There are many lessons that Vianne Timmons, President of Memorial University, could learn from Andrés Manuel López Obrador, President of Mexico, who is often known simply as AMLO.

Public Communications

Firstly, the openness of communication with the people. President López Obrador holds regular press briefings. Since taking office on December 1, 2018, President López Obrador has hosted a 7 am press conference almost every day on live television and on YouTube. The longer of these have been three hours. The President and Cabinet Ministers discuss important topics, such as infrastructure projects, the migrant crisis, and the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. They even talk about the cheapest places in Mexico to buy gas. On many occasions, President López Obrador even reads comments about him from supporters and critics. AMLO comes off as humble and sympathetic, often speaking calmly and sympathizing with the plights of his people.

According to the President’s office, an estimated 10 million people watch it daily. An interpreter in Mexico City, Ana Errasti, states, “Any reporter can go up and directly question the president, and he shows his human side, without a script.” The Mexico representative of the Committee to Protect Journalists, Jan-Albert Hootsen states, “The government is not performing the kind of direct censorship wielded by past governments, and that is positive.”

President Timmons, however, rarely speaks in such an open and honest way. When she first took office, she held a few town hall events for students, but since making unpopular decisions like the doubling of tuition fees and increase in lavish spending, she has not been among the average folks at the university. President Timmons seems to think that she is the darling of the province, who left when she was young, achieved great success, and returned now that she is older. It appears that she did not expect any criticism, even with the decision to increase tuition. It seems she thought that the people of the province would feel lucky to have her at the helm of the university, and therefore not lay serious criticisms against her. Timmons’ reaction to criticism has been to shut people out and censor dissent despite promises to hold student town halls when MUN returned to in-person learning in September 2021.

Setting an Example in Hard Times

President López Obrador took a pay cut when he took office. He said he should not be making so much money when Mexico was going through hard times financially. According to The Guardian, before taking office as President, AMLO committed to taking a 60 percent pay cut, meaning that he would earn less than half of his predecessor’s salary. He said that this was a part of an austerity push in government. He told reporters that “what we want is for the budget to reach everybody.” López Obrador planned to take home 108,000 pesos a month which translates to $5,707 at the exchange rate at the time. He also committed to no public official earning more than him during his six-year term.

President López Obrador made campaign promises to cut back on lavish spending and perks for high-level government officials, such as bodyguards, private medical insurance, and chauffeurs. He also said that the official presidential residence would become a cultural centre and that former presidents would no longer receive pensions. He committed to requiring public officials to disclose their assets and making corruption a serious offense.

At MUN, President Timmons has often said that we are all in a challenging financial situation together and that we all must do our part in terms of cuts and students paying more. Yet, Timmons takes a higher salary than her processor, which means she gets paid many times more than the President of Mexico. President Timmons also increased the salary of the provost’s position by 16.5 percent, along with creating several new senior administrative positions. Timmons also spent over $60K on an office “refresh.”

President Timmons could learn from President López Obrador.

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.

Since Memorial University sent their initial correspondence two weeks ago, on December 3rd, 2021, informing me of the campus ban, I have received very little information about how exactly I was in violation of the Student Code of Conduct and what is the process they would like to put me through. Therefore, I was left with no choice but to retain legal counsel. Today, my lawyer wrote the following to the Student Code of Conduct Office:

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.

On December 14, 2021, the MUN Students’ Union took to social media to call out the university for removal of their posters on campus.

They stated “Late last week, MUNSU put up over 100 of these posters around campus. We placed them primarily with other posters on cork boards. Some were placed on walls, but this was also almost exclusively in places where other non-MUNSU posters already were. Today, these are among the last few posters left up, two posters outside the MUNSU office. Nearly all of the posters have been removed from around campus even though other posters of a non-political nature remain, including in places that violate the university’s postering policy. Tell us again that the right to organize and peacefully protest is not under attack by the Dr. Timmons administration.”

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.

Even more pictures of Memorial University of Newfoundland’s crumbling infrastructure.

See photos below:

MUN’s infrastructure woes (a tour) part 1: https://mattbarter.ca/2021/11/04/muns-infrastructure-woes-a-tour/

MUN’s infrastructure woes (a tour) part 2: https://mattbarter.ca/2021/11/11/muns-infrastructure-woes-a-tour-part-2/

MUN’s infrastructure woes (a tour) part 3 https://mattbarter.ca/2021/11/28/muns-infrastructure-woes-a-tour-part-3/

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.

On December 6, 2021, MUN Students’ Union Executive Director of External Affairs Hilary Hennessy made the following statement to The Telegram regarding Memorial University of Newfoundland’s decision to ban a student for a tuition hike protest action:

“The fact the student code of conduct was used in such a way is concerning.”

“We are encouraging students to continue speaking out against university decisions, as we believe their thoughts and concerns should be considered in making such big decisions that create implications for the student body,” Hennessy said.

“This can happen to any student who takes a public stance, or any students’ union in regards to combating the tuition increase, for example, and what we can and cannot say. So, it really puts us in a hard situation, as we are kind of scared of misusing language or misusing our platforms to draw attention to issues coming from the head of the university when we’ve seen that when people have done this, now there are major implications such as being banned from campus itself.”

“We ask that if any student feels they have been subjected to cruel or unjust treatment as a result of the student code to please contact the director of advocacy at MUNSU at advocacy@munsu.ca.”

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.

On December 13, 2021, the MUN Students’ Union published a statement on the rights of students to dissent.

See the letter below:

Statement on Student Rights’ to Dissent

Memorial University of Newfoundland Students’ Union (MUNSU) stands in solidarity with student activists who have been silenced and/or banned from university life as a result of allegedly breaching the Student Code of Conduct. We encourage all students, faculty, and staff to continue to speak out against tuition fee increases, the privatization of education, and any university decision that negatively impacts students and our families forcing us further into debt and making the dream of education unattainable.

MUNSU echoes the statement released by the Canadian Federation of Students-Newfoundland and Labrador (CFS-NL), “students are currently facing unprecedented threats to accessible and affordable education in Newfoundland and Labrador. Young people and families across this province and country are terrified for their futures as their ability to access even a marginally affordable Post-Secondary Education is being ripped away. Low-income students and folks from marginalized backgrounds are watching as their opportunity to attend university disappears.”

Earlier this year, despite explicit approval from the University to place banners in specific areas of campus protesting cuts to MUNL and advertising a rally, those banners were removed by University staff within hours of being put up. MUNSU will no longer be asking for approval from the University for any such action.

Reflecting on the attack on activism at Memorial University, we are making the following calls to action:

1. For all senior administration, faculty, and staff to obtain training in order to become equipped with the skills needed to empathize and engage with students who are neurologically diverse such as Autism Awareness training. Other forms of training to better support, accommodate and work with those who identify as having a disability is also being suggested.
2. For the cessation of the banning of student activists, including those banned under the Student Code of Conduct;
3. An immediate review of the Student Code of Conduct with the purpose of removing any barriers to student activism;
4. For the explicit protection of students calling a presidential resignation as a form of expression. This ought not to be considered a personal attack, it is not based on the person as an individual but the person in a position of power. MUNSU has previously called for the resignation of former president Dr. Kachanoski, and students were not faced with the same consequences;
5. A public apology be made to any student that has been banned as a result of the Student Code of Conduct prohibiting activism.

Students, families, faculty, staff, and members of the university community have the right to peacefully protest and express their thoughts and concerns regarding university decisions without the fear of being banned and should feel free to do so. Peaceful protest without fear of reprisal, as has occurred here at Memorial, is critical to achieving a free and just society. Power must be challenged.

Due to the sensitive nature of this topic, we are encouraging all students who feel as if they have been subjected to cruel and/or unjust treatment as a result of the Student Code of Conduct to contact your Executive Director of Advocacy, John Mweemba at advocacy@munsu.ca. For all other inquiries, please feel free to get in touch with your Executive Director of External Affairs, Communications, and Research, Hilary Hennessey, at external@munsu.ca.

In Solidarity,
MUN Students’ Union (MUNSU)

See image format of letter below:

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.

Remembering Neil Tilley: Legendary MUN activist

BY ROGER BILL

When Neil Tilley and too other people marched into Art May’s office, the then-president of Memorial University told them to get out. They didn’t, and May called the police. The year was 1991, and the 100 people were protesting May’s decision to kill the University’s Extension Service.

Tilley, who was raised on a farm in Kelligrews, was a field worker with Memorial University’s Extension Service. Extension did more than offer evening classes and arts programs in St. John’s; it was Memorial’s agent for extending the resources of the University to rural communities, including the resources to support social and economic change. Tilley was one of Extension’s community organizers, and he was committed to rural Newfoundland.

“[Tilley] delighted in being called on the carpet because some cabinet minister had complained about his activities,” said friend and colleague Pat Hann. Cabinet ministers had always complained about the Extension Service’s activism, and had always pressured the University to rein it in. When Art May became Memorial’s president the politicians finally found a friend.

The police did come to May’s office that day and Tilley and the other protestors did leave, but not before photographing a person dressed in a gorilla costume sitting behind May’s desk. They turned the photo into a postcard, with the words “Office of the President. Memorial University” printed on the back, and for years afterwards Tilley and Hann would send one of the postcards to May on the anniversary of the killing of the Extension Service.

Looking back, the death of the Extension Service in 1991 seems to have marked a turning point, a point where Memorial turned away from community development and activism and began to measure success more in terms of getting research grants from defence contractors and pharmaceutical companies, and persuading oil and mining companies to pay for new buildings on campus. Tilley, however, did not change. He kept the faith, and along with Hann and others, kept the Extension name and formed the Extension Community Development Co-operative.

Tilley, who passed away on Jan. 26 after a battle with cancer, was president of the Council of Students’ Union (CSU) – the precursor to the MUN Students’ Union – in 1975-76. In the ’70s CSU presidents were expected to go into electoral politics, but Tilley went to Port-aux- Basques for the Extension Service when he graduated. Hann says fieldworkers were expected to help people “organize, plan, and take action,” he said. “We were shit disturbers.” Tilley was good at it.

“Neil was passionate about his work in rural Newfoundland. He would get fired up … he was a fantastic ranter, but he was also very funny. Neil was a fun-haver,” said Bruce Gilbert, a former Extension Service colleague of Tilley’s.

Tilley was organizing co-ops in rural Newfoundland when outport communities were still firmly in the grip of merchants and the clergy. Tilley was feisty, but friends say he had a gentle soul and went through life with a twinkle in his eye.

Tilley saw climate change coming more than 20 years ago: He joined the environmental organization Friends of the Earth, talked about sustainability, community health, wellness, and grew organic food on the family farm in Kelligrews.

“Neil was one of the first to make the connection between the environment and health,” said Gilbert. “He was ahead of the wave.”

Tilley had earned a master’s of arts in community leadership at Regis University in Colorado. Maybe that’s where his environmental sensibilities were sharpened, but Hann believes the seeds were sown during his childhood in Kelligrews.

“Neil’s uncles were into recycling when the people who did it were called junkmen … and they took Neil with them on their rounds,” said Hann.

As Tilley’s health declined he was still riding his 1961 Ferguson tractor, ploughing the family farm fields in Kelligrews. He continued to sell organic carrots at the Food for Thought natural food store on Duckworth Street and his small organic farm became an outdoor classroom for many. Tilley believed in adult education, not the kind of lifelong learning that Art May’s Memorial came to offer, or what Hann describes as “courses for well-off people in St. John’s who are bored.”

More than 30 years ago Tilley moved to the west coast of the island to work for the Extension Service. What followed was a lifetime of working with community groups, organizing meetings and conferences, sitting on committees, managing research projects, teaching in classrooms and community halls, producing educational videos, navigating local politics, making friends, and making a difference. Memorial University may have fired Tilley, but it did not stop him.

Originally published in The Muse on February 8, 2008.

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.

Technocracy at MUN

It seems President Vianne Timmons has a vision for the university that she thinks is best. The problem is she also seems to want everyone to just go along with it and keep their criticisms to themselves. In this world, there is no space for critical posters calling for her to step down. There is no space for a silent protest. Criticisms seem to be treated as an existential threat to her leadership rather than an opportunity for debate. Now, Timmons has self-righteously weaponized a disciplinary procedure to silence my dissent.

According to Investopedia, technocracy is “a model of governance wherein decision-makers are chosen for office based on their technical expertise and background. A technocracy differs from a traditional democracy in that individuals selected to a leadership role are chosen through a process that emphasizes their relevant skills and proven performance, as opposed to whether or not they fit the majority interests of a popular vote.”

In a technocracy, also according to Investopedia, “the acts and decisions of technocrats can come into conflict with the will, rights, and interests of the people whom they rule over.” Moreover, “a powerful, entrenched, unaccountable, and oligarchic technocracy which governs in its own interests.”

Timmons has stated that everyone at MUN must be on “Team Memorial.” She insists that we all share a common goal. But what does that really mean? Does it mean we all work together? Or does it mean we all do as we are told and stay quiet? Does it mean we don’t raise questions about the decisions taken at the top?

After many people thought Former President Gary Kachanoski seemed to live in an ivory tower, Timmons arrived on campus with a smile on her face and went around the community taking selfies with different people. She seems to want to be a local celebrity. Was she trying to be more likable so people would not question the unpopular decisions she would make? The truth is that Timmons is a member of the elite in this province, and, to a certain extent, Canada. She is part of the Order of a Canada, an honor bestowed by the Governor General on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II. She often gives exclusive presentations to influential groups in NL, such as her upcoming presentation to the St. John’s Board of Trade, which non-members can attend but the cost of tickets is $75. The Government of NL appoints several people to the university’s Board of Regents. According to Timmons’s current employment contract, she can be fired at any time without cause by this board. Doesn’t that put her at their mercy? Would she not be hesitant to do anything that would not please them?

The reality is a student’s goal may be to do the best they can with their coursework to obtain a degree. The goal of a professor may be to obtain research grant funding. The goal of a senior administration may be to move up the ladder and career advancement. As is evident by these examples, the actual goals of different groups on campus are very different. But what does Timmons want? It seems to me she wants to enforce and uphold the status quo that she benefits from.

Timmons has blocked several people on Twitter for questioning her lavish office renovations and asking why she banned a student protester. Online, as in person, her approach seems to be to silence critics.

Timmons has stated that students need to be taught how to protest respectfully. Is that really so we do not hurt anyone’s feelings or just so that we do not protest efficiently? There is tremendous power in deciding what constitutes protest or not. We do not want a university where anything, but the mildest criticism constitutes something other than protesting, and is therefore punishable. Would it not be possible to narrow the definition of what protesting is so much that effective student movements become impossible? Perhaps MUN will offer a course in protesting with Timmons’ approval of the materials.

Historically, MUN has been extremely accepting of protesting. In 1972, students took over the Arts and Administration building for ten days when the university president decided to withhold the student union fees that were collected. In 1980, students shut down the parkway on Prince Philip Drive until their demands were met after a student was struck and killed. What would have happened to these protesters if the past presidents had the same view of protesting as MUN does now?

It is no surprise that campaigns against tuition hikes anger those in the post-secondary establishment. University executives waste hundreds of thousands on ineffective strategies to improve the university and on lavish spending all the time. For example, Timmons spent around $60K for an office “refresh.”

The recent decision to ban me from campus is power politics. I believe this will have a chilling effect on future protests and criticism on campus. It seems that the intention is to make an example of me to instill fear in others. Open debate and dialogue have already declined in the university as my posters were taken down and I was banned from 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.

On December 6th, 2021, the Canadian Federation of Students Newfoundland and Labrador published a letter regarding students’ right to protest.

See the letter below:

Statement on Students’ Rights to Demonstrate

The Canadian Federation of Students Newfoundland and Labrador stands firmly behind the rights of all students, faculty, and staff at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador to engage in protest. Given recent events, CFS-NL would like to emphasize the vital importance of students’ right to engage in peaceful assemblies, protests, and demonstrations. As per the Universities Student Code of Conduct:

“Students and members of the University community enjoy the freedom to pursue their intellectual and personal interests without interference. The objectives of the University are the pursuit of learning through scholarship, teaching, and research within a spirit of free inquiry and expression. The University recognizes academic freedom and the right to free speech, creative expression, and peaceful protest, acknowledging that the common good of society depends upon the search for knowledge and its free expression.

The following are not considered “disruption” in accordance with this section:

Peaceful assemblies, demonstrations, picketing, or other activity outside a class or meeting that does not substantially interfere with the communication inside, or impede access to the meeting or class.
Silent or symbolic protest.”

Dr. Timmons has repeatedly stated her belief that it is a student’s right and responsibility to protest. Although we would like to emphasize that students should be able to focus their time and energy on accessing their education rather than defending their right to it, recent actions taken by Dr. Timmons and the administration at MUNL have directly contradicted these statements.
Students have been repeatedly met with unnecessary and unwarranted restrictions to their ability to engage in peaceful protest and dialogue with the University. At a recent demonstration at Grenfell Campus, students were prevented from hanging posters by the University Administration. They were also faced with unwarranted surveillance by the University’s Campus Enforcement and Patrol.

Students are currently facing unprecedented threats to accessible and affordable education in Newfoundland and Labrador. Young people and families across this province and country are terrified for their futures as their ability to access even a marginally affordable Post-Secondary Education is being ripped away. Low-income students and folks from marginalized backgrounds are watching as their opportunity to attend university disappears. Students, families, faculty, staff, and members of our community are devastated, and the right of these folks to express that fear and peacefully protest the exclusionary and predatory actions of MUNL must be protected.

See image format of the letter below:

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.

The Sally & Chuck Davis Club (NL) – Communist Party of Canada published a letter on December 6, 2021, regarding the freedom to protest at Memorial University of Newfoundland.

See the letter below:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Statement Concerning Freedom of Expression at Memorial University

December 6, 2021

We are gravely concerned to have learned this weekend that Matthew Barter, a fourth-year student at Memorial University, has been banned from St. John’s campus buildings outside of classes for allegedly engaging in harassing or intimidating actions towards university president Dr. Vianne Timmons.

We know that Matthew Barter has been actively engaged in important campaigns on campus in support of greater accessibility as well as opposition to funding cuts to the university. Barter has regularly commented about the poor state of repair in various parts of the university buildings and engaged in conversations and informal polling of members of the student body about the university’s priorities. Barter has also been a vocal opponent of the university’s plan to eliminate the tuition freeze even while maintaining the high salaries of certain positions including the president. In addition to publishing these positions on his website and social media, Barter has engaged in some protests on campus. These included putting posters up demanding Dr. Timmons’ resignation as well as holding up a sign at a December 2 speech by Dr. Timmons saying “Stop Vianne: No to tuition hikes and out of control spending!” The university had responded to the posters by hauling them down and claiming a violation of the respectful workplace policy. And now Barter’s silent protest action on December 2 has led to a ban on his physical presence on campus.

The Communist Party agrees with MUNFA that Barter’s actions constitute a legitimate protest and that they are not a personal attack on Dr. Timmons but rather directed at her public position as president of the university. We condemn this blatant censorship as well as the profoundly undemocratic leadership of the university as a whole. These actions clearly demonstrate that Dr. Timmons is unwilling to accept serious criticism or engage in honest discussion of uncomfortable realities for students at Memorial. We demand that the ban be rescinded immediately and that the university issue an apology to Barter and the entire university community.

The Communist Party is unequivocally opposed to tuition increases and we believe the university and different levels of government should be working to eliminate tuition fees altogether. The university’s act of censorship is a statement that they are committed to neoliberal austerity, shifting the financial burden ever more on the backs of the working class.

See image format of letter below.

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.