Mired in a serious budget deficit, Queen’s University provost Matthew Evans held a town hall meeting Monday night.
The meeting was intended to update staff and students about the university’s $48-million deficit and how that may impact jobs and courses in the future.
“I have no idea how this is going to affect me, and I’m in the program,” third-year political science student Cameron Leah said.
The Arts and Science Undergraduate Society (ASUS) was at the meeting with the provost.
Global News’ request to attend the meeting was denied and requests to speak to the head of ASUS about what was discussed were also not granted.
The university’s campus newspaper was allowed to attend the meeting.
Evans has not replied to repeated requests for an interview about what changes may result from an apparent annual deficit of $48 million.
“Our reserves are rapidly depleting and will not be enough to cover another full year of deficits at the level we are currently operating,” a statement from Queen’s University read.
The post-secondary institution is the single largest public sector employer in Kingston.
According to the Queen’s University website, the faculty of arts and sciences has 11,000 students and employs 450 faculty.
Students on campus are concerned about the impact the deficit will have on classes, supports and programs.
“I wish there was more communication. I wish we had a better idea of how this is going to affect us,” Leah said.
“We’re always talking about it,” second-year arts and science student David Cox said. “We’re always hearing about how we’re going to have less TAs (teaching assistants), less funding.”
Students not in arts and science worry their programs could be next in line for cuts and austerity measures.
“I’m a little concerned for the future of how the budgeting is going to go for my program as well, and for future students to come,” Rudy Li, a third-year mechanical engineering student, said to Global News.
Only 13 students attended the meeting with Evans, according to the student-operated Queen’s Journal.
“In addition to focusing on domestic and international recruitment, we are continuing to prioritize other revenue enhancing activities,” the statement from Queen’s University said.
The statement also points the finger at the provincial government’s 10 per cent tuition cut and freeze that came into effect in 2019, along with a decrease in international student enrolment and inflationary pressures.
“In terms of trust within the university, I think that the university should’ve done a much, much better job communicating with students about these cuts,” said Leah, who’s concerned about course and staff cuts.
The provost is scheduled to speak and take questions at a Jan. 23 Alma Mater Society meeting, perhaps providing greater clarity to students on how budget deficit measures will affect them.
Comments