PROFESSIONAL AND HIGHER EDUCATION

CONTRACTOR /(CORNELL UNIV) HAS A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE SCOPE AND NATURE OF CONTRACT OBJECTIVES AND HAS SUBMITTED ALLL REQUESTED INFORMATION TO THE GOL IN A TIMELY MANNER. ATTEMPTS ARE BEING MADE TO STRENGHTEN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN UL AND CORNELL UNIV (CU) AND TO MODIFY THE STAFFING PATTERN. UL HAS MADE GREATER PROGRESS IN THE PAST 2 YEARS THAN IN ANY PREVIOUS DECADE DUE TO THE EXCELLENT ASSISTANCE OF CU AND LEADERSHIP OF UL'S CHIEF OF PARTY. UL'S PARTICIPANT TRAINING PROGRAM AND ON-THE-JOB TRAINING CONDUCTED BY CU TEAM IS PREPARING LIBERIAN STAFF AND FACULTY TO REPLACE CU MEMBERS AND TO IMPROVE UL ADMINISTRATION PRACTICES. SU IS IN TURN BEING INCLUDED IN MORE DECISION MAKING ACTIVITIES. GOOD EXAMPLES SET BY THE EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN FACULTY AND STAFF MEMBERS (50% OF UL STAFF) ARE INFLUENCING THE LIBERIAN UL PERSONNEL TO SHOW MORE INITIATIVE AND FOLLOW BETTER WORK HABITS. UL FUNDING HAS BEEN INCREASED, WHICH ALLOWS PRESENT PROGRAMS TO BE EXPANDED AND IMPROVED. IT IS HOPED THAT INCREASES IN THE NUMBER OF SCHOLARSHIPS AND DORMITORY FACILITIES FOR PROMISING STUDENTS WILL ENCOURAGE A LARGER NUMBER OF QUALIFIED LIBERIAN STUDENTS TO ENROLL AT UL. ARRANGEMENTS ARE BEING MADE TO HAVE LIBERIAN COUNTERPARTS TO THE CU TEAM EDUCATED AND TRAINED IN THE US. THESE COUNTERPARTS WILL REPLACE THE CU TEAM MEMBERS AFTER PROJECT IS TERMINATED. MAJOR OBSTACLES STILL NEEDING IMPROVEMENT ARE: 1)DEVELOPING A SYSTEM FOR IMPROVING BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS PLANNING,MAINTENANCE,ETC; 2)ESTABLISHING OF PERSONNEL POLICIES AND PROFICIENCY RATINGS; 3)IMPROVING ADMINISTRATIVE PRACTICES AND UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEE PERFORMANCE; 4)REDICING POLITICAL INFLUENCES IN UL DECISION MAKING,AND 5)DECREASING GO;'S SLOWNESS IN RESPONDING TO CU REQUEST.