Press Release: For Immediate Release Wednesday, November 1st 2023
The Lecturers’ Union of Memorial University (LUMUN) says they are “gobsmacked” by the Auditor General’s Report on Memorial University.
“The administrative bloat uncovered in this report beggars belief when you consider the huge difference between Senior Administrators’ working conditions and those of LUMUN Per Course Instructors,” says Alison Coffin on behalf of LUMUN. “LUMUN Per Course Instructors are valuable faculty members who excel in the face of ever-larger classes in underfunded and poorly maintained physical infrastructure.”
The union contrasts the “Employee Service Award Dinner for employees and their guests … at a cost of $6,936, including alcohol” with a Per Course Instructor’s salary, which is $5,000 – $5,875 for teaching an entire course.
“The cost of that one dinner could have paid a LUMUN member to teach 104 students an economics course with enough money left over to get everyone a 2-piece fish and chips.” says Coffin. “These spending choices certainly say a lot about Memorial’s priorities.”
LUMUN welcomes the changes to governance and spending that are underway at MUN. The union hopes they result in a realignment of the University’s priorities to better meet the needs of our students and the broader university community.
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For more information and interviews please contact: Info@lumun.ca
Lecturers' Union of Memorial University 