Page 1 of 19 Sir Wilfred Grenfell College Key Facts 7 July 2005 This document provides a summary overview of the operations and current funding of Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, the Corner Brook Campus of Memorial University of Newfoundland. A copy was provided to the Principal of SWGC on 31 March 2005. His response was received on May 17, 2005. Efforts were made to incorporate his comments into the document, but to ensure his views are reported accurately, the full text of his comments is provided in Appendix B.
Page 2 of 19 1.0 Operational Description 1.1 Enrollment Trends From its inception in 1975, enrollment at SWGC has grown from 404 FTE students to 1,157 in 1993. Since that period, enrollment has grown to a peak of FTE 1,307 students in 2004, when the enrollment from the Western Memorial School of Nursing is included. When the Nursing enrollment is excluded, enrollment at the College over the last 11 years has fluctuated between a low of 974 in 1999 and a high of 1,109 students in 2004. The majority of students enrolled at SWGC come from Newfoundland and Labrador. At present, there are 113 students from the rest of Canada and 22 international students. Sir Wilfred Grenfell College FTE Enrollment 1990 to 2004 1400 1200 1000 800 600 Western SWGC 400 200 0 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 FTE Enrollment = Full-time enrollment +(Part-time enrollment/3.5) The distinction between enrollment counts that include Nursing students and those that do not is significant. The Nursing program is separately funded by the Department of Health through the Western Health Care Corporation and the program is not administered by the College Nursing students take 36 of their 129 credit hours at SWGC or 27.9% of their degree. There are 201 Nursing students, which normalizes to 56 FTE students. This is significant when considering the cost per student information that will follow. The College receives funding from WHCC in support of the elective courses taken by these students at Grenfell. Similarly, the campus in St John s
Page 3 of 19 receives funding for courses taken by Nursing students at the Centre for Nursing Studies in St John s. 1.2 Academic Program Enrolment At present, there are 12 undergraduate programs offered at the College: 6 in Arts and Social Sciences 2 in Fine Arts 4 in Science A break-down of the full-time enrollment in at the college by declared major is as follows: Program Majors English 79 Environmental Studies 49 Historical Studies 16 Humanities 6 Psychology 77 Social/Cultural Studies 31 Other Arts 7 Unspecified Arts 48 Arts Sub-Total 313 Theatre 79 Visual Arts 84 Unspecified Fine Arts 0 Fine Arts Sub-Total 163 Environmental Science Biology 56 Environmental Science Chemistry 19 Forestry (UNB) 2 Psychology 32 Other Science 27 Unspecified Science 58 Science Sub-Total 194 Not Specified/N. A./other 235 Pre-Specialization 183 Unspecified Sub-Total 418 Western Nursing Students 198
Page 4 of 19 Grand Total 1,286 Note: The other and unspecified Arts and Science categories include some students who are pursuing programs offered on the St. John s campus. Also, some unspecified students may be pursing degree programs at SWGC but have not yet declared a major. A program in Cognitive Science was discontinued in 2000. Note that 558 students enrolled at SWGC have either not yet chosen programs or have not formally declared their intention. This constitutes about 51% of all full-time students excluding the School of Nursing. The College does not offer any graduate programs, however some faculty members do supervise graduate students. 1.3 Faculty and Staff A detailed breakdown of faculty by discipline and employment status as of December 30 th 2004 is as follows: Division Discipline Regular Contractual Total Principal 6 2 8 Principal's Office 3 0 3 Counseling 1 1 2 Library 2 1 3 Arts 13 4 17 Divisional Office 0 0 1 Classics 1 0 1 English 7 3 10 French 0 1 1 History 3 0 2 Philosophy 1 0 1 Religion 1 0 1 Fine Arts 14 3 17 Divisional Office 0 0 0 Theatre 5 0 5 Visual Arts 9 3 12 Science 20 2 22 Divisional Office 0 0 0 Environmental Science 12 1 13 Forestry 0 0 0 Mathematics 5 1 6 Nursing 0 0 0 Physics 3 0 3 Social Science 15 5 20 Business 0 2 2
Page 5 of 19 Economics 1 0 1 Environmental Studies 1 0 1 Folklore 2 1 3 Geography 2 0 2 Political Science 1 0 1 Psychology 5 1 6 Social Science 0 0 0 Sociology 3 1 4 Total 68 16 84 Note: The majority of contractual faculty positions are sabbatical replacements. In summary, at present, there are 219 permanent and contractual Faculty and Staff distributed as follows: 68 tenure-track faculty; 16 contractual faculty; 92 permanent staff; 43 contractual staff There are 6 departments in Arts, 2 in Fine Arts, 9 in Science including Nursing, General Science and Environmental Science separately, and 8 in Social Sciences including Social Culture and Environmental Studies separately. 1.4 Funding The total budget allocation for SWGC from 2000-01 to 2004-05 excluding benefits, is shown in the graph below. Overall, the allocation has grown from $9.48 million in 2000-01 to $11.97 million in 2004-05, an increase of 26.3%. The grant provided to the academic envelope, excluding benefits and SWGC, increased by approximately 24.5%.
Page 6 of 19 SWGC Budget Allocation 2000-01 to 2004-05 12,000,000 10,000,000 8,000,000 6,000,000 4,000,000 2,000,000 0 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 Net expenditures for Grenfell in 2003-04 total $11.58 million and are distributed across four envelopes as shown in the table below. The Academic envelope is the largest and is split into 4 sub-envelopes (Arts, Fine Arts, Science, and Social Science). Academic support includes the Library, Registrar, Principal s Office, and Senate. Administration and Finance and Student Services are the other two envelopes. Academic Programs 2003-04 Fiscal Year Arts 1,349,888 Fine Arts 1,648,038 Science 2,542,368 Social Science 1,634,258 Academic Programs Total 7,174,552 Academic Support 917,022 Administration and Finance 3,010,125 Student Services 478,116 Total 11,579,815
Page 7 of 19 Gross expenditures for SWGC were approximately $14.25 million which includes employee benefits of $1.61 million. Offsetting revenue of $1.05 million makes up the difference between the gross and net expenditure. 1.5 Research Information provided by the Office of Research indicate that in 2003-04, external research support for SWGC totaled $75,833 with the five year average being a little over $65,000. However, an inventory prepared by the Associate Vice- Principal(Research) indicates that research funding from all sources, (ie, internal and external) totaled $269,000 in 2003-04.
Page 8 of 19 2.0 Comparative information 2.1 Funding per student Comparison of cost per student information to other institutions is a difficult task because no two institutions have the same mission, organizational structures, or program mix. At best, such comparisons give only a rudimentary indication of relative costs. It was for this reason that the Strawbridge committee that studied the adequacy of funding for Grenfell College felt it was not especially helpful to develop this sort of information. However, at a meeting in the October 2004 to discuss the future of SWGC, Dr. Ashton, the Principal of Grenfell compared it to three other institutions in Canada. The impression was given that SWGC s expenditures were decidedly lower. However, there were some problems with the information provided. First, all the students from the Western Nursing program were included in registration counts, but expenditure data not include any of the costs that were incurred in that program at Western Memorial. This had the effect of increasing the enrollment of the college while underestimating the costs, leading to a lower cost per student ratio. The second issue was the choice of comparative institutions. While there are a number of somewhat comparable institutions in Atlantic Canada, none were included in the analysis. Royal Roads University was included as a comparative institution. However, about 90% of the total enrollment at Royal Roads is in graduate programs. To understand and address these questions, cost per student calculations were generated by Memorial s Centre of Institutional Analysis and Planning using financial data from the Canadian Association of University Business Officers (CAUBO) and enrollment information from the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC). The most recent financial data for CAUBO was for the 2002-03 fiscal year, so it is necessary to use that as the base year. According to the audited financial statements for 2002-03, Grenfell s operating expenditures for 2002-03 were $13,402,000, including benefits. Total FTE enrollment for fall 2002 was 1,056, when the enrollment numbers are adjusted to include the normalized nursing enrollment. Overall, then, the total expenditure per student was $12,691. The revised comparative information for the institutions used in Dr. Ashton s presentation and a number of Atlantic institutions are presented in the table below.
Page 9 of 19 Operating Expenditures 2002-03 per Fall 2002 FTE Enrollment Operating FTE Expenditure/ Expenditures Students Student Brandon $ 28,877,000 2,337 $ 12,356 Nippising $ 31,372,000 2,589 $ 12,117 Royal Roads $ 31,372,000 2,676 $ 11,723 Acadia $ 51,807,000 4,015 $ 12,903 Mount St Vincent $ 30,257,000 2,709 $ 11,169 SFX $ 45,253,000 4,041 $ 11,198 UCCB $ 28,552,000 2,892 $ 9,873 King's College $ 8,970,000 947 $ 9,472 Grenfell College $ 13,402,000 1,056 $ 12,691 Source CAUBO and AUCC except Grenfell Grenfell operating expenditures from 2002-03 financial statements Operating Expenditures include benefits but not costs incurred on their behalf on the St. John's campus. Grenfell Enrollment from factbook and is adjusted for Western Nursing Enrollment on a pro rata bases (% of program taken at SWGC). Of the nine institutions listed, SWGC s expenditures per FTE student is the second highest, behind Acadia University. It is important to note that SWGC s figures differ from the other institutions. Unlike the other institutions, SWGC receives a number of services (including student records, human resources, and financial record services) from the St. John s campus. Were the costs of these services attributed to the College on a pro-rata basis, their cost per student figures would be higher. A preliminary estimate of this attribution is in the $1 million range, which would add a further $947 to the cost per student. For the sake of completeness, the 2003-04 cost per student information for SWGC is provided. In 2003-04, Grenfell s gross operating expenditures were $14,247,000, including benefits. When the enrollment numbers are adjusted to account for the nursing enrollment, the total FTE enrollment for fall 2003 was 1,153. Overall, then, the total expenditure per student was $12,356 excluding the services provided by the St. John s campus.
Page 10 of 19 In summary, then, with attribution of central costs of $947 per student included in Grenfell s total, here is a list of comparable institutions in rank order by expenditure per FTE student. $$/FTE Institution Student Grenfell College 13,638 Acadia 12,903 Brandon 12,356 Nippising 12,117 Royal Roads 11,723 SFX 11,198 Mount St Vincent 11,169 UCCB 9,873 King's College 9,472 2.2 Comparisons of UNB Saint. John Recently, the University of New Brunswick s Saint John Campus has been put forward by SWGC as a comparable institution. There is very little information available about the Saint John campus from public sources such as the web, AUCC, or CAUBO, so information was sought directly from the university. Selected Indicators - UNB Saint John vs. SWGC UNB - St. John SWGC FTE Enrolment 2,853 1,153 Total Expenditures 2003-04 28,336,000 14,247,000 Expenditure per student* $9,932 $12,356 Tenure/TT Faculty 130 66 Students per TT Faculty 21.9 17.5 * - Excludes attribution of central costs to SWGC
Page 11 of 19 2.3 Comparison to Memorial s St. John s Campus Preliminary costs per student have been computed for the St. John s campus and Sir Wilfred Grenfell College based on gross expenditure figures from the 2003-04 audited financial statements. Expenditures and enrollments for the Faculty of Medicine have been excluded because the funding for this program is provided by the Department of Health. Expenditures and enrollments for the Marine Institute have also been excluded because their diploma and certificate students are currently not part of Memorial s official enrollment counts. The expenditure figures for St. John s are reduced by $1.5 million as a conservative estimate of the central services provided for SWGC, MI and Medicine. SWGC s expenditures have been increased by $1M to reflect an estimate of central costs incurred to support the College. Detailed calculations are provided in Appendix A. Cost per student comparison - St. John's vs. SWGC St. John's SWGC Expenditures - 2003-04 162,182,000 15,247,000 Fall 2003 - FTE Enrollment 12,921 1,153 Cost per student 12,551 13,224 St. John's excludes Medicine, which is separately funded, and MI whose diploma and certificate students are not included in registration figures. As noted above, it is difficult to draw conclusions from this data because the two campuses have different mandates and program mixes. For example, the relative cost of sabbatical replacements is higher in Corner Brook than in St John s. Other examples would include the facts that the St. John s campus has a number of high cost programs such as Biochemistry and Pharmacy, a significant research presence, and a growing graduate student population. 2.4 Student Faculty Ratios While enrollment and financial information is readily available from CAUBO, AUCC and Statistics Canada, information about faculty counts is not as complete. Statistics Canada gathers faculty information, but does so though a series of reports and subsequent updates. Unfortunately, reporting of this information appears to be sporadic and not all of the institutions noted in the previous
Page 12 of 19 comparisons have reported. A table showing the student faculty ratios for the institutions that have reported is shown below. Full-time Equivalent Students to FT Faculty Ratios FTE Students Full-time Faculty Student Teacher Ratio Brandon* 2,337 153 15.3 Acadia 4,015 202 19.9 Mount St Vincent 2,709 130 20.8 SFX 4,041 223 18.1 UCCB* 2,892 101 28.6 Grenfell College 1,056 65 16.2 Enrollment Source AUCC except SWGC Full-time Faculty is from Statistics Canada 2002-03 except where * which is 2003-04. FTE students are defined as Full-time enrollment + (part-time enrollment/3.5) Grenfell Enrollment from factbook and is adjusted for Western Nursing Enrollment on a pro rata bases (% of program taken at SWGC).
Page 13 of 19 APPENDIX A Cost per Student Information
Page 14 of 19 Appendix A - Cost Per Student Information SWGC vs the St. John's Campus Cost per student information - St. John's Campus From: 2003-04 audited financial statements Total Operating Expenditure $229,863 Less Medicine $25,523 MI $26,411 Grenfell $14,247 Attributed central services $1,500 Sub-total -St John's Campus $162,182 Enrollment St. John's Full-time 11,219 Part-time FTE 624 Graduate Full-time 1,219 Part-time FTE 227 CNS (@ 27.9%) 128 Sub-total 13,417 Less Medicine 348 Total St. John's Campus MI 148
Page 15 of 19 12,921 Cost per student - St. John's $12,551 From Audited Statements 2003-04 ($ thousands) SWGC $14,247 Attributed Costs $1,000 Total $15,247 Enrollment SWGC - Fall 2003 From Factbook Full-time 1,077 Part-time FTE 20 Western 56 Total 1,153 Cost per student - SWGC $13,224
Page 16 of 19 Appendix B SWGC OPERATIONAL DESCRIPTION RESPONSE FROM THE PRINCIPAL OF SIR WILFRED GRENFELL COLLEGE
Page 17 of 19 SWGC Operational Description Questions and Amendments The audience for this document is still not clear, especially in light of the financial comparisons with other universities. If the intent is to give an overview of the college s operations for the information of those wanting to know more about the college, comparison with other institutions is not necessary or useful. However, inclusion of non-academic operations such as community programming and technical support might be useful to complete the picture in such a case. For any audience, it is important that the college s various operations be described accurately. The comments below address areas in the document that require clarification. 1.2 Academic Programme Enrolment The numbers in this chart identify declared majors, so the phrase total full-time enrolments is misleading. There are also students with declared minor programmes in the various disciplines, as well as those following the programmes full-time without having declared a major or minor, whose numbers must be found in the unspecified categories. It should also be made clear that the Other Arts and Other Science students must be majoring in St. John s programmes, since we have no other arts or science programmes than those already specified in the table. The Unspecified Arts and Unspecified Science students are likely to be a mixture of those intending to enrol in St. John s programmes, those intending to stay at the college, and those intending to go to other institutions. The larger category of Not Specified/N.A./other must also contain a mixture of those considering staying and those moving on to other institutions, but the Pre-Specialization students are by definition all planning to move on to St. John s programmes. By separating the Other Arts/Science from the Unspecified Arts/Science, we should be able to determine what proportion of that group is intending to follow St. John s majors but for now is attending this campus, and which proportion is genuinely undecided. Since the service function for St. John s programme is still a significant part of our mission, it should be clearly identified here in order to portray accurately the operation of the college. 1.3 Faculty and Staff Is this information meant to indicate teaching capacity or total employment? In order to accurately reflect our teaching capacity, it should be indicated that only two of the contractual faculty (one in Counselling and one in Math) are not sabbatical replacements, so our active teaching complement is significantly less than these numbers might indicate to an uninformed reader. A note would accomplish this, perhaps with an explanation of our reliance on teaching term
Page 18 of 19 appointments for sabbatical replacements due to tight programme requirements and lack of a complement of pre-course instructors. We should also make sure the correct terminology is used. In order to avoid confusion with the St. John s campus, we do not have departments. We should state that there are 3 programmes offered by the Arts Division, 2 by Fine Arts, 3 by Science (including Nursing) and 4 by Social Science. This is distinct from the number of disciplines in each Division and also distinct from the degree designations (for example, the Division of Social Science offers both a B.A. and a B.Sc. in psychology). In the accompanying table, there is inconsistency in how the Heads are accounted for. In Arts, the Head seems to be counted in the Divisional office rather than in his discipline of history. The other Divisional offices show no faculty. The Heads should probably all appear in their disciplines, since none was hired specifically to the position of Head. The total faculty numbers seem to be correct, but again the impression might be created that all these faculty are teaching all the time, which is not the case. As well, the two regular librarians are not accounted for, and since they fall under the MUFNA collective agreement, they should probably be included. Would it make sense to include instructional staff by Division as well? 1.4 Funding Are the amounts given for each Division salaries only? Are staff as well as faculty salaries included? This should be clarified. 1.5 Research According to the inventory conducted by Associate Vice-Principal (Research) Wade Bowers, the external research funding at the college last year totalled approximately $269,000. 2.1 Funding Per Student Since the Strawbridge committee decided that this kind of analysis was not useful given the differing conditions among campuses, institutions, and local economies, the point of including the information is not clear. On what was the estimate of the cost of providing shared services to this campus based? It would be worthwhile to pursue defining the cost of such services with a clear accounting of the various departments that support both campuses (and presumably the MI and Medical School). This information would be useful to the whole institution, since it might lead to identification of greater operational efficiencies. The cost per student numbers could be used to show that we have not yet reached the economies of scale possible at higher populations, but that is a point that probably does not need demonstration.
Page 19 of 19 2.2 Comparison of Memorial s St. John s Campus Again, the utility of such a comparison is not clear, but it is worth noting that all science programmes, including the ones we offer, are expensive, and that the Visual Art and Theatre programmes are expensive as well given the necessarily limited class sizes and high cost of equipment and materials. Again, these points probably do not need demonstration.