Concerns over course access and staffing shortages in Queen’s Economics Department have prompted students to publicly call for changes within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS).
An open letter, published through a link shared in the Economics Department Student Council’s (DSC) Instagram bio, calls on the University to address what students describe as growing barriers to completing their degrees.
While the origin of the document could not be verified by The Journal, the letter was signed by the economics DSC’s co-Presidents Lily Jiang and Meaghan Lawrence, both ArtSci ’27.
The letter states upper-year students are struggling to access required and elective courses because of reduced teaching capacity and limited offerings within the department. Students wrote that some courses are no longer being offered, and others fill quickly, making it difficult to complete their degree requirements on time.
“Students are paying more for an education that does not meet the expectations promised to them,” the letter said, referencing recently approved tuition increases at Queen’s.
READ MORE: Tuition increase up to 7.5 per cent after province lifts freeze
The letter also argues Economics and Applied Economics are among the largest programs in FAS and should offer a broader range of upper-year and specialized courses. Students call for additional faculty hiring, expanded course offerings, and increased support for TAs.
“Expanding the range of specialized course offerings would allow students to pursue topics they are passionate about while strengthening their understanding of advanced economic concepts,” the letter said.
The Journal reached out to the economics DSC but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
In a statement to The Journal, the FAS said it appreciates the concerns raised by students regarding upper-year course options, scheduling conflicts, and access to required classes.
The faculty said recent retirements and hiring constraints have reduced teaching capacity within economics and several departments.
“While these challenges are shaped in part by broader university budget realities, we continue to work with departments to identify opportunities for robust curricular offerings, including reviewing course rotations and opportunities for additional high-demand offerings where possible,” the statement said.
The FAS hopes the current limitations are temporary as the University works to address staffing pressures. The Department of Economics has been approved for a tenure-track faculty position beginning in July 2027, which it says will help strengthen course offerings.
The statement added that student feedback is an important part of ongoing discussions and that student representatives have been invited to meet with the faculty to discuss their concerns and priorities further.
Tags
Course offerings, Economics, Economics DSC, Faculty of Art and Science, tuition increase
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