A recently obtained ATIPP request reveals more student dissent with the senior administration at Memorial University. In a letter to the Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences, Ailsa Craig, a student opposed cuts in the Department of Political Science and the contract termination of professor Dr. Mehmet Caman.
The student states that in 2020, Dr. Russell Williams stepped down as department head due to the university demanding that he cut 20 percent of the department’s course offerings. “We as students need more professors and more course offerings, not less,” says the student.”
Additionally, the student says, “the university is simultaneously more than doubling tuition fees, while not making any substantial changes to provide us a quality education.” The student points out that Dr. Caman escaped an oppressive regime in Turkey now only to face an oppressive regime at MUN.
“Students are seeing these cuts, seeing the tuition rise, and feeling alienated by the university administration. Many of us feel that the administrators do not care about our education or our experience at Memorial. It seems to many of us that it’s becoming less about learning and more about money.”
See the full email 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.
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