Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) St. John’s campus has had infrastructure woes for a long time, and the issue was in the media in the past. However, many members of the public are still unaware of the extent of how bad it is. The university campus is filled with cracks, leaks, dust, and temporary fixes.
Some of the buildings are decades old. Funding allocation at MUN seems to depend on the importance of the department or unit. Thousands of dollars were spent by the president’s office on luxury items, while other areas of the university are in an appalling state. Along with the eyesore of the crumbling infrastructure are also safety concerns.
Across much of the university, it is not uncommon to see garbage cans or recycling bins used to catch water dripping from the ceiling. Hoses and tarps are also used. There is patchwork on many walls throughout the university that has been there for the long term. Furthermore, many of the water fountains on campus are covered over with plastic bags.
Below are pictures that I took around campus:
Matt Barter is a fourth-year student in the Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty at Memorial University of Newfoundland, majoring in Political Science with a minor in Sociology. He enjoys reading thought-provoking articles, walks in nature, and volunteering in the community.
Matt Barter 
That’s a damning collection of photos!
LikeLike
I spose those water fountains are closed due to the AquaCOVID
LikeLike
Most of the new chilled water fountains are uncovered and are used regularly by the university community.
LikeLike
Ah, more funding for the Diversity, Inclusion, and Equality offices should fix this right up! 😀
LikeLike
Thank you so much for sharing, Matt. This really needs to be forwarded to the Provincial Government; Department of Health; all media etc. It seems apparent that it’s the ‘Top-Brass’ who gets the ‘perks’ such as clean drinking water, a comfortable chair and adequate access to a washroom facility. This is abhorrent, unacceptable and obscene, to say the least. Some of those pictures were evident when I first attended MUN in 1985! It is obvious where the Administration’s priorities lie. It’s about ‘window-dressing’ and neglecting not only infrastructure, and basic rights like access to clean drinking water and washrooms but making us believe that we need to recruit other ‘outsiders’ from the province and offer glorified salaries, plus extravagant bonuses and perks because no one within this province are duly qualified, or competent to do the job(s). I believe that it’s time for MUN to also be ‘merged’ into the Department of Education at Confederation Hill, as it seems like there is a ‘blank-cheque’ mentality operating here and the Administration at MUN are ‘free’ to do as they please with no consideration for the students and the people of this province. When their tenure/contract is done, these so-called ‘outsiders’ will take their cash and run away from this province leaving us, once again, holding the ‘economic-bag’. Control needs to be taken back because it is way-out-of-hand and this is ‘OUR’ University and ‘OUR’ future and we should not be allowing outside influences/staff to be dominating our destiny. This has been happening throughout our entire history and it has gotten us no where except deeper in debt and the laughing stock of the rest of Canada.
LikeLike
I 100% agree that these conditions are unacceptable and MUN is in need of a major facelift.. but many of these photos appear to be from the munnels (which honestly should be TAPED off for good haha) and not the buildings/classrooms themselves (which we can live with). I wouldn’t want any future MUN students dissuaded from attending because of these photos!
LikeLike
Unfortunate that you missed the general decrepitness that is the ceiling of the arts building, alas. Otherwise, a great collection of photos that perfectly capture the fine infrastructure at MUN
LikeLike