Students, faculty union say Fanshawe College cuts will hit hard

For Fanshawe College student Maat Patel, the cuts announced Wednesday at the school will for now, force him off his chosen academic and career path. 

Patel, who is from India, is studying supply chain logistic management but wants to focus his studies on mechanical engineering. It's a stream more suited to his skills and one with better job prospects after he graduates. 

The problem is, the mechanical engineering technician program he planned to start in the fall is one of 40 programs the school suspended Wednesday due to budget pressures. 

"It affects me a lot," said Patel of the changes. "Right now, we don't have that many jobs for supply chain management. So I'm literally worried about my future." 

The programs that will be suspended are part of a cost-cutting strategy forced on Fanshawe, and other Ontario colleges, in part because the federal government put a cap on the number of student visas. Foreign students like Patel pay much higher tuition rates than do domestic students, and for years colleges could use them as a reliable source of revenue. 

Fanshawe's international student population accounted for about 11,700 permits for the college in 2023. That number has since been cut by more than half, forcing colleges to make tough choices. 

Students already enrolled in the affected programs — which are as varied as automotive sales to palliative care — will be allowed to continue until graduation. 

Fanshawe President Peter Devlin said the decisions are part of a difficult but necessary course correction for the college.

"It is indeed a tough day at Fanshawe College," said Devlin. "We've made the difficult decision after a thorough data-driven review." 

Devlin said when choosing which programs would be suspended, a number of factors were considered, from enrollment trends to the labour market.

He expects foreign student enrollment to fall by about 36 per cent by fall. Without the cuts, he said the college was headed for a deficit north of $90 million over the next two years.

"The actions we're taking now are to mitigate that deficit," said Devlin.

The college hasn't said how many staff positions will be affected. Devlin said the college has completed a staffing review and delivered it to the province. The college has also offered buyouts to some senior staff.