Red Deer College is suspending five programs for the September 2020 semester.
The institution is citing low enrollment as a key factor in the decision to cancel four of those programs.
“These programs are not being suspended due to COVID-19 or budget implications, which may have been the expected reasoning,” president of the college, Dr. Peter Nunoda said.
“When enrollments are low or declining, it is always our responsibility to make decisions that will support RDC’s long-term sustainability.”
However, Nunoda noted that the pandemic has had an impact on the decision to suspend one more program: the Instrumentation Engineering Technology Diploma.
Nunoda said the program was cancelled for the upcoming academic year due to short-term budget shortfalls and challenges related to COVID-19.
He said the program heavily relies on the enrollment of international students, which has been cut short this year amid the pandemic.
The college expects the suspension of this program to be short-term and Nunoda is encouraging anyone who is interested in the program to visit the college’s website for further information.
The remaining four programs being cut from the upcoming semester are:
- Media Studies and Professional Communication Diploma
- Adult and Higher Education Instructor Post-Diploma Certificate
- eLearning Instructor Post-Diploma Certificate
- Acting and Live Entertainment majors within the Bachelor of Applied Arts in Film, Theatre and Live Entertainment
Nunoda said that students already in the first year of the suspended two-year diploma programs will have the opportunity to complete their education as scheduled in 2021.
He added that those currently enrolled within the suspended bachelor program will have the opportunity to transfer to another area of study.
Nunoda noted this change will have a large impact on both students and faculty at the college, and the decision to suspend the programs was not made lightly.
“Any time that a program is cut, it has an impact on people, whether students, faculty or staff. That’s something we take very seriously,” Nunoda said.
“For these programs, all faculty and staff who are impacted have been informed, as have current students who we will be working with to support in their educational pathways.”
No new students will be accepted to these programs for September 2020, and those who have applied are being informed of the upcoming changes.