UNIVERSITY COUNCIL
PLANNING AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE
FOR INFORMATION ONLY
PRESENTED BY:
Jay Kalra, Chair, Planning and Priorities Committee
DATE OF MEETING:
May 21, 2009
SUBJECT:
Enrolment Action Plan
COUNCIL ACTION:
For information only
CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND:
The Planning and Priorities Committee first reviewed the Enrolment Action Plan with
Dr. Barber, Vice-Provost of Teaching and Learning and David Hannah, Associate VicePresident of Student and Enrolment Services Division on March 11, 2009. The
committee subsequently reviewed the revised report, as attached, on April 29, 2009.
DISCUSSION SUMMARY:
The Enrolment Action Plan is intended as a companion document to the Enrolment Plan:
Bridging to 2010, which was approved Council in 2003 as the university’s foundational
document on enrolment. The Enrolment Action Plan provides an overview of the
demographic enrolment shifts and trends nationally within post-secondary education and
specifically for the University of Saskatchewan. The plan also outlines the suggested
priority initiatives to sustain and grow the university’s enrolment at a time when the
university is at risk for declining enrolment. For budget purposes, the university has
adopted the goal to maintain undergraduate teaching activity at 2007/08 levels during the
second planning cycle and to increase graduate student enrolment. As of the October
2008 census, the number of students enrolled (fall and winter terms) was 16,094
undergraduate and 2,380 graduate students. The number of students enrolled as of the
October 2007 census was 16,446 undergraduate and 2,224 graduate students.
A decline in enrolment results in a decrease in the provincial operating grant, leading to a
decrease in the capacity of the university to support its mission. Throughout its
discussion, the committee has noted the important distinction between credit unit count
versus student headcount. Traditionally, the university has been concerned with
headcount, however increasingly as more and more students take fewer than 30 credits
per year, credit unit activity is an equally important measure. Although the number of
students registered affects the student support and services the university provides, credit
unit activity is directly linked to teaching activity and tuition revenue.
The Planning and Priorities Committee supports the initiatives to increase our number of
graduate students to remain competitive with other medical/doctoral universities and to
increase our number of Aboriginal, out-of-province, and international students to
diversity our student population and support Aboriginal communities. The committee
believes additional opportunities exist to increase enrolment through the enrolment of
mature students, distance learning, and through transition programs targeted at Aboriginal
students and communities.
The plan has been developed with the commitment leaders for the student experience
commitment of the integrated plan, recognizing the importance of concerted action in
support of the university’s enrolment goals. The committee acknowledges the
institutional responsibilities that accompany efforts to achieve enrolment objectives.
Enrolment as a planning dimension affects the university’s programming, recruitment
and retention efforts, student financial support, and planning related to the campus
physical environment. The Planning and Priorities Committee advocates that the question
of capacity for additional students be a discussion point for all colleges and units, and that
strategic enrolment management be undertaken as a university-wide initiative as
intended. The consideration of selected, targeted growth within colleges and programs
will be an important aspect of shaping enrolment and must be undertaken collaboratively,
given the interdependence of university programs and the commitment of the Second
Integrated Plan to work together.
The Planning and Priorities Committee supports the updating of the university’s
enrolment plan as is intended over the planning cycle taking into consideration the postsecondary landscape and those challenges and opportunities unique to the university and
province. As the university reviews its academic policies and procedures from a
proactive viewpoint to enhance rather than limit enrolment, Council will be an important
partner in the university’s ability to set institutional priorities and goals for the next
planning cycle and beyond.
ATTACHMENTS:
Managing Enrolment Strategically at the University of Saskatchewan – 2009 Status
Report
www/university_secretary/council/committees/planning_priorities/report_files/pdf/
PPMay200910.2attachmentenrolment.pdf