Planning for multi-year enrolment at the university is no simple task; many factors come into play during the planning process. The essential services that support undergraduate and graduate students are among the many important considerations, and were front-and-centre at a recent meeting of the university’s Strategic Enrolment Management Group (SEMG).

“There are many considerations when planning enrolment over the long term,” says Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) Alan Harrison. “What we do now in planning for the next three years will set the stage for long-term planning.”

Ann Tierney, Vice-Provost and Dean of Student Affairs, and Brenda Brouwer, Vice-Provost and Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, provided an update on existing student supports and discussed the impact of enrolment on student demand for service.

The university continually monitors demand for important student services, such as athletics and recreation, residences, Health, Counselling and Disability Services, Career Services, academic learning support services, as well as targeted programming and support for aboriginal students and international students. Capacity is built as demand or the student population increases over time.

Scholarships, bursaries and other sources of student funding are also tracked to ensure the amount of student assistance available keeps pace with enrolment changes.

“The SEMG has had a productive winter term and I have been impressed with its work thus far," says Doug Johnson, President, Alma Mater Society. “At our last meeting it was great to see the group discuss student services that would be impacted by increased enrolment. Recognizing these impacts enables open discussion and I look forward to the continuing conversation.”

The SEMG is on track with plans to submit a three-year enrolment plan for 2013/14, 2014/15 and 2015/16 to the Senate Committee on Academic Development (SCAD) and then to the full Senate in April.

In the long-term, the SEMG’s goal is to project enrolment at the university to 2020 and beyond in alignment with the university’s strategic and academic planning processes.