Faculty at a northern Ontario university are pushing back against a decision by administrators to suspend admission to more than a dozen programs this fall.
Professors at Laurentian University in Sudbury say the school’s move will reduce the already limited options for Francophone students in the province.
University President Robert Hache says new students won’t be admitted to the affected programs, such as anthropology and theatre, although returning students will be able to complete their degrees and course offerings won’t be affected.
He pins the decision on declining enrolment in those specific programs, saying the courses are no longer appealing to students.
And he notes that there are still other courses and programs in the same fields of study as the suspended programs, such as a geography major program that students can opt for instead of the floundering geography specialization.
But Jean-Charles Cachon, a management professor who is also secretary and treasurer of the faculty association, says the fluctuating numbers are normal.
He says suspending admissions is tantamount to cancelling the programs altogether, because interest in the courses won’t rise if nobody can take them.
He says the faculty association has filed court documents in a bid to prevent the program cancellations.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 20, 2020.
The Canadian Press
