Fall course offerings came out the week of June 23, and some students are worried.
There is no set schedule for completing university. Just getting a degree is an achievement in itself, and there’s nothing wrong with taking time off or going at an individually manageable pace to avoid burnout or accommodate other responsibilities.
However, continuous cuts to funding, courses – including the frequency at which courses are offered – and sometimes entire programs, have impeded Memorial students’ ability to graduate “on time,” within the typical four years.
Naturally, this swiftly depleting budget is resulting in cuts to programs and courses, greatly affecting students’ University experience, finances, and projected graduation timelines. MUN students’ agitation is easily justifiable, paying more tuition for fewer course and program options is objectively not a great deal.
MUN’s biggest attractions are its acclaimed Engineering, Business, Medicine, and Marine Sciences programs, and shockingly, these faculties are being affected as well. Still, students in other programs believe that they deserve better – and that includes the ability to graduate “on time.”
Internal financial issues, unions demanding restored government funding
By this point, it’s widely known that MUN has some staggering internal financial issues. The auditor general’s report released earlier this year outlined over $480 million in deferred maintenance and severe mismanagement of funds.
The recently updated budget workbook outlines a whopping $20.85 million reduction in the 2025-2026 budget.
To amend the rescinded government funding allowing Memorial to maintain the tuition freeze, the University presented a new tuition framework, implemented in 2022. Despite the tuition increase, the university continues to slash its budget, attempting to rectify the millions of dollars in deferred maintenance and deficits.
In response to this, a #FundMUN campaign was launched in Fall 2024, allying both staff and student unions calling on the provincial government to reinstate the university’s rescinded funding.
St. John’s campus course offerings inadequate, students say
So far, there seems to be little rhyme or reason to what exactly gets cut. Generally, with these things, the Humanities are the first to go, as seen at other Canadian universities, notably Saint Mary’s and Queens, but surprisingly, some STEM programs at MUN are facing cuts as well.
Biology student Kaitlen Morrissey expected to graduate after the current Spring semester with her Bachelor of Science degree, complete with a concentration in Applied Ecology and Conservation. Morrissey only had two field courses left to fulfill her degree requirements, but due to the cuts the courses were not offered, forcing her to take an extra semester.
Morrissey explained that she’s gone over her eligibility for the reduced rates, now forced to pay the higher fees. “I’m going over my time for the tuition freeze. I said this to my lab partner, we’re all doing at least an extra semester.”
“I’ve been affected by the course cuts twice in my time at MUN, both times causing a delay in my degree,” said Meghan Pennell, another student. Pennell set out to pursue Education, and, excited to be admitted to the program, began completing the courses required for application.
A required geography course for her focus area was not offered, and the faculty administration denied her request to complete a higher-level course in its place.
“This had delayed my degree by a year. Since that time, I’ve changed degree plans and am currently a CMST [Communications and Media Studies] major,” Pennell said.
Her expected graduation time would have been this Fall, but due to a required course only being offered in the Winter this upcoming academic year, Pennell is stuck doing another semester.
Many grievances can accompany unexpectedly longer degrees, such as financial strain and precarious housing access, piling on additional stress for already overburdened students.
Grenfell campus also affected
Grenfell Campus isn’t exempt from the cuts either. In particular, the Visual Arts program is experiencing slashes to its course offerings. Evan Williams, a Visual Arts student who just completed his first year, spoke with the Muse about the confusion and frustration Grenfell students are experiencing.
Visual Arts students are required to pick three studio courses per semester. There are usually about five options to choose from, but when Williams went to select his Winter Semester courses, the offerings were disappointing.
“Me and my friends went to pick our courses for the winter semester and saw there were only four studios and we got really confused,” said Williams.
“We called over one of our professors like, ‘Hey, what’s going on? Where’s the performance art class?’ And he was like, ‘yeah, about that…’ They straight up just got rid of them without telling us… we had to find out on our own.”
According to Williams’ professor, multiple Visual Arts courses were cut without any communication from the university. This led to overcrowded classes, students unhappy with their options, and inadequate resources to accommodate the surplus of students in the studio courses that went ahead. VA upperclassmen have also expressed upset on social media, stating that there are not enough third-year courses for the students enrolled.
In lieu of this, the Visual Arts students staged a peaceful protest in the atrium of their Fine Arts building, aiming to draw some attention and hopefully get some answers about what was happening to their program.
“We were in class and our prof had to tell us, ‘Hey, yeah, sorry, three of your courses were cut.’ And I think everyone immediately said, ‘Oh, I guess we’re doing a protest.’ And we had a protest… We took the day off. It was a Thursday. All of our profs were cool with it. They showed up for it,” Williams said.
“The Dean of Fine Arts kind of just emailed us and was like, yeah, that really sucks, but nothing I can do. We didn’t really get any communication on why, which really sucked.”
Students also launched a “Save Grenfell Visual Arts” petition, and Fund Grenfell Visual Arts Instagram page and website, posting artwork, advocacy, and surveys for students to share how they’ve been affected.
Most of the Visual Arts students should still be able to graduate, albeit with varying options every year. Williams said a few of his classmates are considering transferring elsewhere. While the studio cuts are not absolutely detrimental to their university careers as of right now, some students are disappointed in the lack of choice and lack of communication from Memorial.
Uncertain projections
These are only a few selected stories from a couple students who came forward, there are likely many more who have been affected. Regardless of program, students seem frustrated with the lack of communication from Memorial regarding what will be offered, not offered, and when.
The MUN Budget FAQs website, in response to the question “Will programs be cut and people laid off?” states that “focused discussions are occurring around the future direction of Memorial University, its strategic priorities and structural changes. That will include a conversation about the programs that we offer and the sustainability of some positions.” This appears to be a worrying statement for both students and faculty.
When asked for comment, the Memorial Registrar’s office and Provost’s office stated that “Memorial remains committed to a positive student experience and to supporting students as they complete their academic programs.”
Memorial affirmed that the total number of course offerings for Fall 2024 and Fall 2025 is comparable at 1939 and 1905, respectively, saying “that figure will increase or decrease throughout the registration cycle as units monitor enrolment and waitlists and respond to demand for courses.”
The Board of Regents has also approved $3.9 million for contracting teaching positions.
“It is commonplace for a university to periodically reevaluate certain programs based on enrolment and interest, particularly certificate and diploma programs. Doing so ensures we’re meeting our students where their interests and aspirations lay, as the world and our workforce evolves. Likewise, universities cannot offer certain higher-level courses in each semester if there isn’t sufficient demand to fill them.”
“However, in the event students are impacted by changes to programs or a course they need, they will be provided support to finish their program. Students should consult with academic advisors in their unit as needed, as these advisors can outline options to resolve their individual challenge. For example, sometimes an alternate course can be taken in lieu of the one they need to graduate,” the statement said.
This comes at a similar time to over 20 staff layoffs and the closure of the Harris Center and Office of Public Engagement. MUNSU issued an official statement of concern about this announcement, calling on incoming President Dr. Janet Morrison to take action to amend the cuts.
Some students believe that failure to effectively communicate changes to programs, courses, and services makes it more difficult for people to plan their degrees accordingly. Any attempts to budget with MUN’s current finances are a difficult challenge amid continued cuts; however, it is clear that ongoing practices have drawn criticism from students seeking graduation and sparked calls for change.
