Fanshawe tightens budget as international enrollment drops

A screenshot of Fanshawe President Peter Devlin from a YouTube video. CREDIT: FANSHAWE COLLEGE VIA YOUTUBE
In a recent video update, Fanshawe President Peter Devlin shed light on the college’s current financial situation following a significant drop in international student enrollment.

In a recent video update, Fanshawe President Peter Devlin addressed the college’s financial struggles amid a decrease in international student enrollment.

“Since we last connected at the Academic Year Kick Off, things have shifted quite a bit and unfortunately there's now more uncertainty than ever before,” Devlin said in the video released Oct. 2. “Today I want to share an update to help everyone understand the challenges we are facing, not just at Fanshawe, but across the entire Ontario college sector.”

According to Devlin, this fall, international level-one student enrollment was 35 per cent less than expected.

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The continued changes brought forward by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), including the announcements of limited work hours and restrictions on post-graduate work permits, as well as the federal cap implemented last year, have led to a decrease in international student enrollment across the country, according to Universities Canada.

Devlin said with all the changes, the college expects its international enrollment will continue to drop in the coming year.

“Significant budget challenges” anticipated

In the video, Devlin expressed that although domestic student enrollment remains “strong,” the drop in international enrollment will impact the college’s budget. To address the anticipated financial challenges, Devlin said the college is planning to partner with an independent third-party consultant to complete an enterprise wide review at Fanshawe. He said it is expected that the review will be paid for by the provincial government and will look at five key areas of focus: governance, administrative and student services, academic programing, physical assets and facilities, collaborative procurement opportunities and revenue generating opportunities.

“This initiative will begin this fall and wrap up in the spring and there will be opportunities for your involvement and feedback,” Devlin said. “Our priority remains clear to continue providing our students with an excellent education to meet the evolving needs of the labour market despite financial pressures.”

Fanshawe Student Union (FSU) President, Siddharth Singh, said this is a positive step.

“The college is currently conducting a comprehensive review across the entire enterprise,” Singh said. “I am confident that this will greatly contribute to making important decisions. I also believe it's a positive step that the college is actively placing a strong focus on student retention.”

Devlin also said the college would be making containment measures effective immediately, including “tighter management” of expenses related to workshops and retreats, travel, professional development, capital expenditures, and new hires.

Impact on FSU not as “substantial”

Although the 35 per cent drop in international student enrollment was higher than expected, Singh said the impact of the decrease has not been as substantial on the FSU.

“We anticipated a decrease, but a 35 per cent drop was unexpected and significant,” Singh said. “However, the college experienced increased domestic and part-time post-secondary student admissions. While there will be an impact on the FSU, it won't be as substantial as it will be for the college. This shift is significant because we have been focused on growth for the past two decades. On our part, we are actively monitoring the political situation.”

Singh added that it is an “intriguing” time in the Canadian political landscape. He expressed that many of the IRCC changes had been hastily implemented, leading to the current climate of uncertainty.

“While the change is beneficial, considering the ongoing housing crisis, it was undeniably rushed,” Singh said.