Algoma University Faces Job Cuts Amid Enrollment Decline

Algoma University is preparing for significant job losses, with projections indicating between 50 to 75 positions may be cut in response to a drastic drop in student enrolment. The university reported a decline in enrolment from over 9,000 students in the fall of 2024 to approximately 4,480 this academic year. This sharp decrease has raised concerns among faculty and staff regarding the potential impact on the university’s operations.

Interim President Sheila Embleton did not specify which areas of the workforce would be affected by the layoffs. The university’s faculty union, OPSEU Local 685, is awaiting further details to understand how the cuts will influence its members. Vice-President Alice Ridout expressed uncertainty in an email to The Sault Star, stating, “It’s difficult to assess the impact the job cuts will have on the university and students until further details are known.”

Union Concern Over Faculty Stability

Local 685 represents 90 full-time faculty members. Ridout noted that the current full-time enrolment of nearly 4,500 students is significantly higher than the figures from 2020 across Algoma’s campuses in Sault Ste. Marie, Brampton, and Timmins, which had about one-third of the current enrolment. Despite this growth, Ridout pointed out that the faculty numbers have not increased proportionately. “We have no where near three times the number of full-time faculty,” she said, emphasizing the need for stable staffing levels to support the growing student population.

The union has already observed a decline in job security for its members, particularly among those in temporary, non-tenured positions. Ridout reported that Local 685 has experienced “some loss of work” due to the non-renewal of contractually limited term appointments. Additionally, the part-time bargaining unit has faced a significant number of cancelled contracts during the spring and summer terms. “Many part-time faculty will find themselves this fall without the teaching contracts they have received over the past three or four years,” she added, highlighting the broader challenges facing educators in the post-secondary sector.

Warnings of Unsustainable Growth

Concerns about Algoma University’s growth trajectory were previously raised in a letter from academic board chairs to former President Asima Vezina and former board chair Mike Moraca. The letter, dated September 2023, warned that the institution’s expansion was not sustainable, indicating that the current situation may have been anticipated by faculty leadership.

As the university navigates these challenges, the potential job cuts underscore the need for a strategic response to stabilize both faculty employment and student support. The faculty union continues to advocate for its members while waiting for more information on the university’s plans and how they will affect the academic community.