海角社区官网

鈥淢y backup plan is another cancelled program at this school. I have no other parachute,鈥� said MacLeod-Dutt,聽adding that she was not informed of the suspensions by the college. She was told privately by an instructor who, she says, tipped her off, 鈥渂ecause she knew I need this to go right.鈥� (The college later told the Star that it had emailed impacted applicants.)

Centennial would not answer specific questions, but confirmed 鈥渁dditional adjustments鈥� have been made to the school鈥檚 fall 2025 program offerings. In January, the school announced it was suspending 49 programs for the next academic year聽鈥� representing about 28 per cent of the 177 full-time programs it offered across the school鈥檚 five 海角社区官网campuses.

On Tuesday, spokesperson Michelle Ervin said 鈥渢he college continues to offer prospective students more than 100 high-quality, labour-market-aligned programs.鈥�

Meanwhile, Centennial also informed staff on Friday that it was reducing its workforce through a phased approach beginning immediately, including going from seven vice-presidents to four (two VP positions had been vacant) and streamlining departments to address duplication. 鈥淚n some areas, this means that where there were previously multiple managers, there is now one聽鈥� with a restructured team and newly integrated responsibilities,鈥� Centennial President Craig Stephenson said in an email to staff.

鈥淭he difficult but necessary decision to recalibrate our workforce鈥� was undertaken 鈥渢o reduce costs and increase efficiencies in non-school areas.鈥�

Centennial joins other colleges and universities across the province that have announced program suspensions, layoffs and multi-million-dollar deficits in the face of financial pressures brought on by longstanding provincial underfunding and a drop in enrolment due to a federal cap on international students.

Centennial would not say how many jobs would be eliminated, but Stephenson said in a statement to the Star that 鈥渨e deeply acknowledge the impact this transition has on valued employees and recognize the contributions they have made to our community.鈥� The college is also offering a voluntary exit program.聽

The head of the faculty union said that while no one takes pleasure in the loss of anyone’s job, 鈥�administration size and cost is greatly disproportionate to other labour costs at the college.鈥�

鈥淚n contrast, full-time faculty jobs levels have stagnated for decades across the system as enrolment grew,”聽said Kumaran Mahathevan, president of OPSEU Local 558,聽“and now the colleges are looking to maximize faculty workload and make greater use of contract faculty, using the (international student) crisis as a rationale.鈥�

Early last month, citing a decline in international student enrolment and other budgetary pressures, Stephenson announced a consolidation of two campuses. He explained Centennial would be relocating 鈥渟tudents, faculty, staff and programs,鈥� from its Story Arts Centre in East York聽鈥� home to the school of communications, media, arts and design聽鈥� to the Progress Campus in Scarborough in the summer of 2026.

He noted only 40 per cent of the centre鈥檚 available space was being used and enrolment there was anticipated to drop by more than half. He said the future of the campus remained subject to further discussion.

鈥淭his decision while deeply upsetting and unsettling, is a critical step if we are to safeguard Centennial’s long-term sustainability,” he said at the time. “It’s what will ensure the impact and spirit of the Story Arts Centre, as a creative powerhouse, continues at Progress Campus.”

That news landed just over a month after the college said it would be suspending new enrolment in 49 programs, including business administration, tourism, journalism, theatre arts and construction project management. Current students can continue their studies, and according to spokesperson Ervin, programs will be 鈥渞eopened if federal policies change and public financial supports increase, boosting and supporting enrolments.鈥�

鈥淲e are undertaking all of our engagement and communication with colleagues and students with great care and always with the student viewpoint at the forefront,鈥� she added. 鈥淲hile change is never easy, we remain committed to delivering high-quality education that prepares students for career success.鈥�

MacLeod-Dutt chose the two-semester fundamentals certificate as her first foray into higher education to build a portfolio for both school and work applications. She had originally planned to apply to 3D animation or arts management for this fall, but both programs were suspended following the January announcement.

Upon hearing about the Story Arts Centre merger, MacLeod-Dutt emailed instructors about her options, asking where she would most likely be guaranteed a seat. The answer was product design with the understanding that courses would be moved to Progress in 2026. But as she discovered Friday, it, along with her second choice of fine arts, are among the diploma offerings no longer taking new students this fall. (Her current certificate is also included on the list.)

鈥淚 am upset, quite frankly, because I needed this. I am a disabled person.聽I am fundamentally an artist聽鈥� it’s not a choice; it is just what I am, and I needed what I had thought was a stable, logical program to go into.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 have a lot of time to make new applications to other schools.鈥�