DIGGING THE HOLE DEEPER AT MEMORIAL

I spent the afternoon running around picking up signs and visitor surveys from sites that participated in this years Doors Open program. I returned to the office and a frantic call from a friend at the University who could hardly wait to spill the beans on the latest communication snarl up related to the hiring of a new president for Memorial University.

Apparently a joint press release was forwarded to the media at 11:45 from Memorial and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. It was entitled Minister and Memorial Acting President Address University Autonomy
'

Media Advisory: Statement Issued in Error

The news release issued by the Department of Education today on university autonomy, entitled "Minister and Memorial Acting President Address University Autonomy" (NLIS 6, September 9), was issued in error without final sign off from Memorial University. Also, the Minister of Education confirms that the statement attributed to her on university autonomy was her position as the Minister of Education and not attributable to the Acting President of Memorial.

- 30 -

Media contact:
Jacquelyn Howard
Director of Communications
Department of Education
709-729-0048, 689-2624
jacquelynhoward@gov.nl.ca

2008 09 09

1:30 p.m.

What a screw-up? What a mess? What a joke. My favorite line, attributable to Minister Burke is

"As a government, we have never intervened in the autonomy of Memorial and endorse the practice of the university to conduct research that challenges important organizations or people and encourages informed debate within a respectful environment."

Sorry, but what do you call interviewing candidates and deeming them unworthy? Nope, no intervention there.

So does Dr. Campbell now agree that the process used earlier this year was okay.? The original release attributes this to him

"The role of the Provincial Government in governance is expressed through its selection of 17 of 30 members of the Board of Regents, and through the several approval processes set out in the Memorial University Act," said Dr. Campbell"

So what does this mean? Does it mean that government foots the bills and thus will do what it wants, as it sees fit, as it interprets the Memorial University Act? Will the Minister be judge, jury and executioner on any further picks for the presidents job? Will the government admit is was wrong, offer the Board of Regents first choice the job and move on?

This issue of accountability is kinda cure as well. The original release says:

Dr. Campbell and Minister Burke concluded that the Provincial Government and the university continue to believe in a strong and vital partnership and that the university continues to expect to be held accountable to the Provincial Government and by extension, to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, through the Board of Regents.

What the heck does that mean. Is Province is going to let the Board of Regents hire the next President, or not? It really says nothing about the major issues of contention.

VOCM has a report that says a meeting between the two occurred yesterday. Apparently the Province insists it has the final say on the selection of the president! Okay, but can the Minister still wheel and deal and not take the University's choice to cabinet?

I gather from this MUN and the Province can not agree on a diplomatic little release that relieves the pressure. Instead they make the University look like puppets on a sting by firing off a release that has not been approved by the President. Surely the President, The Minister and their two communications people had to have read over the draft and given approvals before the fax and send buttons were pushed. There is no mention of the release on the Memorial web page.

What a mess? I would not want to be working for Joan Burke today. I hope the Minister's office is full of fire retardant materials because she has gotta be breathing fire! I know my confidence in the minister would be shaken if I was sitting in the nice seal leather chair on the 8th floor.