File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Dylana Kneeshaw

TRU Budget Cuts

CUPE to meet on layoffs, bumping rights in response to TRU job cuts

Sep 26, 2025 | 12:18 PM

KAMLOOPS — International student enrolment rates have taken a dive at Thompson Rivers University, which has subsequently taken a significant chunk out of the university’s expected revenue from tuition. Without that money coming in, TRU is now working to get out of a budget deficit.

To balance the books, the institution is looking to cut back on non-essential spending on the operational side — and dozens of employees are also going to be laid off. The university and CUPE 4879 say it’s the outcome of an unfortunate financial reality.

In Canada, international student tuition can often be four-to-five times that for a domestic student and while domestic enrolment grew by 5 per cent at TRU this year, there’s been a roughly 26 per cent drop in the number of international students who are able to study here. In that context, TRU now needs to rework its budget.

“We think it’s important to look across the university at every possible area for efficiencies so that we can live within our means,” Airini, the president and vice-chancellor of TRU, told CFJC on Thursday (Sept. 25).

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Around 65 CUPE members have been notified of potential layoffs and 40 positions are expected to be affected. CUPE Local 4879 President Lois Rugg says meetings to discuss layoff options and employee rights will happen next week.

“As a result of that, because of our collective agreement, there are other people who have been notified that they may be potentially bumped out of their positions,” explains Rugg. “There’s [a major] domino effect from the layoffs.”

The union says it’s a tough spot all around, particularly for the people whose livelihoods are impacted.

“In fairness to the university, they’ve been pretty transparent about what’s been happening with the budgets and those kinds of things,” adds Rugg. “There’s been a long lead-up, but we weren’t sure of the exact numbers that would be affected.”

According to the university, staffing reductions are part of how it will get the budget balanced. TRU plans to pause non-essential capital projects, review its programs and services and cut discretionary spending.

“We will have a look and see if that’s going to be enough,” adds Airini. “My own view is that we really want to do everything we can to avoid the layoffs.”

There’s no set assurance there won’t be more employee impacts down the road and CUPE says the cuts are just part of a concerning trend with universities right across the country.

“I think all of the institutions have relied heavily on international students and funding that way. We have, for years, been advocating for better funding for post-secondary education and to not rely on those international students,” reiterates Rugg. “This is sort of the outcome of it.”