N.L. education minister rejects candidates for university’s top post
Says public expects government "to show leadership"
Newfoundland and Labrador’s education minister says she rejected candidates for Memorial University’s top job after she personally interviewed them. But Joan Burke denied accusations today that the provincial government politically interfered in the selection process for the school’s next president.
Related: Williams accused of interfering in MUN president search
Related: Dale Kirby’s comments on the situation
Burke says after she interviewed two candidates for the prestigious post, she asked the school’s search committee to find other applicants.
Burke defended her role in the selection process, saying the public expects the provincial government to show leadership when choosing the university’s president.
Under provincial law, the cabinet has the authority to approve or reject the committee’s selection, though approval has long been considered a formality.
In some other provinces, such as Nova Scotia and Ontario, universities do not need the approval of their provincial governments to select incoming presidents.
- The Canadian Press
[...] recommendation for the next president. His office has denied he interfered and Burke said it was her decision alone to interview [...]
[...] ContentJuly 26, 2008 — Premier Williams vetoed MUN presidential candidate?July 29, 2008 — N.L. education minister rejects candidates for university’s top postJune 26, 2008 — Former top soldier named chancellor of Memorial University Filed Under: Blogs [...]
[...] for MUN president N.L. faculty say academic freedom jeopardized by minister’s intervention N.L. education minister rejects candidates for university’s top post Williams accused of interfering in MUN president search Dale Kirby on uncertain media [...]
[...] Joan Burke, criticized earlier this year for violating Memorial University’s autonomy by intervening in the institution’s presidential search process, replaced four members of the [...]