In May 2025, NAIT paused 18 programs, and NAIT’s Academic Council has been working their way through the list to decide these programs’ fate. The council has finished for the year, after adding one extra meeting in June to finish up.
Of the 18 paused programs:
- 2 were reinstated
- 14 were recommended for suspension to the Board of Governors, with intent to terminate
- 1 suspension was defeated
- 1 program still has not been decided on
| Program | Status |
|---|---|
| Personal Fitness Trainer | reinstated |
| Surveying and Geospatial Engineering Technology | reinstated |
| Leadership in Healthcare | recommended for suspension |
| Bachelor of Applied Information Systems Technology | recommended for suspension |
| Captioning and Court Reporting | suspension defeated |
| Computer Engineering Technology | recommended for suspension |
| Computer Network Administrator | recommended for suspension |
| Cybersecurity Immersive Industry Education | recommended for suspension |
| Graphic Communications | recommended for suspension |
| Network Engineering Technology | recommended for suspension |
| Wireless Systems Engineering Technology | recommended for suspension |
| Alternative Energy Technology | recommended for suspension |
| Geoscience Technology | recommended for suspension |
| Millwork and Carpentry * | recommended for suspension |
| CNC Machinist | to be discussed |
| Materials Engineering Technology * | recommended for suspension |
| Nanosystems Engineering Technology | recommended for suspension |
| Pre-Employment Auto Body Repair * | recommended for suspension |
*These programs’ suspension motions were originally defeated. They were brought back to Academic Council for another vote, all of which were successful.
What happens next
For the 14 programs up for suspension, NAIT’s Board of Governors will now review the proposals — likely at their first meeting in September. The board meets once a quarter, so if not in September, then the program suspension proposals may appear at the December meeting.
When the Board reviews and votes on the recommendations, the suspensions then go to the Advanced Education minister. If approved, the programs will be suspended for two years, based on guidelines set out by the Minister. If accepted, the programs will be terminated and no longer offered. It is possible that the Advanced Education Minister will not approve the suspension of these programs.
For Captioning and Court Reporting, which Academic Council voted against recommending to suspend the program, NAIT leadership will revisit their proposal based on the feedback the council provided.
It’s unclear what will happen next — NAIT may choose to present a motion to suspend the program in a future Academic Council meeting like they did for Millwork and Carpentry, Materials Engineering Technology and Pre-Employment Auto Body Repair. Or, NAIT may consult with the program to find solutions to the issues raised and reopen the program for new students.
The one program left to decide on will have to wait until September, as there are currently no plans for another Academic Council meeting over the summer.
Feature image by Alleah Boisvert / The Nugget
