The University of Belize has undergone many growing pains since its establishment in August of 2000. It has seen three presidents, a number of chairpersons of its board of trustees and numerous high officials come and go.
But led by student body president, Moses Sulph, UB has found its activist voice in recent years in defense of the school’s improvement.
In January, 2008, ahead of the general elections, students in Belize City walked out of classes and attempted to meet with then Prime Minister Said Musa and Minister of Education Francis Fonseca over their concerns. At that time, they had promised to renew dialogue with the new administration after elections.
More than a month later, Sulph and his lieutenants kept that promise, meeting with the media on Wednesday, March 5 at the Belize City Business Campus on College Street.
Sulph outlined a number of what he called “requests” he would make the next day, today, to new Education Minister Patrick Faber, himself a former administrator with Anglican Cathedral College.
The students are asking for an increase of BZ$15 million in the university budget, to $25 million total, over a 3- to 4-year period. Sulph suggested that government consider taking revenue from oil and tourism for the steep increase, “if we ever envision the national university living up to its name”, he said.
UB’s students are also asking for autonomy from government interference in selection of university officials, and a government-funded, UB-managed institution to provide student assistance for the cost of fees and tuition.
Perhaps the biggest “request” is the inclusion of a UB representative at the Senate to speak for the students on national issues.
As far as Sulph is concerned, a change in government does not necessarily mean a change in attitude to the national university, and he is prepared to lead his students through whatever it takes to get government’s attention.
Sulph contacted Amandala today offering an update on the meeting with Hon. Faber in Belmopan, saying the meeting was “positive,” and that Faber assured him that the proposals, particularly the budget increase, would be taken seriously.