MRU to accept fewer students in Fall 2014
Chalk up yet another unfortunate scenario thanks to the budget cuts
Kari Pedersen
Staff Writer
Although the budget cuts facing Mount Royal may sit on the back of students minds, the struggles facing the university are far from over.
Mount Royal plans to admit nearly to 500 fewer students in 2015. This is a cut that may affect many incoming students from securing a spot at the university.
Mount Royal University enrollment will be down from 8,140 students admitted in the fall of 2013, to 7,678 in the fall of 2014.
Students are feeling the pressure of the cuts to MRU as the semester and year proceed, and more impending cuts are causing students to worry about the future of the university.
Zana El-Youssef is a second-year Journalism student who is happy with the program just the way it is.
“I just want to know when this will all end? When do I have to stop worrying about my program being cut?” said El-Youssef.
“When will we stop getting announcements like this and when will we stop hearing that more changes are happening around the university?”
Jesse Yardley, a third year communications student, is happy to hear about the drop.
“Less people in the hall smaller crowds, it’s more competitive and people will think of Mount Royal as a more serious university,” he said.
“It sucks for the people not getting in, but the people here are unaffected, and the overflow will find somewhere else to go, they are not just going to give up on education.”
Students around the university are likely unaware of the changes that are to face incoming students. Enrollment is something that is rarely crossing the minds of the students already registered.
“I know that there have been budget cuts that have affected programs at the university, but to be honest I am too focused on my own studies to be affected by those things going on in the university that don’t affect my program,” said Bachelor of Arts student Nicole Angus.
“It is definitely catching my attention when I see that MRU is in the news so often dealing with budget cuts, but as long as my program isn’t on the list, I am happy.”
Gerry Cross, President of the Faculty Association, says that the reason for the drop in enrollment is due to a promise for $18 million in funds that never came through. Due to the fact that these funds never came through, the university had to reduce intake in those programs affected.
MRU had to reject 26 per cent of qualified applicants. The university does not expect to recover from the $12 million dollar deficit until 2016.
