DECEMBER 7, 2006

THE CADRE @ 13

CAMPUS

UPEI will face enrolment crunch in coming years

Stacey Murray Advertising Manager

Maintaining enrolment numbers will be one of the University of Prince Edward Island’s biggest challenges in the coming years, says its president.

The university serves roughly 3,500 full-time students, which is up nearly five per cent from last year.

Wade MacLauchlan said this is the optimal population for a university of its size.

“To acknowledge that we have reached our right size is not the same thing as saying it’s time to close the gates.”

He made the comment in his annual state of the university address Nov. 23.

MacLauchlan said while the university has maintained and even increased enrolment, other universities haven’t faired as well.

“One good year doesn’t mean we're immune.”

In 2006, enrolment at the university increased by 4.9 per cent while St. Francis Xavier only saw an increase of 0.8 per cent.

Enrolment at Mount Alison, on the other hand, decreased two per cent and Acadia University’s enrolment dropped 4.7 per cent. -

There are many factors related to this trend including a lower birth rate, which means students make up a

smaller percentage of the population than they used to.

MacLauchlan also said a migration to schools outside of the Maritimes and the Alberta boom are factors in the decrease in enrolment in Maritime universities. While UPEI has “lucked out or scraped by,” this trend will affect all universities in the coming years.

Student Union president Ryan Gallant also saw the lower youth population as something the university must deal with in the coming years.

fi thiak'-:as “always. the demographic crunch we’re facing and keeping students in the province [is an issue].”

MacLauchlan said the university will have to maintain its high standards to maintain student enrolment in the coming years.

Increasing enrolment of international students will also help offset less Maritime student enrolment.

Eight per cent of students, or 265, are international students, the bulk being from China and the United

_ States. He would like to increase this

number to 10 per cent, or 331 students.

MacLauchlan said the amount of students from outside of Canada shows the university’s name is becoming well-know.

Photo: Stacey Murray

UPEI president Wade MacLauchlan speaks at his annual state of the university address. Maclean’s ranked UPEI fifth in undergraduate schools in Canada.

Diversifying the whole range of what the university offers will be important, he said.

“We need to expand the footprint, be relevant, and offer programs that really take advantage of

the talents and the growing reputation of this university.”

MacLauchlan praised the school’s efforts in the last year, which ranked fifth in the Maclean’s university rankings. In 2000, the school was 18°.

Picture this, we crawled for cancer

On Nov. 3, 2006 the UPEI Business Society held a pub crawl in aid of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. The theme of the pub crawl was a picture scavenger hunt. Teams were formed and they went around town to bars and took pictures of different items and activities. You can check out our pictures on our website,

In addition to having a great time, the goal of the pub crawl was to raise money for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. In addition to a portion of the money we made, we also sold cookies in the shapes of breasts to raise money for this great cause. When

it was all said and done, we raised $300.

Thanks to all the students, faculty and staff who supported this cause.

Front row: Alicia Bremner, Phred, Julie Mutch

Back row: Matthew Weeks, Chris MacDonald, Matthew Cassidy,

David McKenna, T-J. Cummiskey, Tanya Goodwin, Crystal MacLeod

The Business Society presenting a cheque to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation

i"