Academic Program Suspension and Cancellation Policy

To outline how Cambrian College (“the College”) makes decisions to suspend a program intake, suspend a program, or cancel a program.

This applies to all Ministry approved programs with the following credentials: Ontario College Certificates, Ontario College Diplomas, Ontario College Advanced Diplomas, Ontario College Graduate Certificates, and Degrees granted by Cambrian College.

Dormant program: a program approved for funding that has never been delivered or that has not been delivered for more than five years and has not been reported to the ministry as cancelled.

Intake suspension: involves the suspension of a specific intake cycle (e.g. fall) for the program at a specific site. The program is expected to remain as part of Cambrian’s active program mix. An intake suspension does not necessarily impact intakes outside of a specific site, delivery mode, or cycle, unless otherwise decided.

Program cancellation: a program that the College is no longer offering and in which no students are enrolled. Cancellation of a program will entail the official cancellation of the program with the Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security (MCURES). The program will no longer be offered by the College and is removed from the list of program offerings.

Program suspension: a program that the College has decided not to admit its first year or beginning level of students, and for which it will develop a transition plan to teach out those students currently registered in the program.

1. General

1.1. All Cambrian College programs are regularly reviewed to ensure quality and continued relevance.

1.2. The College will make decisions to suspend or cancel a program as early as possible to minimize impacts on applicants and current students.

1.3. Suspensions of a program, including intake suspension, do not necessarily result in the immediate or future cancellation of the program.

1.4. All program-related decisions will be made and communicated in a respectful, timely, and considerate manner.

1.5. Applicants and students affected by a decision to suspend or cancel a program, or intake, will be notified – typically at least four weeks prior to the program start date – and where possible, provided with alternative program options.

1.6. The College will develop a transition or teach-out plan to enable current students in the program to complete their studies.

2. Intake Suspension

2.1. Decisions to suspend a program intake will be informed by a review of applications, offers, confirmations, and other enrolment-related data, and will involve consultation with the appropriate Academic Dean.

2.2. The Vice President, Academic (VPA) will present recommendations regarding program intake suspension to Senior Team for approval.

3. Program Suspension or Cancellation

3.1. Decisions to suspend or cancel a program are made at the discretion of Senior Team and may include, but are not limited to, the following conditions:

1. Changes in accreditation status of the program.
2. Changes in legislation.
3. Declining applications, confirmation, and/or enrolment in a program.
4. Program performance.
5. Changes to funding and/or resource allocation.
6. Changes to the College’s strategic priorities.
7. Recommendations stemming from program reviews.
8. Force majeure (e.g. pandemic).

3.2. Such decisions are typically preceded by consultation and information gathering, including consideration of both qualitative and quantitative measures of program performance including, but not limited to, enrolment data.

3.3. In exceptional circumstances, such as significant financial constraints or force majeure, where timely decisions are required, the College may expedite the standard consultation process at its discretion.

3.4. The VPA will present recommendations for program suspension and/or program cancellation to Senior Team for endorsement.

3.5. The Board of Governors has final approval for program suspensions and program cancellations.

3.6. The College will inform the Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence, and Security (MCURES) of program suspensions and program cancellations in accordance with Ministry requirements and as outlined in Cambrian’s Academic Program Suspension and Cancellation Operating Procedure.

3.7. A program that has been suspended or dormant for five years may be cancelled by the Ministry in accordance with its Program Suspension and Cancellation Operating Procedure.

3.8. Any program that has been formally suspended and reported to the Ministry shall follow the Program Modification Operating Procedure and requires Board of Governors approval to be re-activated and resume intake.

3.9. Any program that has been cancelled and reported to the Ministry must be reapproved as a new program and comply with the New Program Development and Approval Policy if it is to be re-instated.

Board of Governors is responsible for:

• Reviewing recommendations and making the final decision to approve program suspensions and program cancellations.

Senior Team is responsible for:

• Approving intake suspensions.
• Reviewing and endorsing recommendations for program suspensions and program cancellations prior to submission to the Board of Governors for final approval.

Vice President, Academic is responsible for:

• Ensuring that this policy and associated procedure are fully implemented.
• Reviewing proposals for program suspensions and program cancellations from Academic Deans and presenting recommendations to Senior Team.
• Ensuring effective and timely communication of program decisions and/or changes to legislation to the College community.

Academic Deans/Chairs are responsible for:

• Ensuring appropriate information gathering, consultation, transition planning, and communication has occurred.
• Submitting the recommendation and transition plan for the proposed suspension or cancellation to the Vice President, Academic.
• Notifying the PAC and affected faculty, staff, and students as per the Academic Program Suspension and Cancellation Operating Procedure and appropriate collective agreements.

Planning, Institutional Research and Quality is responsible for:

• Ensuring the development, review, and availability of this policy and associated procedure.
• Notifying the College community about updates to this policy.
• Notifying the Ministry about program suspensions and program cancellations.

Office of the Registrar is responsible for:

• Notifying affected applicants of suspended or cancelled programs.
• Managing program and student information records.

Employees are responsible for:

• Being familiar and complying with the requirements of this policy.