Accreditation Gaps Leave Performing Arts Students Stranded
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The sudden collapse of Randolph College for the Performing Arts exposes a failure in provincial oversight and a breakdown in communication with students.
The closure of the Randolph College for the Performing Arts reveals a systemic failure in how the Ontario Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security monitors niche vocational institutions. While the ministry maintains that compliance is non-negotiable, the reality for students is a devastating lack of transparency and stability.
As CBC Toronto first reported, the ministry issued a "notice of closure" to students after the Bathurst Street school failed to renew its accreditation. The college's registration expired on Feb. 1; consequently, it lost its authorization to provide vocational programs governed by the Ontario Career Colleges Act, 2005. Despite this, the school reportedly continued to accept applications on its website and planned to take a new cohort on Sept. 8.
**Opinion:** The ministry's delayed enforcement and the school's failure to disclose its status represent a critical gap in oversight. When a specialized institution is allowed to operate in a state of limbo for months, the province is essentially permitting students to gamble their tuition—roughly $13,000 per year—on a defunct credential.
Students and parents describe a pattern of deception. Lily Burden, a student, told CBC Toronto that she and others were repeatedly assured since February that the situation would be resolved. Her father, Steve Burden, noted that the school initially characterized the issue as an "auditing snafu." Sarah Burden added that students have been abandoned, with no clear path to alternative programming now that most other options are full.
Ministry spokesperson Bianca Giacoboni stated that the failure to submit a complete reaccreditation application is "unacceptable" and will be met with enforcement action. While the ministry pointed to a fund to help students obtain partial refunds or complete training elsewhere, the damage to these students' futures is already done. As graduate John Harley told CBC Toronto, the loss of such a specialized institution is detrimental to the performing arts community in Toronto.