After the war, several buildings at the University of Liberia, including its natural sciences building, were used to house refugees and were stripped bare of resources. The grant supports other efforts to renovate the facilities and includes the acquisition of a medical library from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

Reafsnyder, also an associate vice president in the IU Office of International Affairs, said that more than 80 percent of biology faculty at the University of Liberia lack advanced degrees beyond the bachelor's degree.

"The shortage of health care workers means that a significant percentage of the population will continue to have limited access to health care and social welfare services unless action is taken to develop the country's health workforce," he said.

"Indiana University has a long-standing history of international engagement, which is designed not to benefit us, but designed to build institutions in parts of the world needing assistance. It goes back to Herman Wells' pivotal role in establishing the Free University of Berlin at the end of World War II," said David Zaret, IU vice president for international affairs. "In this case, we also are seeing how much our involvement with Liberia has been deeply valued."

IU has a long history of research interest and involvement in Liberia, which have provided many faculty members and students with an opportunity to directly engaged in things that they about. Claude Clegg, professor of history at IU Bloomington, and the late Gus Liebenow, professor emeritus of political science, have publ
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