The Board met in person on March 18, 2025. Minutes from the meeting will be posted on the Board of Governors website once available. The following are the highlights from the meeting:
Proposed Budget for Ancillary Services 2025-26
The Ancillary Budget was approved by the Board and ancillary units are projected to generate enough revenue to cover service costs and continue to establish reserves for future capital improvements. The proposed 2025-26 budget includes rate and fee increases where applicable (e.g., parking services, health and counselling services), expected revenue (The Print Shop, Campus Card), anticipated operating costs, and planned capital reinvestment for the year.
The budget report (begins on pg.4) highlights the achievements of 2024-25, outlines priorities for 2025-26, and presents a three-year capital reinvestment plan focusing on necessary work for each ancillary unit.
Update on Enrolment Trends
Suzanne Blanchard, VP (Students and Enrolment) and University Registrar, and Nadeem Saddiqi, Vice-Provost (Graduate Studies), provided an update on enrolments, highlighting trends over the past decade.
Undergraduate Enrolment
Since 2015, undergraduate applications and admissions have remained stable, with an upward trend observed in 2024/25 from students within the Ottawa and Eastern Ontario region. A similar trend is seen for new domestic student admissions. However, due to the pandemic and recent IRCC caps on international students, there has been a significant decline in international admissions, with further decreases projected for 2025. Carleton University has been more affected by the IRCC rules compared to other post-secondary institutions in Ontario.
To address these challenges, a multi-pronged recruitment strategy will be implemented on both international and domestic fronts. This approach will emphasize the university’s strengths and personalize outreach at every step. Key initiatives include campus tours, partnerships and pathways, open houses, early high-school outreach efforts, and direct, in-person, and in-country events for those international regions we have opportunities with.
Graduate Enrolment
Domestic graduate enrolment (Masters) has risen significantly in the last two years, while international graduate enrolment, which has been stable, is now declining. For the current 2025-26 recruitment cycle, international master’s applications have dropped by 45% compared to a 28% reduction in 2024-25. Despite this sharp decline in applications, confirmations are only down by 6% compared to 2024-25.
International Update
Betina Appel Kuzmarov, Associate Vice-President (International), provided an presentation on Carleton’s mission to enhance its international reputation for research and teaching in programs. This effort is guided by five key goals:
- Increase international research and funding.
- Increase the number of international students and build a global presence.
- Collaborate with visiting scholars and enhance the international internship program.
- Raise awareness and reduce barriers for international mobility and experiential learning.
- Leverage our National Capital advantage to foster internationalization at home.
Additionally, the university has adopted the Horizon Europe Programme with applications submitted across all faculties which will provide researchers with greater access to opportunities for elevating their research and innovations through global partnerships.
President’s Report
President Tettey provided an update on recent activities and accomplishments at Carleton since the December Board meeting. For more details, read the full President’s Report.
Governor Spotlight: Yafet Bizuneh, Student Governor
Yafet Bizuneh is a second-year Bachelor of Economics (B.Econ) student at Carleton University, majoring in Computational Analysis. He is the co-founder and current Vice President of Finance of the Eritrean and Ethiopian Student Association. Additionally, Yafet actively contributes to Carleton’s Residence Peer Conduct Board (RPCB). Learn more about Yafet.
Next meeting: April 29, 2025
The next meeting of the 2024/25 Board year is scheduled for April 29, 2025. Open session meeting materials are posted one week in advance of each meeting. More information on items approved, as well as minutes from previous meetings, can be found on the Board of Governors website.
Sincerely,
Beth Creary
Chair, Carleton University Board of Governors