Saturday's Globe & Mail reports that the candidate selected after a year-long presidential search at Memorial University has been rejected by the office of premier Danny Williams, even though provincial approval has previously been a mere formality. The "unprecedented" move has apparently got the campus "buzzing" about academic independence. MUN's official stance is that the presidential search is continuing. The premier's office "doesn't apologize for having an interest," but insists that no name has yet been put forward to the government. "The Premier really wants to attract a great candidate who is really going to raise the profile of the university in the international community." Recently Rick Hillier was appointed MUN's chancellor. Globe & Mail

Postscript: August 26, 2008 
Early next month, Newfoundland and Labrador Education Minister Joan Burke will meet with CAUT's president and Memorial University faculty representatives to discuss the province's role in MUN's presidential search, which is now at a standstill. CAUT says it may censure MUN over the matter, and hopes the meeting will prevent the need for further action. The university's faculty association and board of regents are asking for changes to legislation that allows NL to appoint a president. Globe and Mail