President Cheryl Jensen announced that the college is suspending intake to seven programs for Fall 2018. Perth campus will see five programs affected, and Ottawa and Pembroke will each have one program affected.

Seven programs offered by Algonquin will no longer be accepting students for the Fall 2018 term.

President Cheryl Jensen announced the intake suspension to students via email March 16, explaining that the college had reviewed the programs and the cost-cutting decision to stop accepting students was made due to the changes the college is making to comply with Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act. The decision will be discussed by Academic and Student Affairs Committee of the Board on March 22.

The suspensions will affect the Perth campus more than any other, with five programs from that campus and one from both the Ottawa and Pembroke campuses.

The affected programs from Perth include office administration (general), office administration (executive), social service worker, masonry (heritage and traditional) and carpentry and renovation technician.

The Pembroke campus will see its motive power technician program affected, and the Ottawa campus will suspend acceptance to the Kitchen and Bath certificate program.

Also announced was that the college expects to make adjustments, by April 1, to the pay structure for part-time, temporary and seasonal workers – the necessary changes to comply with the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act.

These changes will include a review of the experience and qualifications of part-time academic staff to determine the correct compensation. Changes will also be made to the Human Resources Information System. All changes made after April 1 will be made retroactive to that date.

The college has set up a website to provide details to the Algonquin community related to the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act. For more information visit: www.algonquincollege.com/changingworkplace/