09/02/2026
From the Vice President of the Cuttington University Student Union-CUSU
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AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF CUTTINGTON UNIVERSITY.
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Office of the Vice President
Cuttington University Student Union - CUSU
Suakoko District, B**g County-Liberia
+231 778-861-107/555-689-518
[email protected]
February 9, 2026
Dr. Romelle A. Horton
President, Cuttington University
All three Campuses
SUBJECT: APPRECIATION, URGENT STUDENTS CONCERNS, and CONSTRUCTIVE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMMEDIATE INSTITUTIONAL ATTENTION
Dear Madam President,
I extend warm greetings to you, with sincere respect and appreciation for your leadership and continued service to Cuttington University.
At the outset, I wish to commend your administration for recent initiatives aimed at improving campus life and strengthening institutional operations. These steps reflect a commitment to progress and an awareness of the evolving needs of the University community.
Notably:
1. Improvement of the campus lighting system has contributed positively to student safety and visibility during evening hours. While further enhancement is still needed, this initiative is a meaningful start. I can stand from the Epiphany Chapel and see through to the gate at the moment.
2. The recent availability of the Cuttington University student handbook deserves special recognition. For many years, handbooks were largely inaccessible, limiting students’ awareness of institutional policies and expectations. Through advocacy and collaboration—particularly by the 21st Student Leadership Council,CUSU—the handbook was successfully delivered to students via their email accounts. This achievement represents a significant step toward transparency and student empowerment.
3. Cancellation of the unexplained and almost forced payment of one hundred Liberian Dollars upon students wanting to get treatment at the Agape Clinic.
During one of the chapel services from last semester, the Director for Agape Clinic walk to the stage and announced that each student was to pay an amount of One Hundred Liberian Dollars if seeking treatment at the facility.
Worst part of it was that, there was not a single reason or justification for such taxation.
Howbeit, CUSU leaders had a dialogue with the administration and it was cancelled.
Madam President, these improvements are appreciated.
However, with equal sincerity, it is important to state that there remain critical challenges within the University system that demand urgent attention. These concerns are not raised to undermine progress, but because they directly affect student welfare, institutional confidence, and Cuttington’s standing as a premier academic institution.
Areas that require urgent attention:
1. Dormitory Conditions: A Growing Welfare Crisis
The condition of several dormitory facilities has become one of the most pressing issues confronting students today. Many residential spaces are in deplorable condition, posing serious discomfort and, in most cases, health and safety risks.
This situation has already led to an increasing number of students moving out of campus housing. Beyond inconvenience, this trend threatens the very structure of campus life and undermines the University’s residential culture.
During the last meeting held between CUSU and the administration, we stressed that it's of great necessity that the dormitories be renovated. A communication of reminder was sent recently and in your reply , you said that the work will begin soon. Students are back again and they've met what they left and even worse.
I took a tour there alongside another concerned student two Sundays back.
To admit, the dormitories students are going through a lot. Shower curtain stand is a stick that has been completely devoured by wood insects(the dormitories at RDI-Dorm C and the other one).
Students have to come almost every semester with lightbulbs to light the dark rooms and spaces in the dorm. Imagine the padlock hasp or hasp and staple, the ones we can CESH, had to be provided by a concerned student for a room door at Rally Hall dorm.
Boys children are strong but, imagine we all have class by 7:00 AM and while you open the bath pump from upstairs the ones downstairs can't open.
Students result to getting late most times.
This was marked out during the meeting with the administration as well and you, our dear mother of precious Diamonds were present.
Till date, the same issue is on a recurring pace.
Recommendation: An immediate and structured dormitory rehabilitation plan—prioritizing repairs, sanitation, and consistent maintenance—is essential. Student housing must reflect dignity, safety, and institutional responsibility.
2. Absence of an E-School and Student Portal System: A Gargantuan Institutional Gap
In a modern academic environment, the absence of a functional student portal and e-school system is no longer a minor inconvenience—it is a major institutional gap.
Students continue to face unnecessary difficulty accessing academic records, registration services, course updates, fee information, and other essential resources that should be digitally available.
The level of delay and inconvenience caused by the absence of portal is very gigantic. Students stay almost the entire day on registration line. Because of the slow process, students far from campus will have to go through unnecessary immense funds lost towards transportation-when you can just use not more than 15 minutes and plan your courses and access your grade sheets.
This reduces the work load on employees as well.
Recommendation: The establishment of a comprehensive student portal and e-learning platform should be treated as a priority institutional development. This step is crucial for efficiency, modernization, and alignment with global academic standards.
We're too prestige not to have E-school and Student Portal
3. Student ID Card Issuance: A Persistent Administrative Challenge
The ongoing delays and inconsistencies surrounding student ID card issuance remain deeply concerning. Many students lack proper identification long into the semester, affecting access to services, campus security, and administrative accountability.
Recommendation: A streamlined and timely ID production and distribution process must be prioritized to ensure that every registered student is properly documented within a reasonable timeframe.
Since I took ID card as a freshmen student, I haven't received it. I have one ID card from my sophomore semester. Every semester should have its own ID card and for all students. If I'm to spend five (5) semester or Six(6) or whatsoever amount of semesters, let me have my identification cards for every one of them.
4. Cuttington University operates a junior college program that serves as an important foundation for many students before they transition to the main campus. However, a major concern arises during this transition: when students arrive at the main campus, a significant number of the credits they earned at the junior college level are often dropped or not fully recognized. This creates confusion and frustration for students who have already invested time, effort, and resources into completing those courses with the expectation that they would count toward their degree progression.
This issue not only delays students academically but can also increase their financial burden, as they may be required to repeat courses they have already passed. It affects morale and undermines confidence in the system, raising questions about alignment between the junior college curriculum and the main campus academic requirements. Addressing this problem through clearer credit transfer policies, stronger coordination between departments, and better communication with students would greatly improve the academic experience and ensure fairness in the transition process.
🫡. Establish a Clear Credit Transfer Policy
The university should develop and publish a transparent policy outlining which junior college courses are transferable and how they apply to main campus degree programs. Students should know from the beginning what will count and what will not, to avoid surprises upon transition.
🫡. Strengthen Curriculum Alignment Between Campuses
Academic departments from the junior college and main campus should work together to ensure course content, learning outcomes, and credit hours match. Regular curriculum reviews can reduce the chances of credits being rejected due to technical differences.
🫡. Create a Credit Evaluation Committee
A dedicated committee or office should be responsible for reviewing and approving junior college credits consistently. This will prevent arbitrary credit drops and ensure fairness for all transferring students.
🫡. Improve Student Advising and Communication
Students should receive proper academic advising before and during their transition. Advisors must clearly explain which courses are required for their major and guide them in choosing junior college classes that will transfer smoothly.
🫡. Implement a Course Equivalency System
Cuttington should build a formal equivalency database showing which junior college courses correspond directly to main campus courses. This system will make the credit transfer process faster, more predictable, and student-friendly.
🫡. Offer Appeals and Support Mechanisms
Students should have the right to appeal dropped credits, especially when they can demonstrate that course content meets main campus standards. A structured appeal process promotes accountability and trust.
🫡Simply harmonize the curriculum here at main campus and the Junior college as well.
A Respectful Call for Immediate and Strategic Action
Madam President, our QUEEN, Cuttington University is built on a proud legacy of excellence. Students remain hopeful and supportive of the institution’s progress. Yet, the challenges outlined above require more than acknowledgment—they require decisive and timely action.
Students are not demanding perfection, but they are appealing for urgency, responsiveness, and tangible solutions. The strength of Cuttington lies in its ability to listen, adapt, and uphold standards worthy of its name.
It is my sincere hope, as Vice President, that these reflections will be received in the spirit of partnership and institutional growth.
We remain ready, as student leaders and stakeholders, to support any efforts aimed at building a stronger and more student-centered Cuttington University.
Thank you once again for your dedication and service.
With deepest respect,
Titus D. Stryker
Vice President, Cuttington University Student Union-CUSU, 21st SLC
Cuttington University
Suakoko District, B**g County-Liberia
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