Liverpool: No one to replace me at UTT

Dr Hollis Liverpool has expressed concern that there are no suitable candidates to replace him as programme professor at the Academy of Arts, Culture and Public Affairs at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT). He was responding to Wednesday’s report  in the T&T Guardian that he was among four programme professors who had been axed by the university as their contracts were not renewed because they were over 70 years old.

The former Calypso Monarch said he has not been informed of his dismissal. Liverpool said his contract, which ended in September, had not been renewed, but he has continued lecturing. He admitted he learnt about the decision made by UTT last month. “There was nothing in writing. I was told verbally about the decision,” he said in a telephone interview on Wednesday.

And while he is not making a fuss, he said he has concerns, since he feels there are no suitable candidates to replace the people relieved of their teaching duties. The other casualties of the decision are associate provost Prof Jeanette Morris, who was head of education; Prof Winston Suite, head of civil engineering and UK Prof Collin Stevenson, who was head of maritime studies.

“You can only replace people at that level when you can find replacements,” Liverpool said. “What I tried to do was to find people who can teach the undergraduate students, but it is difficult to find people in the area of Carnival Studies.” He has served as programme professor for four years and was asked by former UTT president Professor Emeritus Ken Julien to join the university. Liverpool said he left his job as assistant professor of history at the University of the Virgin Islands to take up Julien’s offer.

“I continue to teach my class. But what happens to the students when I move?” he wondered. He lectures to students pursuing their BFAs and master’s in Carnival studies, supervises PhD students, foreigners and researchers, and has to manage forums, discussions and presentations.