Matt Barter

Matthew Barter is an activist, self proclaimed journalist and political science student at Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN). In 2021, Barter was disciplined by Memorial University for undertaking a silent protest against Vianne Timmons, the current president and vice chancellor of the university.
Background
In July 2021, Vianne Timmons announced that Memorial University would more than double its student tuition fees beginning in the fall of 2021. At the time of the announcement Newfoundland and Labrador's Memorial University had one of the lowest tuition rates in Canada. The announcement was met with backlash from various groups including the Canadian Federation of Students, who specifically noted the significant impact the tuition hike would have on international students, whose tuition was set to rise from $3,330 per year to $20,000.
On September 22, 2021, Barter spoke to CBC News in relation to posters that he had placed around the university campus which were designed as a protest against the tuition rate increases. Barter claimed that his freedom of speech was violated due to the posters being removed by University staff. The posters called for the resignation of Vianne Timmons. In response, the university defended its action to remove the posters by claiming the posters violated the university's respectful workplace policy. However, the university's faculty (MUNFA) disagreed with the decision to remove the posters calling their removal an attack on free expression and academic freedom.
On December 6, 2021, Mark Mercer, the President of the Society for Academic Freedom and Scholarship (SFAS), based out of Halifax, NS, wrote to Timmons stating the MUN President had, in removing the posters, violated Barter's right to freedom of expression, stating that 'Students at universities should expect to be free to criticize their institution and its leaders and to protest whatever they believe needs to change. Calling for a university president to resign or to be fired ought to be protected expression.'
Silent protest
On December 2, 2021, MUN President Timmons was speaking at a university event, when Barter stood silently near the podium were Timmons was speaking, and held a red octagonal shaped sign that resembled a common stop sign. The sign read, "STOP VIANNE, No to tuition hikes and out of control spending." Following the silent protest Barter received an email from the university's Director of Student Life, informing him that a complaint had been made against him under the student code of conduct. The email accused him of behaviour that was "interpreted as harassing and intimidating towards Dr. Timmons," and that the university was taking interim measures to ban him from all St. John's campuses, except for classes, exams or medical services, and prohibit him from having any contact with Timmons or any members of the executive team. Barter on the other hand, denied any wrongdoing, stating that the university was weaponizing its code of conduct to silence him for speaking out against the university and its lavish spending through his online blog.
Immediate aftermath
The Newfoundland and Labrador Chapter of the Canadian Federation of Students strongly supported Barter stating the silent protest emphasized the “vital importance” of a student’s right to engage in peaceful assemblies, protests and demonstrations. The Federation also described the discipline imposed against Barter as a dangerous precedent. Following the discipline imposed on Barter, which included checking in with campus enforcement before attending any classes, Barter retained a lawyer claiming that his educational success was being impeded as he was being treated like a criminal and that the discipline imposed on him represents an attempt by the university to silence one of its most vocal and effective critics.
Legal battle
On January 16, 2022, Memorial University retracted its ban on Barter with the exception that Barter was unable to visit President Timmons' office until the completion of an investigation into Barter's alleged conduct was completed. In February 2022, a lawyer hired to investigate Barter's protest upheld the university’s position that Barter had violated sections of Memorial’s student code of conduct that prohibit bullying and harassment, and the disruption of events. However, the lawyer noted that it was unclear whether the rules had been fairly applied to Barter, and that she believes Barter did not intend to violate the code in the course of his protest. Noreen Golfman, a former MUN vice president and herself the subject of former protests from Barter, spoke out in his defense, stating that the sanctions imposed on Barter were on "overreach." Barter's legal battle with the university was halted due to monetary constraints.
Filmography
In August 2022, VOCM News reported that Barter would be the subject of documentary film scheduled to be released in 2023. The film titled "Matt holds up a sign," will feature interviews with students, faculty and administrators of Memorial University. "Matt holds up a sign," is a film by NL author and filmmaker Kenneth J. Harvey.

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