Skip to content

First-year confirmations at Laurentian down more than 30%

University had been planning for a 30% enrolment drop as worst-case scenario
281019_HU_StudentCentre_Opening_3Sized
(File)

The latest statistics released by the Ontario Universities Application Centre (OUAC) show the student population at Laurentian University is taking a serious hit in the wake of its insolvency and restructuring.

Confirmation statistics released by OUAC Wednesday show 609 students exiting high school had confirmed they had accepted offers to attend Laurentian as of Sept. 8. But that same statistic was 904 students a year ago. That represents a 32.5 per cent drop.

OUAC also puts out confirmation statistics on first-year students who are coming to Laurentian from a route other than directly from high school.

In this “non-secondary” category, the drop in students is even higher. As of Sept. 7, there were 415 students in this category that had provided confirmations to Laurentian. A year ago, that same statistic was at 627 students. That’s a drop of 33.8 per cent.

It was revealed last spring that Laurentian had actually budgeted for a 30-per-cent loss of students as a worst-case scenario.

Laurentian’s overall enrolment statistics for this fall have not yet been released.

As part of its insolvency restructuring, Laurentian axed 69 programs in the spring. 

The university laid off 194 full-time workers at that time, including 116 full-time faculty positions, 41 unionized staff and 37 non-union jobs (24 of which were in management and executive positions).


Comments

Verified reader

If you would like to apply to become a verified commenter, please fill out this form.




Heidi Ulrichsen

About the Author: Heidi Ulrichsen

Read more