Matt Barter

Gerard Curtis. Colleen Connors/CBC.

Memorial University Professor of Fine Arts Gerard Curtis, who teaches at Grenfell Campus in Corner Brook, took to social media on November 7, 2025, to speak out against President Morrison’s suggestion to sell Harlow Campus and what he described as the administration’s public relations tactic of posting only negative points about Harlow.

Curtis said he rarely asks for favours but is asking those who attended Harlow with Visual Arts or Theatre to email a letter about their experiences, addressed to the Chair and Members of the Board of Regents, as they have the ultimate say on selling the historical Harlow Campus property. He said it would also be helpful to cc your local MHA, the Minister of Education, and the new Premier, Tony Wakeham. 

He stated that the government cuts are ultimately driving this, and that the government appoints the Board of Regents in turn. He said the government should also be protecting the historic legacy of Memorial University rather than allowing it to be sold off by what he called a “rapacious administration.” 

Curtis listed key talking points:

1) Cost: The administration and the president say Harlow is too costly and that St. John’s students’ tuition fees subsidize it. Curtis argued that all of the university is costly and that “we all subsidize all campuses,” calling this a slippery-slope argument similar to one previously used to advocate closing Grenfell Campus.

2) Under-utilization: Curtis said Harlow is still heavily used by Visual Arts and Theatre, but the west coast campus is forgotten in this discussion. He said the president even claimed they teach courses online for students at Harlow, which he disputes. He said Harlow is booked out for the coming year after COVID impacts and previous poor management. Curtis stated that issues of poor historic management, recent conflict-of-interest problems the administration won’t discuss, short-term and poorly implemented business plans, and insufficient recruitment need to be fixed. He said that Professor Tom Cooper in Business has offered a new business model, but the administration is not interested in alternative options and only wants to sell.

3) Alternative study abroad experiences: Curtis stated that the administration claims students could or should use other travel methods. He argued that Harlow is unique in offering immersive education, especially for Newfoundland and Labrador students who have never travelled. He said it is the most cost-effective program of its type for both long-term and short-term student stays in London, as well as travel onward to Europe. He said the figures the administration is using for student costs are grossly inflated and do not accurately reflect actual costs, suggesting they are intended to serve a public relations agenda.

4) Elitist students: Curtis rejected the notion that Harlow serves only wealthy students. He said 15 of the 18 students on his last trip received financial support grants, disability and Indigenous travel support, and student loans. He argues that the administration is using the “elite student” narrative to create an “us vs. them” narrative for closing Harlow.

5) Maintenance issues: Curtis said that the entire university faces an underfunded $400 million maintenance crisis, and Harlow is only a small part of that. He argued that selling Harlow would do nothing for “extra” student travel after costs are considered and that any money would simply disappear into a black hole. He said universities that plan for the long term, such as the University of British Columbia, the University of Toronto, and the University of Cambridge, keep their estate rather than sell it. He said Harlow is part of Memorial’s heritage and history.

6) Courses only online: Curtis said the president claimed in a CBC article that most Harlow classes are taught online. “That’s news to me and the Theatre department,” he said, noting they are the heaviest users of the facility and teach only in person, with everything delivered on site. He argued that this is another example of public relations spin used to undermine Harlow, particularly its Grenfell students. 

Curtis said emails can be addressed to: 

tinas@mun.ca (Secretary to Board of Regents)

lisar@mun.ca (Executive Director)

premier@gov.nl.ca (Premier Tony Wakeham)

ministeredu@gov.nl.ca (Minister of Education Paul Dinn)