Enrolment task force
Exploring ways to stabilize the numbers

November 14, 2008

By Mark Ferguson

A slight drop in enrolment this year has reinforced the need for the University of Saskatchewan to look at various ways to stabilize its student numbers over the long term. “Grade 12 graduates have been our primary source for enrolment,” said Ernie Barber, vice-provost of teaching and learning. “It’s a problem to see that number become smaller.”

Barber

Completion of the 2008 census showed the university had a small drop in enrolment, about one per cent. The results of the census showed that the total degree enrolment is down by 196 students for a total undergraduate and graduate enrolment of 18,474.

A continuing drop in high school graduation numbers in Saskatchewan was identified in the second integrated plan and an Enrolment Task Force was created to explore the issue. Led by Barber and supported by six integrated planning commitment leaders, the goal of the task force is to find ways to increase the number of graduate students, the number of international students, and the percentage of high school graduates entering post secondary education, he said.

Barber says this is the direction the university would like to be heading and sees the decreasing number of high school graduates as incentive to move the institution in a different direction.

“It seems to me this is an opportunity to build a more diverse body of students and make the university a better place,” he said.

According to Barber, appropriate action needs to be taken. For one, he would like to reduce the university’s dependency on students from Saskatchewan and recruit out of province, and even out of country. This, he feels, will not only increase the number of international students on campus, “it will prepare our students for life in a more globalized world, to enrich the life of all of our students.”

To recruit out of province, Barber is looking at marketing strategies and scholarships, but the lack of student residence space and the cultural capacity of campus could be a problem when it comes to recruiting.

“It takes a lot of people pulling in the same direction to meet our needs for out of country and out of province students,” he said. “There are layers, there are priorities. Where do we put our money?”

According to the 2008 student census, while undergraduate enrolment dropped, the number of graduate students grew. Increasing that number is one way Barber wants to keep overall enrolment numbers up and increase the profile of the university at the same time.

Barber feels the responsibility for keeping enrolment numbers stable falls on individual units across campus. By focusing on areas such as research and pre-eminence, the university will be in a position to retain and recruit students, he said.

“I wouldn’t want us to be complacent. I believe we can and will take the steps to diversify our student body. Many commitments in the integrated plan have to do with retention and having a diverse body of students. We need to step back and look at enrolment itself and what we can control. We are appropriately paying attention to the issue.”