Academic Program Suspension and Cancellation Policy

To outline the process for suspending a program intake, suspending a program or cancelling a program.

To outline the process for suspending a program intake, suspending a program or cancelling a program.

When Seneca decides not to admit students into a program for a given term.

A program into which Seneca will not admit new students. A program can remain suspended for up to five years.

A program that Seneca no longer offers and in which no students are enrolled. The program is discontinued permanently and cannot be re-activated unless a new funding approval application is submitted to the Ministry of Colleges and Universities.

A program approved for funding that has never been delivered or that had not been delivered for more than five years and has not been reported to the Ministry as cancelled.

1. Seneca reserves the right to suspend a program intake for any reason. 
2. Generally, program intake suspensions result from low interest, internal and/or external factors that prevent Seneca from offering the intake or changes in strategic direction. 
3. Applicants will be informed of a program intake suspension in a timely manner.
4. A program intake may be suspended for one or more terms and admission may resume at a later term.  

1. A program suspension is based on factors that indicate the viability of a program, including, but not limited to performance, demand and graduate employment outcomes.
2. Program suspensions require the approval of the appropriate academic dean, the Enrolment Management Committee and the Senior Executive Committee.
3. Program cancellations require the approval of the appropriate academic dean, Enrolment Management Committee, the Senior Executive Committee and the Board of Governors.
4. Seneca notifies the Ministry of Colleges and Universities of program suspensions or cancellations for ministry-funded programs.
5. To resume student intake to a program that has been suspended for less than five years, Seneca notifies the Ministry of Colleges and Universities of the decision in a letter signed by the President.
6. Any programs suspended or dormant for five years are automatically cancelled by the ministry and will require new ministry approval to be re-instated.
7. Before suspending or cancelling a program, all options will be exhausted to help students complete the program on time in accordance with when they enrolled.
8. Suggested timelines for initiating a program suspension are recommended in the Program Suspension Proposal.

• Request to Suspend a Program Intake
• Program Suspension Proposal

• Academic Program Development and Modification Policy
• Academic Program Review Policy

• Program Suspension and Cancellation: Operating Procedure, Minister's Binding Policy Operating Procedure
• Funding Approval of Programs of Instruction, Minister's Binding Policy Directive
• Framework for Programs of Instruction, Minister's Binding Policy Directive

1. The academic dean/chair, Marketing and Communication, and/or the Office of the Registrar can initiate discussions to determine a program intake suspension by examining program applications and internal or external factors.
2. The academic dean/chair consults with Human Resources on any personnel and/or labour relations implications, as well as any other affected academic and service areas.  
3. The initiator of the suspension starts a Request to Suspend a Program Intake form with an enrolment recovery plan and presents the draft form to the Enrolment Subcommittee for input and endorsement.
4. The academic chair sends the Request to Suspend a Program Intake form to the academic dean and Vice-President Academic and Students for review and approval.
5. The Office of the Registrar communicates program intake suspension to internal Seneca stakeholders.
6. Marketing and Communications, with assistance from the Office of the Registrar and Seneca International, communicates the program intake suspension to applicants of the program at the time of intake suspension.
7. The Office of the Registrar tracks intake suspensions for the annual report to the Board of Governors and ensures that intake suspensions are reviewed each semester.

1. The academic dean/chair completes a Program Suspension Proposal (PSP) and reviews it with Academic Quality.
2. The academic dean/chair consults with Human Resources on any personnel and/or labour relations implications, as well as any other affected academic and service areas. 
3. The academic dean/chair completes a teach-out plan for students enrolled in the affected program.
4. The academic dean presents the draft PSP and teach-out plan to the Enrolment Subcommittee for review and endorsement.
5. The academic dean submits the PSP and teach-out plan to the Vice-President, Academic and Students for review and approval.
6. The PSP is submitted to the Senior Executive Committee for review and approval.
7. Seneca provides reports on program suspensions to the Board of Governors annually, at minimum.
8. Academic Quality prepares a suspension letter for signature by the President and notifies the Ministry of Colleges and Universities of the program suspension.
9. Academic Quality communicates the program suspension to internal Seneca stakeholders.
10. The academic chair communicates the teach-out plan to students enrolled in the program at the time of suspension.
11. The academic dean/chair communicates the program suspension to the Program Advisory Committee and external stakeholders.
12. Suspended programs will be reviewed annually for continued suspension or cancellation.
13. If a program has been suspended or dormant for five years, the ministry will send notice to Academic Quality of the program cancellation. Academic Quality will inform the academic dean and chair of the program cancellation. If Seneca determines that the program will remain in suspended status, Academic Quality will provide such notice to the ministry.

1. The academic dean completes a Program Cancellation Proposal (PCP) and reviews it with Academic Quality.
2. The academic dean/chair consults with Human Resources on any personnel and/or labour relations implications, as well as any other affected academic and service areas. 
3. The academic chair and dean complete a teach-out plan for students enrolled in the affected program.
4. The academic dean presents the draft PCP and teach-out plan to the Enrolment Subcommittee for input and endorsement.
5. The academic dean submits the PCP and teach-out plan to the Vice-President, Academic and Students for review and approval.
6. The academic dean presents the signed PCP to the Enrolment Management Committee for review and endorsement.
7. The PCP is submitted to the Senior Executive Committee for review and approval.
8. Program cancellation proposals are generally provided to the Board of Governors for approval once a year.
9. If a program has been suspended or dormant for five years, the ministry will send notice to Academic Quality of the program cancellation. Academic Quality will inform the academic dean and chair of the program cancellation. If the academic dean and chair agree with cancelling the program, the cancellation will be noted in an annual briefing note to the Senior Executive Committee and the Board.
10. Academic Quality prepares a cancellation letter for signature by the President and notifies the Ministry of Colleges and Universities of the program cancellation.
11. Academic Quality communicates the program cancellation to internal Seneca stakeholders.
12. The academic chair communicates the teach-out plan to students enrolled in the program at the time of cancellation.
13. The academic dean/chair communicates the program suspension to the Program Advisory Committee and external stakeholders.

MTCU Program Suspension and Cancellation: Operating Procedure

Approval Date: June 2021

Last Revision: January 2024