In a letter to the Minister of Education obtained by the Muse via an access to information request, former Chair of the Board of Regents Glenn Barnes gives his perspective on the events that led to his resignation.
Barnes resigned from the Board on August 15th after an internal review found that he had violated its Code of Conduct. Barnes emailed the father of an alumna who sent him a letter requesting that Memorial divest from companies with ties to Israel’s invasion of Gaza.
The letter was part of a ‘click-to-email’ campaign organized by MUN Students for Palestine. In the email to the alumna’s father, Barnes said he was “telling parents that I know just what their kids are doing,” and that the student protesters “need to grow up.”
According to the former student, her father replied to Barnes to say that he should direct his comments to her and that it was not appropriate for him to send the email to outside parties.
“My first response was, I’m 35. I have two children of my own. I’m not a kid. And, certainly, neither are any university students,” said Becky Winsor, teacher and Memorial Alumna responding to the incident in an interview with the Muse in July 2024.
“I’m an alumni, so I’m not a current student, but for any person, community, student, alumni, whomever, it’s very concerning that someone in that position … would be tattling to parents of adult children.”
Barnes does not directly address this incident in the letter and has not spoken publicly on the issue.
Resignation letter received by access to information request
In the letter, Barnes says he was “saddened with the extent of personal and professional attacks on the leadership of Memorial and also those directed at me personally.” He does not give any examples of these attacks.
He says that he “was taught to be kind, to be honest, to put others ahead of yourself and to do what you can to help others. I was taught to respect others, to seek the facts first.”
“Sadly, this is in short supply in some areas related to Memorial.”
Nikita Stapleton, a member of MUN Students For Palestine, says that Barnes fails to take accountability in his letter.
“Barnes laments the ‘challenges facing MUN’ but takes no accountability for his own role in exacerbating them via his privacy violation and inappropriate response to public concerns,” says Stapleton.
In a response to the letter, Education Minister Krista-Lynn Howell said she regrets the circumstances that led to his resignation and thanked him for his contributions as chair.
The Muse contacted Barnes for comment but has not received a response.
Barnes’ full letter is reproduced below:
“I was honoured to have been appointed in 2017 to sit on the Memorial University Board of Regents. In October 2022 I was appointed as chair. Memorial has and continues to face challenges and great opportunities.
Memorial, and indeed post secondary institutions worldwide have been and continue to be under pressure to reduce cost as the publics willingness to finance such institutions and general fiscal capacity declines. Memorial has and continues to respond to that, however that is negatively impacting programming and facilities.
There is an ever-present requirement to balance ensuring that Memorial fulfills its mandate from and responsibility to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador and to our students to provide a quality education and carry out research that is vital to our society in a fiscally prudent manner.
Memorial is ever evolving as society changes and we are tasked to respond to contemporary educational and research needs. I believe that as Memorial enters its second century it is at a point of inflection as we must find ways to reshape the institution to meet current and future need within several challenges.
Memorial has many challenges. The seeds of many were sown prior to my being appointed as chair. I came into this role with a personal mandate to do what I could to make Memorial a happier place, a more positive place to work, learn and research. I believe that in part that has been achieved.
I have worked to lead in a reshaping of our fiscal approaches and started a reshaping of the institution as a whole torespond to contemporary and future needs of our people and society within the area of the mandate of the Board of Regents. There is much work that remains.
Sadly, progress has been and continues to be slow. There have been however many successes such as the masters degree in Artificial Intelligence, and the masters in Social Enterprise. Memorial work in being great equalizer – of leading society in respect for all cultures, in equality for all persons is commendable.
The leadership of Memorial continues to manage relentless challenges from within and externally. There has been a constant line of major files since I became chair that have and continue to take attention away from our core mandate as an institution and slow down progress in moving Memorial forward.
Memorial, the people of our province and our students in my view are not being well served when attention is so focused on so many agendas and biases. Universities are places of free thought and expression within the rule of law, good taste, honesty and respect for others.
I sure everyone associated with Memorial guards this right. The day free expression is thwarted would be a sad day for our world. Sadly, this is already the case in some parts of the globe.
I am saddened with the extent of personal and professional attacks on the leadership of Memorial and also those directed at me personally which have been based on inaccurate information and incorrect assumptions. I was taught to be kind, to be honest, to put others ahead of yourself and to do what you can to help others.
I was taught to respect others, to seek the facts first. Sadly, this is in short supply in some areas related to Memorial. I have worked very closely with the leaders and administrators at Memorial every day. I say without any hesitancy that each and every one of them is the finest that I have ever worked with. We are fortunate to have such a highly skilled, talented and dedicated group.
These people are not nine-to-five people. They work nights, weekends and holidays on a regular basis. They are always available. They give up vacations, many gave up their Christmas last year, and most recently several weekends dealing with recent protest challenges.
Senior leadership have been the recipients of terrible comments from those who seek to advance their own causes. These were completely unwarranted.
It is unfortunate that so much attention, time and effort is focused on those at many levels of Memorial who seek to advance personal biases and causes which do negatively impact those who wish to work and learn in a comfortable environment.
Express views yes, but please do respect others views and right to lead, work and learn.
I am precluded from speaking about Board of Regents activities. However, I feel that I have little choice but to ask you to seek a new chair of the Board of Regents.
I do this with a heavy heart. I was honoured to be appointed to the Board of Regents and then its chair. However, the relentless nasty comments and actions have led me to this decision.
I wish Memorial, its students and in particular its senior leadership and administrators every joy and success in the future. Memorial is a critical institution to our province; it deserves the full support of every citizen.“
Response from Minster Krista Lynn Howell:
“On behalf of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, thank you for your correspondence earlier today submitting your resignation as Chair of the Board of Regents at Memorial University.
I appreciate the information you provided in your correspondence and acknowledge the challenging times of change facing our university and its leadership team.
I regret the circumstances that led to your resignation and would like to thank you for your work and contribution to the university during your time as Chair.”
