Memorial University is taking action to address budgetary challenges caused by a drop in student enrolment.

The university called a surprise news conference Friday afternoon following a board meeting Thursday night.

The university says enrollment dropped by 5.4 per cent this semester compared to last year, resulting in a projected $9.5-million shortfall. That decrease in enrolment had nothing to do with local demand, says MUN President Dr. Neil Bose, but international arrivals.
He says they haven’t met the federal cap, “what happened is, is that applicants were lower” Bose told reporters yesterday. “We won’t stay the same size, but we want to ensure that the funding that we have in place, is sufficient to make a strong culturally rich institution.”

A total of 700 international students.

MUN says both short and long-term changes will be necessary to ensure they can meet the needs of students in a financially sustainable manner.

Among the changes are restrictions on hiring for new and vacant administrative permanent and contractual positions, tenured, tenure-track and new regular-term appointments on all campuses as well as instructors and research scientists at the Marine Institute.

Certain contractual positions will be exempt from the restrictions.

A process will be put in place to evaluate new position requests, and current job postings will be allowed to continue.

There are other financial process changes, the meaning of which is unclear, such as restrictions to “carry- over” funds.

The review begins April 30th on a new budgetary model, but Dr. Bose says tuition increases are not among their immediate moves.

President Dr. Neil Bose says tuition increases are not being considered to address the budget shortfall.