UC enrolments show University is worthy of support

UC enrolments show University is worthy of support

The University of Canterbury has achieved its current 2012 full year budget for domestic enrolments with 11,293 equivalent full time students (EFTs) enrolled at the end of its first semester enrolment period.

The University budgeted on 11,031 domestic EFT student enrolments in 2012 in the Business Case For Support it provided to the Government last year.

“We are forecasting to achieve a slightly better than budget outcome for domestic enrolments for the full year,” said University of Canterbury Vice-Chancellor, Dr Rod Carr. “However, this will mean that we remain over 1,000 EFTs (8%) below the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC)-funded places for 2012 under the Investment Plan agreed upon in 2010 before the earthquakes.”

Overall domestic enrolments at UC are forecast to be 12,448 only 220 EFTs or 1.7% below the 2011 level of 12,667.

“This reflects a remarkable commitment by returning students and support from first time students. We believe that this is evidence that the University is an institution worthy of matching support from the Government.”

Despite its encouraging start to the 2012 academic year, the University is forecasting to remain about 1,780 EFTs (13%) down on 2010 (14,107) when the University was over-enrolled at 104% of its TEC-funded places.

“A reduction in enrolled students of that magnitude in turn represents a reduction in income from tuition fees and Student Achievement Component funding (SAC) from the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) that equates to more than $20 million per annum. While the Government has committed to providing UC with SAC funding for 2012 at levels agreed before the earthquakes, it has yet to commit to providing SAC funding for 2013 for under-provision as a result of the earthquakes.

“The University is forecasting 879 full-fee paying EFTs. This will exceed the full year budget for full fee EFTs by 15%, but full fee EFTs will still be 58 EFTs or 6% below 2011 levels (937 EFTs) and 388 EFTs or 31% below 2010 levels (1267 EFTs), reflecting a loss of tuition revenue of around $8 million.”

Dr Carr said that it is important to acknowledge that staff and students have shown great commitment to the University. “International students who did not leave following the 2011 earthquakes have returned in 2012. Although overall staffing levels are down 8%, voluntary resignations among academic staff are below 4% for the twelve months to the end of February 2012 showing the continuing commitment of staff to support the delivery of academic programmes.

“Given the support of staff and students and the fact that UC’s physical and intellectual capital have been preserved, it is clear that not only is the University in need of financial support, it is worthy of that support to match the commitment and resilience shown by staff and students.”

ENDS

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