The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador unveiled its 2020 budget on Sept. 30 and Memorial’s base budget remains largely unchanged.

Memorial University’s total operating grant from government, not including the Faculty of Medicine, is $308 million for 2020-21.

This includes a $4-million increase in the line item earmarked to maintain the tuition freeze for Newfoundland and Labrador students, and reductions of $4.3 million in the operating grant, of which $2 million represents reduced severance expenses that the university would otherwise have paid out and $2.3 million in general reductions.

The Faculty of Medicine’s budget of $54.1 million is allocated by Health and Community Services and remains unchanged for 2020-21.

Working with the province

While government allocated no new money to the university to address deferred maintenance, Memorial continues to work with the province on plans to address aging infrastructure on all campuses.

Work will continue to finalize the university’s 2020-21 budget for consideration by the Board of Regents.

Meanwhile, Memorial’s enrolment has grown to a record high in the fall semester 2020. More than 19,400 students registered for the fall semester, with increases in graduate and undergraduate student numbers.