'It's a positive budget for us': MUN, students and faculty weigh in on provincial budget
MUN students and faculty say more work needs to be done
After a year of budget cuts, restricted hiring, and a scathing auditor general's report finding millions of dollars in deferred maintenance, Memorial University is welcoming a funding boost from the provincial government.
The province tabled its 2025 budget last Wednesday, which allocated $400 million to the university – $89 million more than last year.
"I would say it's a very positive budget for us and we were delighted to see that the provincial government is willing to invest in Memorial University," said MUN president Jennifer Lokash.
That money includes $312 million for the university's core operating grant, with $7.8 million allocated to the campus renewal fee, which will save full-time students $500 a year.
Also, $13.7 million will go to support the university's budget, $4.7 million will go to the Faculty of Nursing's satellite sites and $2 million for the Doctor of Psychology program.
Since 2022 the province has been cutting funding to the tuition offset grant, but no further cuts were made in this year's budget.
"That planned reduction was going to be really hard for the institution," said Lokash. "Having a reprieve from that reduction is incredibly helpful to us."
On top of that, is $70 million over the next eight years for deferred maintenance.
Last January, the province's auditor general found $481 million in deferred maintenance liabilities, including an asbestos-filled tunnel system and mould.
Lokash said she is aware of the problems and that they've made progress, but says the new funds "will have real tangible impacts on what we can do."
In the meantime, Lokash says the university will continue advocating for more deferred maintenance funding.
"We still have work to do in order to address the auditor general's report and to just generally become a more efficient, well governed institution," said Lokash.
Students and faculty cautiously optimistic
Some students were happy to hear about the increase in funding.
Computer science student Adarsh Dubey said he has seen buildings deteriorate and tuition fees increase since he first started. He hopes this money will mean decreased tuition fees and repairs to older buildings.
"I'll be more than happy to see everything going back to square one like the way it used to be," he said.
After the auditor general's report, MUN's students' union called for more government funding to the university.
Nicolas Keough, MUNSU's director of external affairs, said he is optimistic about the new provincial budget and the funds dedicated to deferred maintenance, but says it's not enough to fix all the problems.
Keough said he is happy to see the pause to the cuts to tuition offset and the removal of the campus renewal fee, but says the university needs to do more to help students.
"We didn't realize that there was going to be a pause on these cuts. So, I think that Memorial should in turn pause the increases in tuition," said Keough.
Despite the budget increase, MUN faculty association president Josh Lepawsky said, "it's a continuation of the defunding of public education in the province."
Lepawsky said the base operating budget remains 50 percent lower than what it was 10 years ago. And, he says the money for deferred maintenance is not enough.
"It's really just drops in a bucket that aren't going to do much," said Lepawsky.
He also says that the failing infrastructure won't help attract and retain faculty, on top of the restricting hiring program.
"It's just completely mixed messages and mainly a continuation of the defunding of the freedom to learn in the province," he said.
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With files from Terry Roberts