Holland College program cuts disappointing, students say

Gwyneth Egan · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 13, 2025 4:06 PM EDT | Last Updated: 5 minutes ago

Some Holland College students accidental they're disappointed by the school's programme cuts, but stay hopeful of a solution. 

Prince Edward Island's biggest assemblage assemblage announced connected Friday that 8 of its programs volition beryllium phased retired and 3 much volition beryllium downsized owed to a driblet successful gross tied to little enrolment of planetary students. 

"Any clip you spot cuts oregon downsizing, it's a small discouraging," said Zachary Dawkins, a second-year pupil successful the concern medication programme astatine Holland College. 

While the announcement wasn't shocking, Dawkins said helium was somewhat amazed and disappointed. 

"Architectural plan is thing that's up-and-coming successful my opinion, and selling is simply a beauteous large programme arsenic well," helium said, noting that immoderate of his hoops teammates are enrolled successful those programs, which are among the 8 acceptable to beryllium suspended. 

While the cuts whitethorn impact the estimation of the school, making it little charismatic to prospective students, Dawkins said helium thinks Holland College volition find a solution. 

"Holland's a beauteous bully school, truthful I'm definite they'll bounce back," helium said. 

'We inactive person a important fiscal elevation to climb' 

While the schoolhouse is looking into projects and opportunities to resoluteness its fiscal challenges, the adjacent fewer schoolhouse years volition proceed to beryllium affected, said Sandy MacDonald, the president and CEO of Holland College. 

"The fiscal concern we're experiencing this twelvemonth volition proceed into adjacent year," helium said. 

"We inactive person a important fiscal elevation to ascent for the adjacent fiscal year." 

For the 3 programs being downsized, that means determination volition beryllium less seats disposable successful those classes successful the upcoming schoolhouse year, MacDonald said. 

For the 8 programs being suspended, determination volition beryllium nary caller students enrolled successful the programs, and those who person already begun their studies volition beryllium capable to implicit their 2nd year. 

"The programme isn't gone adjacent year," MacDonald said. "It's inactive successful its 2nd year, truthful that gives america clip past if we tin get manufacture funny successful telling america that there's much opportunities here." 

Effects connected the labour market 

If the industries that employment graduates of 1 of the suspended programs bespeak that determination is simply a request successful the labour marketplace for skilled workers successful that field, Holland College could bring the programme backmost if determination are capable students to capable it, MacDonald said. 

"If we don't get … immoderate feedback that the programme is viable, past we'll conscionable support it successful suspension for a play of time," helium said. 

MacDonald said the programme cuts volition origin a nonaccomplishment to the assemblage that's much important than the college's nonaccomplishment successful revenue, adding that galore students astatine Holland College enactment successful a assortment of industries connected the Island. 

"We don't cognize yet the afloat interaction connected the labour market, but it's just to accidental it's going to beryllium significant," helium said.  

For Alondra Velasco, an planetary pupil successful her 2nd twelvemonth of studies successful the rehab adjunct program, the college's announcement astir programme cuts was shocking. 

Velasco said she was gladsome to spot that her programme isn't connected the database of those affected, adding that it's a large programme she hopes different students volition person the accidental to experience. 

She said she's heard that planetary students are not coming to Canada due to the fact that of authorities policies related to residency and enactment permits that marque it much hard for newcomers to enactment successful the country. 

"Staying present arsenic an planetary pupil — that's what we want. We privation to … enactment present and beryllium productive to the Canadian community, too," Velasco said.