Month: December 2021

98% increase in Blundon Centre students at MUN since 1992

ATIPP.

A recently obtained ATIPP request reveals the number of students and the number of tests/exams accommodated by semester at the Glenn Roy Blundon Centre (Accessibility Services) at Memorial University of Newfoundland St. John’s Campus. When the Blundon Centre first opened in Winter 1992, the number of students was 32, and in Fall 2021, the number is now 1,698 – a 98 percent increase.

The Blundon Centre has accommodated 26,700 tests/exams since Spring 2017, and there is no data before then. During the Fall 2019 semester, the highest number of tests/exams was accommodated at 3,431. There is no data for tests/exams from the Spring 2020 semester to Spring 2021 due to testing services not being offered during semesters that were mainly remote during the COVID-19 pandemic.

See data below:

Blundon Centre Usage Statistics W1992-F021

Semester# of Students# of Tests/Exams
W199232No Data
S199222No Data
F199262No Data
W119348No Data
S199321No Data
F199353No Data
W199454No Data
S199412No Data
F199440No Data
W199570No Data
S199519No Data
F199572No Data
W199666No Data
S199633No Data
F199671No Data
W199778No Data
S199724No Data
F199796No Data
W199879No Data
S199830No Data
F199873No Data
W199969No Data
S199928No Data
F199988No Data
W200069No Data
S200024No Data
F200077No Data
W200170No Data
S200131No Data
F2001115No Data
W200299No Data
S200232No Data
F2002133No Data
W2003108No Data
S200352No Data
F2003145No Data
W2004122No Data
S200441No Data
F2004168No Data
W2005168No Data
S200564No Data
F2005196No Data
W2006184No Data
S200673No Data
F2006202No Data
W2007188No Data
S200785No data
F2007267No Data
W2008211No Data
S200867No Data
F2008280No Data
W2009283No Data
S2009112No Data
F2009272No Data
W2010227No Data
S2010165No Data
F2010286No Data
W2011255No Data
S2011166No Data
F2011290No Data
W2012267No Data
S2012196No Data
F2012326No Data
W2013299No Data
S2013193No Data
F2013376No Data
W2014369No Data
S2014236No Data
F2014417No Data
W2015386No Data
S2015240No Data
F2015485No Data
W2016481No Data
S2016327No Data
F2016655No Data
W2017542No Data
S2017354626
F20177373,266
W20188053,068
S2018586734
F20181,0633,917
W20191,0893,862
S2019310859
F20198874,586
W20201,2553,431a
S20208970b
F20201,3850b
W20211,4500b
S20211,0450b
F20211,6982,351c
Footnotes
aAs this was the first semester impacted by COVID-19 pandemic, many of these scheduled exams and tests were not written at the Blundon Centre after March 18, 2020
bTesting Services were not offered during semesters that were primarily remote
cNumber of tests booked were lower because many courses did not have tests and exams in-person, or at all for the Fall 2021 semester.

Image format of ATIPP file:

blundon-centre-statistics-92-21Download

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.

MUNSU projects Breezeway renovations to cost up to $800K

Email from MUNSU.

On November 24th, 2021, I sent a request to the MUN Student Union (MUNSU) for the projected costs of The Breezeway bar renovations project. They have a bylaw, “Section 18: Records,” that states “1. The books and records of the Union, including all reports, minutes, financial records and statements, and other documents, once approved by the appropriate level of authority, shall be made available for inspection within three (3) business days by any member upon receipt by the Union of a written request.”

On November 29th, the Executive Director of External Affairs, Hilary Hennessey, responded to the request that the estimated cost for The Breezeway project is between $600,000 and $800,000. Hennessey states that the final amount will be adjusted to reflect changes made by the contractors. She then says that the executive and/or board will be reviewing any proposed changes before the contractors proceed.

The Breezeway logo.

Furthermore, Hennessey offered an opportunity to visit the office to review relative meeting minutes. She referred to the bylaw “2. The minutes of Board of Directors, executive meetings, general meetings, and other books and records of the Union, including all reports, financial records and statements, shall be kept in the Union General Office” and stated that minutes can be inspected but only in the MUNSU office.

The bylaw which Hennessey refers was written a long time ago and is outdated. It was a time when records were in the physical form and did not consider the digital world that we live in today. The main issue is that Hennessey only offered a viewing of the minutes and not the financial records.

In a Facebook statement released by MUNSU on November 22nd, 2021, they stated that the contractors had designed space for pop-up vendors to serve food on occasion and a small coffee shop. With the high costs of the project, one would think that it would include a restaurant. Most all bars and pubs in the modern era serve food daily, and it is an expectation that they do.

Another issue with The Breezeway is its size; it is one of the biggest bars in the City of St. John’s. The full bar space is only needed a few times a year at most for large concerts. The Breezeway looks like a bowling alley and is too large for a campus bar. It should be separated into different sections and perhaps even have it so that the walls can be taken down for the large concerts. Also, the location of The Breezeway is hidden away on the first level of the University Centre. Many people do not know where it is located or that it even exists. The Breezeway has historically been known as “the res kids bar,” meaning the students who use it the most live in the on-campus residences.

See the email below and pictures of The Breezeway in its current state and before renovations:

Current state:

Before renovations:

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.