The provincial government is encouraged by what it calls a first step by Memorial University to reduce its overhead, but says the tuition freeze next fall remains in place.
MUN shuffled and renamed some executive positions yesterday, knocking off $1-million of the $20-million it has to cut. One job was eliminated.
Education Minister Paul Dinn sees it as a start.
His understanding is that some of the jobs were moved to lower-paying positions.
“You have to start somewhere and the university has chosen to start here,” says Minister Dinn. “I can’t argue against it – I really can’t.”
President Janet Morrison and Board Chair Justin Ladha speak with media about the changes. (VOCM News)
He says there will be no increase in tuition fees come the fall.
“They have no fear of that rising,” assures Dinn.
Lisa Moores of MUNFA was not surprised to see the university reduce costs through changes at the administration level.
Moores says the area has seen a significant amount of expansion over the last ten years, a time when revenue was decreasing.
“Our faculty numbers, on the other hand, decreased.”
