Last November, Sheridan College announced it was suspending 40 programs, surprising students and staff.
However, it wasn’t the cuts that were surprising, but the programs the school chose to slash.
Sheridan is hardly alone. Many secondary schools are feeling the crunch.
Mohawk College in Hamilton is cutting spending. Administration sent out an internal memo detailing pending layoffs in the New Year; most support staff have learned their fate.
Similarly, Seneca Polytechnic temporarily closed the doors to its Markham campus, citing similar funding cuts and low enrollment.
One of the first schools to announce a reduced budget was Fleming College in Peterborough, Ont.
Last spring, the school announced its decision to cut 29 of their 130 programs.
Infographic by Amanda Ruggiero/Sheridan Sun
When the announcement of program cuts first ricocheted across Sheridan campuses, students, alumni and community members took to social media, expressing concern and distress over the suspended programs.
Melaney Delaney, a Guelph-based photographer and 2022 Sheridan graduate was one of the alumni who took umbrage to the announcement. She posted a Reel on Instagram highlighting the deep value of her education. Following graduation, Delaney started her own photography business, Sisterhood Photography Co., something she couldn’t have done without her training at the Trafalgar campus in Oakville.
“How many people can say they wake up every day and love what they do? I get paid to take photos, work with cool brands and people, attend events and have fun. I couldn’t imagine that being taken away from me – but [this is] being taken away from young people who could have been in the program. And that is what matters,” says Delaney.
Students and staff remain largely in the dark when it comes to the selection process of which programs were suspended.
Jack Urowitz, a professor in Sheridan’s Faculty of Animation, Arts, and Design and the President of Faculty Union Local 244, said that the reasoning provided by the administration regarding how the programs were chosen has been vague.
President Janet Morrison hosted a town hall in December to answer student questions.
Apart from international student enrollment, she attempted to shed light on the factors that led to the school’s decision, including “metrics on enrollment and financial sustainability over time… future labor market trends, alignments with policy changes, employability, funding levels and post graduate work.”
Although data and metrics were referenced, when asked for specifics, many questions remained unanswered.
Morrison discussed certain numbers and statistics that supported her claim of underfunding.
A question was raised about how much of Ontario’s $1.5 billion support fund went to Sheridan. Morrison said that the annual budget is $400 million and although additional support was appreciated, they received $2 million.
Both Morrison and Urowitz discussed how the underfunding of post-secondary education and a lack of appreciation for the creative industries has led to this deficit.
“We have made conscious choices to maintain our commitment to creative industries across the board,” says Morrison.
She also cited a 30 per cent enrollment drop, which is mostly made up of international students, and Sheridan’s $100 million revenue loss were contributing factors to this institutional change.
Morrison highlighted that “all currently enrolled students will have the opportunity to graduate from their programs.”
Maz Lovekin is a third-year student in Sheridan’s photography program. They previously attended university in a more traditional, scholarly program, but they struggled with large class sizes and long lectures.
They said studying in a college could be more beneficial for different types of learners.
“For me that has been the most beneficial part about being at Sheridan,” Lovekin says.
“The program is designed not only to teach you what you want to do, but how to thrive in what you do.”
They also say that without the creative community at Sheridan, it is hard for them to feel accepted and welcomed.
“It makes me so sad that other kids who may be genderqueer or autistic won’t get to have this experience. Whether it’s in the photography program or [another] program that got cut.”
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