Memorial University’s Students’ Union will gather April 1 to discuss the possibility of cutting funding to MUN’s campus radio station – CHMR.
The station, which receives most of its funding through MUNSU, has been broadcasting for the last 50 years and is a treasured part of the university’s cultural footprint.
The motion to cut funding, made last week, took CHMR station manger Rhea Rollmann completely by surprise.
The recording studio at CHMR-FM (VOCM News)
The Director of External Affairs with MUNSU, Nathan Gillingham, understands that emotional connection, but says the union is facing some serious economic realities.
“Our 2024 audit has suggested that we are nearly $300,000 in deficit, with our auditors flagging that our operations at the moment are just not sustainable.”
Gillingham shares the frustration being expressed by many about the tough decision-making ahead.
“I really do share much of the sentiment right now,” says Gillingham. “Us, serving one-year terms on a student union, we kind of do inherit the finances and the operations of our predecessors…we inherited a very significant deficit, and it’s very clear that in order for us to maintain the services that we do have, we need to have an honest assessment about what we do provide as a student union.”
