Wolfpack recreation is preparing for a $25,000 operational budget change, which is part of a broader five per cent operating budget cut across all departments at TRU. While university administration has confirmed that recreation services will remain available, recreation coordinator Pina Russo says programming changes may be necessary to meet the revised budget.
“We’ll have to evaluate attendance in each class and determine which programs are stronger than others,” Russo said. “Nothing is set in stone yet, but we do have a cut definitely coming in recreation.”
Wolfpack recreation currently offers 21 fitness classes, such as Hatha yoga, strength training, Tabata, and Zumba. The department also offers intramural programs such as basketball, volleyball, badminton, pickleball and drop-in soccer.
Russo emphasized that these potential changes will affect students, staff and faculty who rely on access to physical activity and wellness services.
“One of my goals is having a healthy campus community,” Russo said.
In response, TRU confirmed that no sports teams will be cut and all core recreation programming will continue.
“Recreation programming—including intramurals, drop-in sports, and free fitness classes—will continue to be offered,” Robert Koopmans, TRU executive communications officer, said. “That may mean fewer class offerings or some adjustments in how programs are delivered, but students will still have access to these important wellness services.”
For Russo, who has led TRU’s recreation services for 28 years, the changes represent more than a logistical challenge—they speak to values she has worked to uphold for decades.
“It’s hard to process because we’ve built this with time, energy and enthusiasm,” Russo said.
While the full impact of the budget cuts on student wellness remains unclear, TRU’s Wellness Centre coordinator Chelsea Corsi emphasized the critical role that physical activity plays in academic success and mental health.
“Physical activity is foundational to our well-being,” Corsi said. “For students, exercise is vital as it improves their cognitive abilities–their thinking, problem solving, processing speed, memory and attention. It also reduces the risks of developing chronic health issues such as heart disease and stroke, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and dementia.”
Other major universities, like the University of Toronto, have also incorporated exercise and physical activity into their on-campus offerings, as studies continue to demonstrate their positive effects on academic performance and mental wellness. According to Corsi, exercise is linked to longevity and stress reduction and in a university setting such as TRU, it can be a vital tool to keep afloat in the deluge of academic and professional responsibilities while maintaining a healthy social life.
The decline of international student enrollment due to the 2024 international student cap has had far-reaching effects on TRU and other universities across Canada. In the 2024/2025 academic year alone, TRU saw a 59 per cent drop in international enrollment. According to the TRU finance committee during the Feb. 28 Board of Governors meeting, such staggering declines portend budget deficits in upcoming years—a new reality for the university, which has always operated with surpluses even through the COVID-19 pandemic.
“What we’re mindful of is what the next several years will look like,” TRU Provost and Vice-President Academic Gillian Balfour said. “We’re doing our best to anticipate future year impacts of what we know already to be true: the significant decline of international enrollment.”
Including a two per cent domestic and five per cent international tuition increase, the recent shutdown of two on-campus residences and reductions in unfilled vacancies, the university has made many efforts to reduce institutional expenses in the face of expected financial constraints. The five per cent budget cut across the board for all faculties, schools and departments is one such measure.
While these budget cuts are certainly inconvenient and upsetting for many, including the recreation department, figures released by the finance committee show that the university will have to make up for a deficit of over $40 million by 2030 to remain financially stable. This means that compromises will have to be made to, as Balfour put it, “maintain a level of program delivery.”
Yet the material reality of such budget cuts will undoubtedly be felt across different areas in the university. Regarding student enrollment, predictions from the finance committee suggest that enrollment numbers by the 2028/29 or 2029/30 academic years will be at around 2017/18 levels. For many areas, like the recreation department, which has seen consistent annual growth while doing important work, these latest developments may feel like regression.
“I want to give more to the students,” Russo said. “I do not want to take it away. That’s really important to me.”