MUN faculty union says 'failure of university governance' at core of president's removal
Vianne Timmons removed as president of the university afternoon before long weekend
Memorial University's governing body is not answering questions about its decision to remove Vianne Timmons as president of the university, as the faculty association calls for an independent investigation.
In an email Thursday, MUN's governing body declined an interview and instead asked for questions by email. CBC News posed a list of questions, including why the board is not conducting interviews in the wake of removing the university's president.
None of the questions was answered.
"The board of regents is focusing on moving forward and supporting Dr. Neil Bose in his role as president and vice-chancellor pro tempore," wrote MUN communications manager Michelle Osmond in an email Tuesday morning.
"You raised important questions regarding concerns from our students and faculty and in the coming weeks Dr. Bose will be engaging directly with those groups to hear their concerns and discuss solutions."
Timmons was removed "without cause" as president and vice-chancellor Thursday before the long weekend. She had been in the role since 2020.
In an interview Tuesday, MUN faculty association president-elect Josh Lepawsky said a full investigation must be carried out into Timmons's past statements on her Indigenous ancestry as well as the presidential search and selection process.
"What were the criteria that the former president was hired under? Because faculty have no representation on the board of regents, we don't even know what the criteria were that were used," said Lepawsky.
Questions about due diligence
The board of regents hired a private executive recruiting firm to help in the presidential search. Information released through an access-to-information request showed the university spent nearly $150,000 on the external search for a new president, with most of that spent on "professional services" for a headhunting firm and advertising costs.
"You would think for that kind of money that a private search firm like that would do its due diligence. But we have no idea how that due diligence was done, if at all, and what criteria were used," Lepawsky said.
Executive search company Odgers Berndtson did not immediately respond to a request for an interview.
Lepawsky said it is "impossible" to know if Timmons's past statements on her Indigenous ancestry played a part in her getting the job because it was a "secret search … done without genuine consultation among the broader university community."
He said the senate, which oversees academic affairs, was called to a last-minute meeting in December 2019 for an announcement from the presidential search committee. Timmons was the sole candidate.
"The senate was essentially told they had one choice to make and they had to make it then, and there was no real scrutiny beyond those minutes in the meeting that they had for discussion," said Lepawsky.
"It was really an abject failure of university governance."
Publicly posted minutes from that meeting on the university's website said the senate recommended to the board of regents that "they undertake a review of the presidential search process involving an open and wide consultation with university community including all campuses."
It is not clear if that review has taken place.
Iris Petten, chair of the board of regents at the time of Timmons's hiring, did not immediately respond to a request for an interview.
Lepawsky said the incident involving Timmons will leave a scar on the university's reputation, and he fears for the students and faculty who may have to wear it.
"Meanwhile, [Timmons is] walking away with literally hundreds of thousands of dollars in severance."
Bose released a statement via MUN's Gazette on Tuesday on where his focus lies, and provided the following list:
- Prioritizing searches for positions that are currently filled in an interim or acting capacity.
- Improving the flow of information with students, faculty and staff.
- Involving more of the university community in decision-making processes, such as the work of senate and its committees.
- Building a stronger culture of transparency and openness.
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