When we talk about enrolment, the conversation too often begins and ends with numbers; specifically, we talk about declines, deficits and tactics to close a gap. In doing so, we risk reducing enrolment into statistics or confusing it with registering for a program or course.  

Experience, however, has taught me that enrolment isn’t, in fact, transactional. Rather, it’s an act of confidence and trust. 

Choosing a university is a defining decision and the processes of applying, waiting for an acceptance, and worrying if you will belong and/or how you'll pay for tuition is an act of faith -- fueled by aspiration and hope for your future.   

The enrolment ripple effect 

More broadly, enrolment is systemic and civic; it goes well beyond the university and its students by connecting people and communities to learning opportunities, research outcomes and the incalculable value of engagement.   

Enrolment ties the present to what comes next by propelling a ripple effect: each student who crosses our threshold brings energy, ideas and potential that reach far beyond our campuses — to families, workplaces and communities across our province and world. 

Enrolment is impact.  Enrolment is civic contribution.  Enrolment is the measure of how we live our mission.  Enrolment is about possibility.  Enrolment is about access. 

And yet, we continue to talk about enrolment in the language of seats, numbers and tuition dollars -- in part because the financial pressures we’re facing are real and top of mind.  With specific reference to Newfoundland and Labrador, demographic shifts will continue to create significant enrolment challenges for Memorial University until at least 2040.  Simply:  we won’t return to our past numbers anytime soon.   

But focusing solely on headcount is an abdication of our deeper purpose and responsibility.  

From quantity to quality 

Instead, the real goal is optimum enrolment: the level at which we sustain a rich academic environment, ensure students feel supported and challenged, and maximize our impact.  Optimum enrolment means quality and accountability, not just quantity. 

Enrolment is not only about welcoming more students; it’s about ensuring that the path to enrolment is accessible, supportive and affirming. Too often, students encounter obstacles — cumbersome processes, overly complex program maps, an array of forms, scheduling inflexibility — that discourage more than empower. If enrolment is impact, then clearing the path is fundamental to delivering on our academic mission. 

True enrolment accountability means promoting academic success, supporting student transitions, prioritizing retention, leveraging research to drive deep learning and ensuring timely graduation. It means building a culture of collaboration, delivering top-quality academic programming and student-centred services and embedding accessibility and accountability into everything we do. 

First and foremost, this rests on a learner’s decision to invest in higher education because they believe in its value, including: 

• The capacity for lifelong learning in a world that will not stand still. 
• Emotional intelligence and resilience to navigate uncertainty. 
• Strong interpersonal abilities — collaboration, communication, leadership. 
• Access to groundbreaking research and technologies you can’t find elsewhere. 
• Safe communities and spaces to grow, explore and belong. 
• The opportunity to discover who they are and who they want to become. 
• Pathways to civic engagement and contribution to society. 
• Networks that last a lifetime — peers, mentors and professional connections. 

We can no longer assume this value is self-evident. My colleagues and I must demonstrate it, communicate it and live it in ways that today’s students, families and communities can see, feel and trust.   

Enrolment is everyone’s responsibility 

Whether you work in the classroom, a research lab, the registrar’s office, facilities, finance, parking or alumni engagement, every interaction shapes the student experience and can fuel a sense of belonging. Learners must believe in our unwavering commitment to academic quality and to putting them at the centre of everything we do.    

Enrolment is not just about numbers. It’s the manifestation of our mission and every member of the Memorial University community is accountable for strengthening it.