Queen’s University is suspending enrolment to its Bachelor of Fine Arts program, citing a shortage of necessary resources to sustain it.

The decision comes with no assurances about the program’s future survival, other than a promise to “continue to assess” its status and assurances that students currently enrolled in the BFA will be allowed to complete their degrees without interruption.

In an e-mail sent to students Wednesday afternoon, associate dean of arts and science Gordon E. Smith, said after consulting with the university’s provost, “the Faculty does not feel it would be responsible to continue to admit students at this time.”

The decision to halt new enrolments for 2012-2013 is not a sign of declining interest in the program, however, said Kathleen Sellars, an associate professor and the BFA programme director. Ms. Sellars confirmed that 30 new first-year students enrolled this fall – the program’s capacity – and that 107 students are taking the program overall.

Last year, the program unexpectedly had 46 students accept offers of admission, more than 50 per cent more than its desired capacity, forcing administrators to shift some students to space in another building and hiking the program’s costs substantially.