Christian colleges go online and lay off staff

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This article was published 16/04/2020 (2325 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MANITOBA’S four Christian colleges and universities have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by moving all courses online, adjusting budgets, laying off staff, and preparing various scenarios for the fall.

“We had to pivot really quickly to accommodate the closures,” said Michael Boyce, vice-president academic and dean at Booth University College, of how the Winnipeg school moved to online teaching for its 296 students.

While it’s working, “It’s not a long-term solution,” he said, adding some students do well with that form of learning, but for others “it’s not a format they excel in.”

At Providence University College and Theological Seminary, the transition was easier, said president David Johnson.

“We were well-positioned for this because we have run an extensive online program in our seminary for a number of years,” he said of serving the Otterburne school’s 438 undergraduate and seminary students.

As for graduation ceremonies, only Canadian Mennonite University, with 1,607 students, plans to hold a short online commencement this month. It also plans to hold an in-person celebration in fall, if circumstances permit. The others, including Steinbach Bible College, have postponed commencements until fall, if permitted.

In terms of staffing, only Winnipeg-based CMU has made significant cuts; in early April, the school temporarily laid off about 20 per cent of its staff (about 30 people).

One area all the schools feel good about is student services.

“Staff have been in regular contact with students,” said Terry Schellenberg, vice-president external at CMU. “They have shown themselves to be vital, supporting students during this disruptive time.”

Looking to the 2020-21 academic year, all four schools hope it will be safe to return to normal, in-person instruction. However, they are also preparing for different scenarios.

“We are committed to a strong fall program,” said CMU president Cheryl Pauls, whether it is in-person instruction, a hybrid of online and in-person, or all online. “We are trying to determine which one to put most effort into planning.”

At Providence, “We are going full bore for a fall opening on campus,” said Johnson, noting it is a residential school at the undergraduate level. “Students have their best experience if they live on campus.”

At Booth, “We are fully engaged for fall courses,” said Boyce, although, “We are holding loosely what that means.”

SBC (counting more than 100 students) is also considering various options for the new school year, said president Rob Reimer.

Financially, all are expecting to take a hit from reduced giving and loss of rental income. None could predict how big the downturn in revenues will be.

“Time will tell on this,” said Johnson, adding, “If we can’t open in the fall, our future depends partly on how much cash we can preserve or receive before we open again.”

“We realize some donors will have less capacity to give in the future,” said Pauls, noting CMU held its annual spring fundraiser online, instead of at the school, earlier this month.

“We don’t know what the next few months will hold,” agreed Reimer. “We are preparing multiple budget scenarios.”

The schools are also worried about the loss of summer employment for students, and how that might affect enrollment in fall.

As for the future, “Providence will be a different institution on the other side of the pandemic,” said Johnson, noting the school was already in the early planning stages for an overhaul before the impact of the novel coronavirus was felt.

“We are going to keep doing what God has called us to do,” said Reimer. “Our mission hasn’t changed.”

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