Mohawk College cuts 20% of administrative jobs, over a dozen programs

Mohawk College has cut 20 per cent of administrative staff and suspended over a dozen programs, says a statement sent to all staff Friday. 

The college's president Paul Armstrong said in the email that 65 administrative positions were eliminated across all divisions through retirement incentives, not filling vacancies and layoffs. 

In November, Mohawk College announced it intends to cut 200 to 400 jobs in response to a bleak fiscal outlook, which included a projected $50-million budget shortfall in the 2025 to 2026 school year.

More cuts are expected to be announced in January.

"I know this is not an easy time for you," Armstrong told staff in the email. "And there is still the uncertainty of not knowing what is going to happen in the new year." 

Business department among most impacted

Positions cut include the dean of applied research and dean of creative industries, said the email. Both departments also saw many programs suspended. 

The following Mohawk College programs will be suspended: 

• Analytics for business decision-making
• Broadcasting – Radio and Creative
• Broadcasting – Television and Media Communications
• Business Analysis
• Canadian Healthcare for Foreign Trained Professionals
• Chemical Engineering Technology
• Financial Services
• Global Business Management
• Human Resources Management
• International Business Management
• Office Administration
• Office Administration Legal 
• Pre-Media
• Project Management
• Public Relations
• Tourism

Other programs and services being cut include: 

• City School, which offered free courses to help community members continue their education or prepare for jobs.
• Two Community Employment Services locations.

The School of Continuing Education will merge with the college's Marinucci Family Centre for Professional Advancement.

'Cuts to colleges, ultimately, are cuts to students'

Louis Volante, an educational studies professor at Brock University, said the cuts are not surprising based on "stagnant" funding from the province to colleges and universities.

He said when taking inflation into account, these institutions are getting less money now than 10 years ago.Cuts to colleges and universities are usually made to programs with slightly lower demand and that might not translate into a high-paying positions for students after graduating, said Volante. 

They'll also lead each institution focusing only on programs they're best known for, which will affect competition and stifle innovation, he said.

"The best way to have innovation is to actually have different colleges and different universities running parallel programs so that they can learn from one another," he said.

He expects "very few" colleges and universities are immune from financial challenges and others will likely follow with their own cuts.

As classes get bigger and there's less on-campus supports, Volante said he's concerned about the possible impacts on the quality of teaching and learning environments.

"Cuts to colleges, ultimately, are cuts to students," he said.