The Memorial University Students’ Union says existing issues facing students must be addressed as the university moves forward with a nearly $200,000 enrolment study.
Memorial University has hired the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) as part of its efforts to address declining enrolment. According to Memorial President Janet Morrison, the university currently has about 2,000 fewer students this semester compared to previous years.
In response to Memorial’s hiring of AACRAO, MUN Students’ Union Executive Director of External Affairs, Communications, and Research Taqi Yeasir stated that the Union is “optimistic about any initiatives taken to address the student enrolment issue,” but that there must be transparency about how AACRAO will be working on it.
Yeasir stated that the existing issues of keeping the tuition freeze in place, increasing course offerings, and decreasing the mandatory meal plan need to be resolved first.
“If these existing issues are not resolved, we believe that AACRAO cannot perform any magic to increase enrolment.”
Regarding the role of federal immigration changes in Memorial’s enrolment decline, Yeasir stated, “While immigration pathways may be a factor in declining enrolment, we believe this issue to be more complex.”
He added, “If tuition increases along with inflation, students may choose to work rather than attend university.”
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