Algoma University Announces Job Cuts Amid Enrollment Decline

Algoma University is preparing for significant job reductions as it faces a dramatic decline in student enrollment. The institution announced a projected loss of between 50 to 75 jobs in the upcoming months, attributed to a steep drop in enrolment numbers this fall. Enrollment has plummeted from over 9,000 students in fall 2024 to approximately 4,480 this academic year.

In a statement released by interim president Sheila Embleton, details regarding the specific areas of workforce reductions have not been disclosed. The university’s faculty union, OPSEU Local 685, is currently assessing the situation and awaiting further information on how these layoffs will impact its members. Vice-president Alice Ridout expressed concern in an email to The Sault Star, stating it is “difficult to assess” the full impact of the planned cuts without additional details.

Impact on Faculty and Courses

Local 685 represents around 90 full-time faculty members at Algoma University. Ridout noted that the current full-time-equivalent enrolment is about three times the number of students enrolled at the Sault Ste. Marie, Brampton, and Timmins campuses in 2020. However, she pointed out that the university does not have a proportional increase in full-time faculty numbers. “We hope that this very conservative growth in full-time faculty over this time period will enable Algoma University to keep its full-time faculty numbers stable,” she said.

In recent months, Local 685 has observed a decline in employment due to the non-renewal of contractually limited term appointments, which are temporary and non-tenured positions. Additionally, the union’s part-time bargaining unit has experienced numerous contract cancellations during the spring and summer terms. Ridout highlighted that many part-time faculty members may find themselves without teaching contracts for the upcoming fall semester, a situation compounded by the overall reduction in teaching opportunities across the post-secondary sector.

Financial Concerns and Sustainability

The challenges facing Algoma University have not gone unnoticed. Academic board chairs warned former president Asima Vezina and former board chair Mike Moraca in a letter dated September 2023 that the institution’s growth trajectory was unsustainable. The recent enrollment decline has raised alarms regarding the university’s financial stability and its ability to maintain faculty levels moving forward.

As the situation continues to unfold, the faculty union and affected staff members remain on alert for further announcements regarding the impending job cuts. The outcome of these reductions will not only affect faculty but also the broader academic environment at Algoma University and its student community.