Glenn Barnes faces calls from MUNSU and the Progressive Conservatives for him to step aside as chair of the Board of Regents. In June, Barnes forwarded a pro-Palestinian email from alumna Becky Winsor to her father. The email was part of a campaign by MUN Students for Palestine for divestment from companies tied to Israel’s war on Gaza. A MUN privacy investigation determined this was a violation of her privacy.
In an email to Winsor’s father, Barnes said he is “telling parents that I know just what their kids are doing. Theirs is not the only viewpoint but this group thinks they are correct and that MUN ought to be in lock step with them. They need to grow up.“
The Board of Regents is conducting a review to determine whether Barnes violated their code of conduct. Members are expected to convene soon to decide how to proceed. Possible outcomes outlined in the code include a warning, a temporary suspension, or termination.
The specific sections of the code that could be relevant to the review are confidentiality and respect. It says that “Members are expected to respect the confidentiality of any materials provided as part of their duties as a Member of the Board.”
The code also states that “Members will recognize the diverse views, opinions, and experiences of Members and the University Community and look to build and support a culture free of harassment, discrimination, and intimidation.”
Both PCs and MUNSU call for Barnes’ removal
PC Education critic Paul Dinn released a statement calling for the removal of Barnes. Dinn said this incident “is both insulting and condescending to Ms. Winsor and her father, and contrary to board code of conduct.”
“It demonstrates a severe lack of judgement and professionalism. Unfortunately, MUN continues to make headlines for all the wrong reasons, and the Chair of the Board of Regents must be held accountable.”
MUNSU also called for Barnes’ removal. In a statement, it said that it is “very clear to the student body that Barnes must be immediately removed in order to prevent further reputational harm to the university, as well as harm to students impacted by the humanitarian crisis in Palestine.”
NDP Leader Jim Dinn said he’s taking the lead from students. “At the very least Mr. Barnes owes an apology,” said Dinn. According to Dinn, Barnes’s actions showed a lack of respect for the MUN community.
Liberal Education Minister Krista Lynn Howell said that “the Provincial Government is aware of the privacy breach” and that “the Department of Education will await the outcome of the Board of Regent’s processes.“
MUNFA called on Barnes to step down while the review is ongoing. President Josh Lepawsky said that “everyone is entitled to due process, but it simply makes sense that while the process is underway, that the person being investigated for whatever reason should step aside from the case.”
He continued, stating the situation “suggests a very severe lack of judgement on the part of the chair and an inability to separate the chair’s personal feelings from the mandate that he’s entrusted with, which is to oversee the best interests of the university as a whole.”
At the time of publication, Glenn Barnes has not responded to requests for comment, but in a previous statement provided by Media Relations Manager Chad Pelley, he said that he was “committed to participating in the investigative process and will not be speaking publicly on this matter.”