The Christian group at the University of Sydney's Cumberland campus, Evangelical Christian Union (ECU), has been restricted from meeting new students.

Martin Field, the campus's AFES staff worker, said for the first time in eight years the university has restricted the group from enrolment day activities. They were forced to meet at the bus stop and cafeteria, resulting in a drop in the number of first year Christian students who usually join the group on the day.

"A few people were interested but contacts were down on previous years," Mr Field says. "We had a few hassles with admin on one of the days and were told to keep our distance."

National director of AFES Richard Chin said enrolment days are important to smaller campus groups like Cumberland that don't have the benefit of large-scale activities in orientation week.

However, ECU will have another opportunity to contact students at the campus's orientation day on the Thursday before classes commence for the year.

The ECU is also holding a welcome barbecue for first year students this Wednesday at the Cumberland Campus.