Memorial University is proud to report that it is advancing initiatives to support stronger processes, improve oversight and create a culture of accountability across the institution. 

“Memorial takes its responsibility as a steward of taxpayer and tuition revenue, and university assets, very seriously,” said President Janet Morrison. “Accountability and continuous improvement are essential to maintaining the trust placed in us by students, employees, government partners and the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.”

The Office of the Auditor General (OAG) created two reports identifying opportunities to strengthen governance, oversight and operational practices at Memorial.  

The first, the OAG’s performance audit of Memorial University spending and operations, included eight recommendations and over 70 supporting actions.  

Since its release in 2023, Memorial has implemented a range of governance and operational improvements, including a streamlined executive structure, enhanced financial reporting mechanisms and significant updates to its policy framework. In addition, work is underway to develop a centralized procurement system to improve consistency, reduce risk and support better decision-making. 

To date, Memorial has fully implemented 62 per cent of the recommended actions, and a further 27 per cent are in progress. The remaining actions have either been resolved or been determined to require no further action.  

In January 2025, the OAG released the auditor general’s performance audit of Memorial University’s Facilities Management. The report identified nine recommendations and 56 associated tasks.   

Since the audit, Memorial has enhanced Board of Regents oversight, updated several key policies and procedures, and advanced a long-term infrastructure renewal plan.  

As we reported to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador on Sept. 29, 2026, more than 80 per cent of the recommendations are complete or are actively underway.  

Deferred maintenance progress

Memorial, like many universities across Canada, continues to manage significant deferred maintenance requirements while addressing rising construction and infrastructure costs.  

Recent progress on deferred maintenance, with support from the province’s investment of $70 million over eight years, includes the following: 

• The demolition of Coughlan College in August 2026, eliminating approximately $8.4 million in deferred maintenance liability and reducing Memorial’s footprint by approximately 39,000 square feet. 

• Approximately 500 metres of tunnels on the St. John’s campus were re-waterproofed during summer 2026. 

• Condition assessments of all St. John’s campus elevators were completed in May 2026, informing future renewal and replacement priorities. Over the next eight years, the university plans to invest $8 million in elevator modernization. 

“The auditor general’s reports provided a valuable opportunity to examine how we govern, manage risk and support effective decision-making across the university,” said Alison Horton, vice-president (finance and administration). “The progress outlined here reflects the work of employees across Memorial who have worked hard to respond to these recommendations. While important work remains, we are seeing meaningful progress in areas that support the university’s long-term sustainability and effectiveness.” 

After the Public Accounts presentation, Auditor General Denise Hanrahan thanked Memorial for its commitment to implementing the recommendations. 

“I certainly can appreciate, as a graduate myself and everybody in my house being the same, the impact of Memorial is very wide in this province and very important to see that commitment and happy to see that,” she noted. “We will not be looking at these recommendations from an AG’s office perspective for a couple of more years, but I think it’s really important to see early action and that gives us a good indication that those recommendations will be fully realized when we look at them later in 2028.” 

More details on Memorial’s progress on the OAG recommendations can be found on its website.