In late May, MUNFA wrote to all Deans at Memorial University requesting clear commitments to job security, consultation, and respect for Senate’s authority as the University moves to implement a permanent $20.85M cut to the base operating budget for 2025-26.
To date, three out of 17 Deans have responded to this request. Those who did reply generally affirmed that no tenured or tenure-track Academic Staff Members are expected to lose their positions and reaffirmed their intention to uphold shared governance processes. However, most Deans are yet to respond.
Meanwhile, academic staff members continue to await clear information from senior administration regarding how these cuts will be implemented. At a time when significant decisions affecting programs, staffing, and academic workloads are underway, the need for transparent communication on budget impacts remains urgent.
Several points emerged from the Dean responses:
- One Dean noted that most academic units are facing 5% or greater reductions to their base budgets, and that in many cases, over 80% of unit budgets are allocated to academic salaries.
- Significant reductions in contract teaching are anticipated in several faculties, potentially impacting course offerings and student access.
- Deans also identified increasing financial pressures linked to supervision-related ‘banked time’ liabilities (remission time owed to faculty), which may influence future planning.
The Association values the responses from academic leaders and is committed to continuing collegial dialogue as the budget process unfolds. At the same time, MUNFA remains concerned about the limited communication from senior administration regarding the details of budget implementation and will continue to advocate for greater transparency on behalf of its members.
