MUN slashes VP positions, as PCs reinstate tuition freeze

The Newfoundland and Labrador government announced a tuition freeze at Memorial University that will stay in place until the university can address its financial challenges — just 45 minutes before the university announced it was cutting top jobs.

On Tuesday, the University said it was bringing in a new executive structure effective March 1, which will see the number of vice-presidents cut from seven to three.

A statement on the MUN Gazette website said the move would create a "smaller, more focused executive team."

The three vice president positions that will remain are vice president, finance and administration, vice president, research and innovation, and provost and vice president, academic.

The structure also includes three deputy provost positions: one for Grenfell Campus and Labrador Campus combined — as the vacant role of vice provost of Labrador Campus has been eliminated — one for Marine Institute and one for deputy provost and dean of graduate studies.

The role of vice president, Indigenous will become a special advisor to the president of Indigenous Affairs.

In total, Morrison said nine positions were impacted by the changes. Only one cut resulted in an employee being let go, she added, the vice president, external relations and advancement. That position was held by Lisa Browne.

"Memorial is facing a significant moment in its history, right? Enrolment is declining, costs are increasing, revenue overall is going down. Our infrastructure is aging, [the] labour market is changing, and the disruption all around us is unprecedented," Morrison told reporters.

"This is an important step forward in creating alignment, consistency and setting priorities, but nobody is shying away from the reality that there's more work to be done."

When asked what Memorial's deficit currently is, Morrison said it was between $24 million and $25 million.

Less than an hour before the announcement, Education Minister Paul Dinn told reporters the government would be reinstating a tuition freeze for Newfoundland and Labrador's only university.

Dinn said he's hopeful the freeze can apply to the fall 2026 semester, but it will be in place until MUN can get its finances in order.

"We're not going to let the university balance the books on the backs of the students. And part of that is no tuition increases until we see, or are confident, that Memorial University are addressing their fiscal challenges," Dinn said.

"Until we see that, there's a tuition freeze."