Matt Barter

On January 16, 2025, a letter from Lisa Russell, Executive Director of the Office of the Board of Regents, confirmed that Memorial University President Neil Bose is under external investigation for alleged wrongdoing.

The matter stems from a complaint I filed on September 16, 2024, alleging that President Bose engaged in a conflict of interest by appointing his co-author and personal friend, Jingjing Xu, to the newly created position of Associate Vice-President of Harlow and Global Partnerships. This appointment, made without any consultation or open competition, raises significant concerns. Although Xu was interviewed by a sub-committee of the Harlow Board of Directors, she was, to my knowledge, the only candidate considered, and her name was directly brought forward by Bose.

On September 20, 2024, I received an acknowledgment of my complaint from Tina Scott, Secretary of the Board of Regents, stating that the matter would be reviewed by the Protected Disclosure Coordinator. However, I did not receive any further communication over the next four months. Frustrated by the delay, I wrote to the Office of the Board of Regents on January 16, 2025, seeking an update.

In her response on the same day, Russell informed me that upon reviewing my submission, she had determined that an external investigation into the alleged wrongdoing was warranted. She revealed that an external investigator had been appointed at the end of September but apologized for the oversight in failing to inform me that further action had been initiated.

While I appreciate that an external investigation is underway, I remain deeply concerned about the lack of communication throughout this process. Furthermore, I was not provided an opportunity to offer input on the selection of the external investigator. According to Section 5 of the Procedure for Investigation of Alleged Wrongdoing:

“No person should be selected where there is a real or perceived conflict of interest or reasonable apprehension of bias.”

Without transparency regarding the investigator’s identity or any opportunity to assess potential conflicts of interest, how can compliance with this critical procedural safeguard be ensured? To date, the investigator’s name has not been disclosed to me.

This lack of communication and transparency undermines trust in the investigation process and raises serious questions about its integrity. I urge Memorial University to address these issues promptly to ensure fairness and accountability.

View and download the letters below:

Matt Barter is a graduate of the Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty at Memorial University of Newfoundland, holding a degree in Political Science with a minor in Sociology. He enjoys reading thought-provoking articles, taking walks in nature, and volunteering in the community.