Memorial University of Newfoundland Faculty Association (MUNFA) President Ashrafee Tanvir Hossain and Executive Member-at-Large from Grenfell Campus Nathalie Pender have joined the Board of Regents, after the province amended the Memorial University Act to allow faculty appointments.

MUNFA prepared a list of seven elected representatives to join the board at the request of the Minister of Education Krista Lynn Howell. To ensure a democratic process and enhance collegial governance, the list included candidates from partner campus unions as well as MUNFA. The provincial government only appointed two academic staff to the board.

Throughout the appointment process, MUNFA expressed concern about the suppression of the voices of academic staff members. With the exclusion of partner unions from the board, the association has vowed to continue the fight for changes to Memorial’s governance structure to ensure that all academic staff are included in the university’s decision-making processes.

During MUNFA’s strike at the beginning of the year, the Newfoundland and Labrador government committed to appointing academic staff to the board to help resolve concerns about governance at the province’s only university.