Members of the Saint John university community were keen to learn details about the province's plans for post-secondary education in Tuesday's throne speech, but it didn't deliver.

The University of New Brunswick's Saint John campus radio station broadcast the throne speech, which was widely expected to respond to September's final report from the Commission on Post-Secondary Education.

The provincial commission recommended merging the University of New Brunswick's Saint John campus with the local New Brunswick Community College to create a new polytechnic institute. Similar recommendations were made for the two Université de Moncton campuses in Edmundston and Shippagan.

The recommendations spurred protests, so a working group was put together in the fall to reconsider them.

It was expected to report back to the government in time for the throne speech, but Premier Shawn Graham said the government needs more time.

"These are extremely important and complex issues and we're going to take the time necessary to get it right," Graham said.

The working group's findings now aren't expected until February.

"You have to appreciate the fact that we've only been established for less than a month now, and I think it's fair to say that we're diligently working hard at it," said Yvon Fontaine, a member of the working group and president of the Université de Moncton.

Student spokesperson Brenna Clarke Gray said students know that work is underway, but they want the government to know how important it is to maintain both the Fredericton and Saint John campuses of UNB.

The delay in reaching a decision will have a serious impact on students who are trying to decide where to enrol next fall, Conservative Leader Jeannot Volpé said.

"So if they want to come to university and it's changed, they will not be here next year. It's starting to have an impact on them. They were waiting for an answer today," Volpé told reporters following the throne speech.

The premier's postponing of the decision on what will become of the university campuses is also starting to create financial problems for the institutions, Volpé said.

Jessica Stutt of the New Brunswick Student Alliance said students still haven't heard from the working group on another key issue: reform of student loans.

"What we are kind of upset with is that we, to this day, have still not received any note or any information as to whether we'll even be able to sit in on any of the meetings regarding financial aid," Stutt said.