Suspension and/or Discontinuance of Programs Procedures

Program Suspension

1. The decision to review a program for possible suspension is initiated by the relevant Dean and is usually informed by the annual program review process.
   
   
   
   1. If the department and Dean agree on a recommendation to suspend or discontinue a program, a Feasibility Report is not required. A proposal document with supporting rationale will be submitted to Education Council for advice to the Board, and the Board will make the final decision.
   
   
   2. If the department and Dean do not agree on the recommendation to suspend or discontinue a program, the Dean will submit a request to the Program Review and Renewal Committee of Education Council for a Feasibility Report.
   
   
   
   


2. The Report will be written by a Program Feasibility Working Group based on their review of the program. The Report will include, but is not limited to, the following elements:
   
   
   
   1. The reasons program suspension is being contemplated;
   
   
   2. All current facts or conditions which argue in favour of, and/or against, the suspension of the program;
   
   
   3. Labour market trends relevant to the program;
   
   
   4. Student demand for the program;
   
   
   5. Competing or related programs at other colleges in the Province;
   
   
   6. Financial impacts on the College of continuing or suspending the program;
   
   
   7. The non-financial impacts of suspending the program;
   
   
   8. Possible curriculum changes which might allow the program to continue without suspension;
   
   
   9. The costs and potential benefits of continuing the program without suspension, after necessary changes, to curriculum and otherwise, have been made.
   
   
   
   


3. The Working Group will engage in a broad consultation process, ensuring that all relevant parties in the College are engaged in a discussion regarding the potential impact of program suspension.


4. The completed Report will be submitted to the Dean in a timely manner, not to exceed three months. The Dean will distribute the Report to:
   
   
   
   1. All employees of the affected program
   
   
   2. Senior Leadership
   
   
   3. the Education Council
   
   
   4. CUPE, the VCCFA, and the SUVCC
   
   
   
   


5. The Report will be used to inform the Dean's decision on how to proceed with the program:  
   
   
   
   1. If the Dean determines that a program could be revitalized, a reasonable opportunity to implement the recommendations will be given. The College will support the revitalization of the program.
   
   
   2. If the Dean recommends suspension of a program, the faculty, staff, students, Program Advisory Committee (PAC) members, and any other interested relevant parties in that program will be invited to make a presentation at the next regularly scheduled Education Council meeting.  
   
   
   
   


6. Following the presentation to Education Council, Education Council will vote on its advice to the Board of Governors on the proposed suspension. This advice will be provided to the Board of Governors at its next meeting, and a final decision will be made by the Board of Governors.


7. If the decision is to suspend a program, then the program will be suspended from the date of the next intake or from the date specified by the Board.


8. It is the College's responsibility to communicate the decision to suspend a program to all relevant parties as soon as possible after the decision is made, and to teach out the program to currently enrolled students.

Program Discontinuance

9. Two years following the suspension of a program, the decision to suspend will be revisited by the Dean and department and a recommendation on a further course of action will be made to Education Council.


10. Education Council will vote on its advice to the Board of Governors regarding discontinuance of a program.


11. The Board of Governors will make the final decision on the discontinuance of a program. The date of the meeting where the decision is made will be the official discontinuance date.


12. It is the College's responsibility to communicate the decision to discontinue a program to all relevant parties as soon as possible after the decision is made. The department, Dean, Registrar, and the Marketing & Communications department will be notified and a communication plan will be implemented to notify:
    
    
    
    1. Existing applicants and students will be notified when a program is discontinued and, where possible, directed to Advising to offer registration information in another program.
    
    
    2. All affected relevant parties.