Cuttington University College
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Cuttington University College is the oldest private, coeducational, four-year, degree-granting institution in sub-Saharan Africa. The college was established by the Episcopal Church of the USA (ECUSA) in 1889 and the campus is currently located in Suacoco, Bong County (120 miles north of Monrovia) in Liberia, West Africa.
The college has now reopened for the third time in its history (the second founding was at its current location was in 1948), after a lengthly period of civil conflict. On August 15, 2004, 117 students graduated on the war-ravaged campus in various disciplines, with the highest number of graduates being in nursing.
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[edit] Location
Cuttington University College is located 120 miles north of Monrovia and it is the oldest private, coeducational, four-year, degree-granting institution in sub-Saharan Africa. It issues degrees in the liberal arts and a number of technical studies. It has educated generations of leaders for the nation of Liberia and West Africa. Its roots lie deep within the history of the nation, the relationship between Liberia and the United States, and the Episcopal Church.
[edit] Recent war damage
On February 5, 2004, the President of Cuttington, Dr. Henrique F. Tokpa met his son Captain Matthew J. Denkyan of the U.S. Army who is assigned to Liberia as a military observer. They were part of an inspection team who toured the partially renovated facilities which had been damaged by looters during the war.
- The Dunbar Building, which houses the office of Registrar; bookstore and a few classrooms had been de-roofed and heavy and repeated rain storms had damaged the ceiling, roofing frame and nearly all of the books that had been previously donated by the County College of Morris in Randolph, New Jersey, USA.
- The AFRICANA Museum is in similar condition to the Dunbar Building (zinc and ceiling material have been removed by looters and the roofing timbers had been exposed to the weather and only the concrete walls and rafters remained in place.
- The Tubman Library had sustained less structural damage, but extensive looting and on site destruction of books and facilities has taken place there.
- The Seth C. Edwards cafeteria has been partially de-roofed and some of the roofing timbers had collapsed.
- A grass fire had destroyed a building that had been built by the Lutheran Church as the guest house for commuting professors. The fire had created extensive cracks in the structure and will have to be demolished. The cause of the grass fire is unknown, but during the dry Harmattan season grass fires are common, but during the war they burned out of control.
- The newly constructed Power House which was constructed with a USAID and ASHA grant is relatively intact although looters entered the building, less damage was done.
[edit] Communications
At the present time Cuttington University College is attempting to find sponsors who will help to improve its communications with the world. Because the campus is located 120 miles from the capital in Monrovia, present communications are mainly by a form of two-way radio with the capital, although some telephone service does exist, it is not reliable. A satellite system and service would be required to establish an Internet connection to the college. At present a volunteer web site is maintained remotely in the United States.
[edit] Faculty
- Wilton Sankawulo — Author of Great Tales of Liberia as told by Wilton Sankawulo ISBN 973-651-838-8 and Sundown at Dawn: A Liberian Odyssey ISBN 0-9763565-0-3.
