NEWS RELEASE
Office of the Official Opposition
For Immediate Release
Opposition pushes for changes to MUN legislation
A private members motion brought forward by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Education today is nothing more than a sham, says Opposition Education Critic Roland Butler.
Butler noted that instead of enhancing the autonomy of Memorial University (MUN), the motion would support the continuation of government interference in the appointment of a new president.
“This motion is a clear indication that the minister and the government believe they have done nothing wrong by interfering in the search for a new MUN president,” said Mr. Butler. “This government believes they have the right to conduct interviews and hand-pick the new president. I am continually shocked by their boldness, arrogance and outright lack of understanding of this issue.”
During the debate, Butler brought forward an amendment that calls on government to bring forward changes to the Memorial University Act that would restrict government interference. “If this government is serious about academic freedom and institutional autonomy, then I would hope they would support our amendment. If not, this government has proven again that they have no intention of allowing MUN to function without interference.”- 30 -
Media Contact:
Darrell Mercer
Director of Communications
Office of the Official Opposition
Tel: (709) 729-6151 or (709) 687-0477