Fanshawe faculty and staff were abuzz this month with questions about the future of the college—and potentially their jobs.
Fanshawe College President Peter Devlin sent out an email to all employees inviting them to attend a town hall meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 26. The name of the event was “Fanshawe’s Road to Sustainability – Part 1,” and no other details were given. XFM News spoke to a number of staff members, who all anticipated that Devlin would be announcing his plan for cutting programs and jobs, but the college would not confirm these rumours in advance.
Once employees filed into the gym in J-Building and Devlin’s presentation began, it became clear that those rumours were true.
“You can expect that there will be permanent program suspensions,” Devlin said addressing the crowd. “And we’ll make those decisions by the end of March.”
President Peter Devlin addresses staff and faculty. (credit: XFM News)
These changes, he said, will take place in the fall of 2025, and will involve a teach-out period to allow current students to finish their programs.
“So, my point being, these changes aren’t a one-and-done thing,” he continued. “The transformation of Fanshawe College from today to the future…is one that will take place over time, and be phased.”
Another necessary step, Devlin says, is a rightsizing of the workforce—an alternative
the college is using to the term downsizing.
“It is a downsizing, I don’t shy away from that at all,” he explained. “I use the term rightsize because it is aligning with our operations, with reduced student enrolment and financial realities.”
There is still no timeline for when lay-offs may come. The college said they are taking a measured approach, and an external enterprise review is underway to identify opportunities for cost-cutting.
“We’ll make informed, strategic, decisions, rather than reactive cuts.”
Devlin said that employees can expect to see early retirement incentives next month, as the college looks to reduce the workforce prior to laying anyone off. He did not reveal any more details about this plan, and said the college is still working out the details.
Fanshawe’s financial struggles are not unique—colleges across Ontario are dealing with the same issues. The federal cap on international students continues to cause a massive loss in tuition revenue. Fanshawe is facing a $30 million deficit for this year, and $60 million in 2026. According to figures presented by Devlin, the loss of revenue during this time is almost $200 million.
Faculty and staff at the town hall meeting. (credit: XFM News)
Mark Feltham, president of the Fanshawe faculty union (OPSEU/SEFPO 110) heard nothing surprising during the meeting.
“Very little new information was presented today,” he said. “President Devlin stressed the College’s commitment to its people, and he did present a timeline for decisions. This timeline stretches into the spring: he promised an update for employees in early May.”
Still, he said employees are concerned.
“Members are understandably apprehensive. Precarious workers have been made even more precarious in this landscape, and even full-time workers, with their greater protections, are worried by talk of layoffs and program suspensions.”
He also pointed out the blame for Fanshawe’s troubles also lies, in part, with the province.
“Ontario funds its colleges at 44% of the Canadian average. Tuition has been cut and capped, forcing colleges into a highly vulnerable reliance on unregulated international-student tuition fees. This is the real story, particularly so on the eve of a provincial election.”
(Correction: the video originally stated that the results of the external enterprise review were in. They are not, and the review is ongoing.)
(Edited for grammar)
