Fanshawe students woke up to a surprise Thursday morning when the college announced it will permanently suspend nine academic programs.
Matthew Davies, a post-graduate student in Fanshawe’s Visual Effects and Editing program, says the suspension of the program is a “major loss.” Photo: Adam Duffy
Matthew Davies, a post-graduate student in the Visual Effects and Editing program, said he discovered the decision while trying to show someone information about his program online.
“I typed in visual effects and editing on the Fanshawe website and it wouldn’t show up,” said Davies. “Ten or twenty minutes later we found out it had been cut. Our program just no longer exists. I was kind of shocked.”
The visual effects program is among nine full-time programs Fanshawe College announced Thursday will be suspended as part of an ongoing review of program viability.
The latest cuts bring the total number of program suspensions announced by the college over the past year to nearly 50.
College officials say the suspensions are tied to financial pressures, shifting labour market needs and declining enrolment, particularly among international students. The move is part of broader efforts to reduce a growing deficit and align programs with student demand and workforce needs.
Programs affected include Dental Assisting, User Experience Design, Game Development – Advanced Programming, Photography Advanced and Visual Effects and Editing for Contemporary Media.
Davies said the loss of the visual effects program is significant because it provides access to specialized software and training that students would otherwise struggle to obtain.
“With visual effects and editing, it gives you access to software you normally wouldn’t have access to, like Nuke and Houdini,” Davies said. “Without this program I don’t think I’d be able to get a job in post-production. There’s no way.”
Students walking to class at Fanshawe College. (Photo: Adam Duffy)
He said the decision could also affect students currently enrolled in Fanshawe’s film program who may have hoped to pursue advanced post-production training after graduating.
“I just don’t feel like it’s fair to students in the undergrad program right now who wanted to go into post-production,” Davies said. “Now they have to go somewhere else.”
Susan Cluett, the college’s senior vice-president academic, said the suspensions are part of an ongoing review of program viability.
“Whenever we’re making program viability decisions, the factors include labour market demand, student interest and demand, as well as the financial viability of the programs,” Cluett said.
Cluett said students currently enrolled in the affected programs will still be able to complete their studies. Applicants who had planned to enter those programs will be contacted individually to discuss alternative options.
The cuts come after the federal government moved to cap international student permits earlier this year, reversing years of policy that encouraged colleges to expand enrolment and rely on higher international tuition fees as a key source of revenue.
Fanshawe college entrance Oxford Street. (Photo: Fanshawe College)
Fanshawe estimates a $26.5-million deficit this year, with projections rising to $50.6 million next year and $54.1 million in 2027-28. The college also expects full-time enrolment to drop by about 18 per cent for the 2026–27 academic year.
The college recently launched a four-year Honours Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree to meet workforce demand.
For students in programs now facing suspension, however, the shift highlights how quickly academic opportunities can disappear.
“I think this is a major loss,” Davies said. “It was one of two post-grad programs that taught visual effects. Now it’s gone.”
