University-wide consultation on Enrolment Plan 2020

Apr 1st, 2014

Sandy Woolfrey-Fahey

University-wide consultation on Enrolment Plan 2020

Today, Dr. David Wardlaw, provost and vice-president (academic), is releasing an advanced draft of the Enrolment Plan 2020 for university-wide feedback.

"Enrolment Plan 2020 is a comprehensive, pan-university, multi-year enrolment document," explained Dr. Wardlaw. "It has undergraduate enrolment targets including certificate, diploma, and MD and graduate enrolment targets for the seven year period 2014-15 to 2020-21 inclusive."

The plan calls for maintaining undergraduate enrolment in the vicinity of current levels and continuing to grow graduate enrolment, which has doubled in the last decade, at average annual rate of 4 to 5%, resulting in a further increase in the graduate population of 32% to 37% by 2020-21 over the current level.

"The planned increase in graduate enrolment will have a direct impact on research and scholarly activity, productivity and intensity," noted Dr. Wardlaw. "The graduate growth strategy embodied in Enrolment Plan 2020 will be transformational for Memorial and is unprecedented and will be a key driver in realizing the proposed Strategic Research Intensity Plan."

The Plan also proposes that recruitment and retention strategies be adapted to help achieve targets while simultaneously improving student academic success. "Further, the enrolment objectives align the province's emerging Population Growth Strategy, while continuing to fulfill the special role and obligation that Memorial has for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians as the only university in the province," said Dr. Wardlaw.

In terms of overall university targets, the Plan calls for maintaining undergraduate enrolment in a corridor of 15,000-15,400, which encompasses the most recent three-year average, and for increasing graduate enrolment at a rate of 4 to 5% per annum from the 2013-14 enrolment of ~3550 to a range of 4725 (4% growth) to 4875 (5% growth) by 2020-21. The Plan contains an organizational framework to guide and facilitate implementation.

The creation of this document to date involved consultation with individual deans and directors, deans council, senior academic administrators group, student representatives and senate. Feedback has been very valuable and has significantly shaped the document since the first version was circulated in mid-February. Formative consultations preceding the written document included all faculties and schools on the St. John's campus, and the Grenfell and Marine Institute campuses.

A consultation period for the entire university community begins today. Your feedback and suggestions will ensure the plan reflects the goals of the entire university community. Feedback will be accepted until 12 noon on Monday, April 14, via e-mail mhaynes@mun.ca, or internal mail, Provost and Vice-President (Academic), A3047, St. John's campus.

The plan can be viewed here.