Sudbury’s Laurentian University has filed for court protection from its creditors as it deals with significant financial challenges.
Reacting to that move, provincial colleges and universities minister Ross Romano has appointed a special advisor.
He says Dr. Alan Harrison will advise him on options to support the university’s path back to financial sustainability.
Romano says ensuring that Laurentian students can continue their education without interruption is the government’s priority.
Laurentian has nine-thousand undergrads and just over five-hundred post-graduate students.
Laurentian University students remain the government’s priority and we are focused on ensuring they can continue their studies without interruption.
As a Minister from Northern Ontario, adds Romano, I will continue to be a fierce advocate for Northern communities to ensure that we have access to high-quality and sustainable postsecondary education in the North.
“There is no doubt that this situation is unprecedented. The government will be exploring its options, which could include introducing legislation to ensure the province has greater oversight of university finances and to better protect the interest of students and Ontario taxpayers.
“The government wants to ensure this issue does not repeat itself in other institutions in the postsecondary educational sector,” adds Romano