niome Nowah Tyler, a 2019 graduate of the University’s records and placed it under the Identification number 26371 that is now bearing the name, D. Dorr Cooper.
The purpose of this alteration or swapping was to allow D. Dorr Cooper to graduate, using NIOME NOWAH TYLER’s grades or records, the report stated.
The report added that Mr. cooper was updated in the university’s records system by Mercy W. Koquoi who mistakenly typed, “D. Dor Cooper,” leaving out one of the Rs in the name.
It was further revealed during the investigation that Lawrence F. Seitua, being familiar with the name, corrected the spelling of the name, by adding the other (r) that was left out by Mercy, making it D. Dorr Cooper, which raises suspicion about his role in the saga.
The report pointed out that Thurston Lewis, informed the Committee that he raised concern upon seeing the name Dorr Cooper on the Public Administration clearing roster before the final list was submitted to the Dean of the College, but his assertions were all proven false when his teammates on the PADM Clearing team, Goffa Suah and Foday Jaleiba, admitted that the name in question remained on the final list until Dr. Taylor called the attention of the Dean to it.
The report continues that Foday Jaleiba who sincerely admitted clearing Dorr Cooper’s name for graduation along with Lewis previously denied having any knowledge but Arthur B. Sharpe denied knowing the name and the person bearing the name, D. Dorr Cooper.
But, unfortunately, the UL Probe Committee’s investigation further established that Mr. Sharpe knows Mr. Cooper well and has interacted with him.
According to the Committee’s report, it was Sharp who introduced D. Dorr Cooper to Dr. Lester Tenny, former Dean of the College, for clearance during the 103rd Commencement clearing process, as such, the Committee discovered that Goffa K. Suah, approved Mr. Cooper in the system although being fully aware that he is not a student of the department.
According to the Probe Committee’s report, Mr. Augustine Z. Garpi helped in the distribution of the money received from Mr. Cooper.
Moreover, the report highlighted that in the University’s handbook, there are only two ways of becoming a student, either by taking an entrance examination and making a pass to become a student or being transferred from an accredited university but, none of these was done by Dorr Cooper.
“He did not take any entrance exam at the University nor was he transferred from any recognized university within Liberia. Mr. Cooper is not a student of the University of Liberia,” the report stated.
The Committee mentioned that a comparative analysis was conducted between Niome Nowah Tyler’s ledger and that information and the grades placed on the ledger bearing the ID number: 26371, and it was discovered that the grades along with the student bio data were the same and Niome ledger information was fraudulently placed on the ledger bearing the name, D. Dorr Cooper.”
The committee believes that it is impossible for such notable name to be cleared for graduation without the involvement of the Department of Public Administration or staffers of OES, as such, the clearing officer of the Department, the Chairman of the Department, and all others mentioned in this investigation report be held liable and punitive action be taken against them.
The committee further recommended the following; subsequent clearance process be based on ledgers of students from the requisite Department to avoid the detection of backlogged grades as in the case of D. Dorr Cooper, and many others who graduated unnoticed, distribute Roster of applicants for graduation to all department heads one week prior to faculty senate meeting for graduation clearance. The Committee recommended that D. Dorr Cooper be prosecuted by the Ministry of Justice for academic fraud.
“This recommendation is based on the premise that a transcript does not provide detailed information about a student’s total records to determine eligibility for graduation since it is a summary of their total works. Instead, a student’s ledger is the appropriate record to be used since it bears the student’s detailed information,” the report stated. Writes Linda Gbartie