First-year students staying away from Laurentian University following insolvency crisis
The number of first-year students attending Laurentian University is expected to drop significantly this fall with many who applied and were accepted now getting cold feet.
Ken Steele, a Canadian expert in higher education, student recruitment and strategic planning, said statistics from the Ontario Universities' Application Centre show first-year enrolment confirmations are down 30 per cent at LU.
That's significant because most of the students would have applied in January, before the university declared insolvency Feb. 1. The fact so many of them are choosing to go elsewhere shows at least a short-term impact on enrolment.
Ontario universities on average saw a 1.9 per cent increase in confirmations this year. LU's result has the school tied for the bottom with University of Guelph-Humber, which saw a 31 per cent drop.
"If a 30 per cent decline in confirmations isn’t made up somehow (perhaps by offering more scholarships to attract students who declined their offers, or through international applicants, or perhaps retention of upper year students) it should mean that the first year class is 30 per cent smaller," Steele said in an email exchange with CTV News.
"Most university undergraduate programs are four years in length, so that would mean at least a 7.5 per cent decline in total undergraduate enrolment. But because more institutions lose 20-40 per cent of students from each year to the next, first-year students can be 30-40 per cent of total undergraduate enrolment."
What that translates into is an approximate 12 per cent drop in overall enrolment, he said, with ominous implications long-term, as a smaller first-year class means less tuition fees than forecast for that cohort of students.
Steele suspects LU timed the insolvency declaration after the January application deadline, to minimize the impact on applications.
It "definitely reflects students voting with their feet against the uncertainties of a university in CCAA protection," he said. "Laurentian also cut a third of their programs, but they keep saying those were small programs, enrolling just 10 per cent of their students. So three times as many students are staying away, it would seem."
While the figures reflect first-year enrolment, Steele said that cuts to graduate programs will likely mean fewer grad students, as well.
"Some of Laurentian’s best-known research programs (environment, physics, Indigenous) are gone," he said. "So I wouldn’t be surprised if the impact on incoming graduate students is even worse, but I have no way of knowing that."
In response, Laurentian University said the drop was expected because of the school's financial problems
"With respect to projected enrolment, the decrease in students who are confirming their offers of admissions was anticipated as a result of the CCAA process," LU said in a statement.
"We are encouraged by some of our nationally recognized programs where student demand has remained consistent for many years. Additionally, we are seeing a higher-than-expected interest from international students as global mobility has increased and we are able to welcome international students on campus once again.
"A drop in confirmations was to be expected, but we have planned for this and are seeing encouraging signs that the recovery has begun. We would like to thank the students and families who have placed their trust in us and we are looking forward to welcoming you and kicking off another great academic year."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.