An Open Letter to the People of West Virginia:
This week marks a pivotal moment in the history of West Virginia University. On Friday, September 15, the West Virginia University Board of Governors will vote on the final recommendations from the Academic Program Portfolio Review Process.
In recent weeks, there have been extensive media coverage and public comments around this process. Throughout, we have been committed to a process that is transparent and engaging of our University family, and we have appreciated the input from faculty, staff, students, alumni and the broader community.
The world around us—and West Virginia—is quickly changing. As we carry out our leadership role, we will continue to listen and respond in a way that is respectful and work to make West Virginia University even stronger than it is today. In doing so, we believe this effort will embolden our University as a modern flagship, land-grant R1 university.
West Virginia University is the same University you know and love – and we will continue to provide a high-quality education that provides both academic and personal growth for our students. In doing so, our goal is to create a more focused academic portfolio aligned with student demand, career opportunities and market trends. This process, known as Academic Transformation, will strategically position the University for greater success and relevancy in the future.
It is our responsibility to provide accurate information about what is being proposed in terms of program reductions. To be clear, our 2023 undergraduate enrollment on the Morgantown campus is 18,077. Of the program reductions being proposed, less than 1% of the undergraduate enrollment are in those majors (91 students with a single major; 57 students with a dual major). On the graduate student level, our 2023 enrollment on the Morgantown campus is 5,541 students. Of the program reductions being proposed, 238 graduate students are enrolled in those programs. The University will work with all students to complete their degree or find another academic path within the University to meet academic goals.
We also want to emphasize that we are not facing a budget crisis. Instead, the University is dealing with a $45 million structural budget shortfall that represents 3.75% of the overall budget. The University must prioritize resources to those areas that can provide for growth.
As a premier R1 research university, we will continue to do incredible work across all disciplines and be a leader in energy, the humanities, business, the arts, cybersecurity, forensic science and more. And the University will continue to maintain a strong liberal arts curriculum. West Virginia University is NOT eviscerating, gutting or decimating the University or higher education. Such hyperbole is irresponsible and harmful.
West Virginia University will continue to offer more than 300 majors, maintain a low tuition that is below the national average (right now, a WVU degree costs 29% less than the average 4-year school, according to College Scorecard), and provide support resources to help students graduate with degrees that are rewarding and prepare them for the world that awaits.
We have forever changed the arc of health care in West Virginia. Our medical center has grown to become a 24-member hospital system across the state. Our centers in neuroscience, heart and vascular, and cancer are world class, and we opened a state-of-the-art Children’s Hospital so that no child in West Virginia must leave the state for lifesaving, critical health care. Just like no West Virginia student will need to leave the state for a high-quality, affordable and life-changing education.
West Virginia University is a success story thanks to so many. Let’s keep moving forward.
We welcome your insights and thoughts as we move forward in this journey. Please reach out to us at transformation@mail.wvu.edu.
Taunja Willis-Miller
CHAIR OF THE WVU BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Rick Pill
VICE CHAIR OF THE WVU BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Tom Jones
PAST CHAIR OF THE WVU BOARD OF GOVERNORS
David Alvarez
PAST CHAIR OF THE WVU BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Bill Wilmoth
PAST CHAIR OF THE WVU BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Tom Flaherty
PAST CHAIR OF THE WVU BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Jim Dailey
PAST CHAIR OF THE WVU BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Tracy Schoenadel
CHAIR OF THE WVU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Bill Sheedy
CHAIR OF THE WVU FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
E. Gordon Gee
PRESIDENT OF WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
This week marks a pivotal moment in the history of West Virginia University. On Friday, September 15, the West Virginia University Board of Governors will vote on the final recommendations from the Academic Program Portfolio Review Process.
In recent weeks, there have been extensive media coverage and public comments around this process. Throughout, we have been committed to a process that is transparent and engaging of our University family, and we have appreciated the input from faculty, staff, students, alumni and the broader community.
The world around us—and West Virginia—is quickly changing. As we carry out our leadership role, we will continue to listen and respond in a way that is respectful and work to make West Virginia University even stronger than it is today. In doing so, we believe this effort will embolden our University as a modern flagship, land-grant R1 university.
West Virginia University is the same University you know and love – and we will continue to provide a high-quality education that provides both academic and personal growth for our students. In doing so, our goal is to create a more focused academic portfolio aligned with student demand, career opportunities and market trends. This process, known as Academic Transformation, will strategically position the University for greater success and relevancy in the future.
It is our responsibility to provide accurate information about what is being proposed in terms of program reductions. To be clear, our 2023 undergraduate enrollment on the Morgantown campus is 18,077. Of the program reductions being proposed, less than 1% of the undergraduate enrollment are in those majors (91 students with a single major; 57 students with a dual major). On the graduate student level, our 2023 enrollment on the Morgantown campus is 5,541 students. Of the program reductions being proposed, 238 graduate students are enrolled in those programs. The University will work with all students to complete their degree or find another academic path within the University to meet academic goals.
We also want to emphasize that we are not facing a budget crisis. Instead, the University is dealing with a $45 million structural budget shortfall that represents 3.75% of the overall budget. The University must prioritize resources to those areas that can provide for growth.
As a premier R1 research university, we will continue to do incredible work across all disciplines and be a leader in energy, the humanities, business, the arts, cybersecurity, forensic science and more. And the University will continue to maintain a strong liberal arts curriculum. West Virginia University is NOT eviscerating, gutting or decimating the University or higher education. Such hyperbole is irresponsible and harmful.
West Virginia University will continue to offer more than 300 majors, maintain a low tuition that is below the national average (right now, a WVU degree costs 29% less than the average 4-year school, according to College Scorecard), and provide support resources to help students graduate with degrees that are rewarding and prepare them for the world that awaits.
We have forever changed the arc of health care in West Virginia. Our medical center has grown to become a 24-member hospital system across the state. Our centers in neuroscience, heart and vascular, and cancer are world class, and we opened a state-of-the-art Children’s Hospital so that no child in West Virginia must leave the state for lifesaving, critical health care. Just like no West Virginia student will need to leave the state for a high-quality, affordable and life-changing education.
West Virginia University is a success story thanks to so many. Let’s keep moving forward.
We welcome your insights and thoughts as we move forward in this journey. Please reach out to us at transformation@mail.wvu.edu.
Taunja Willis-Miller
CHAIR OF THE WVU BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Rick Pill
VICE CHAIR OF THE WVU BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Tom Jones
PAST CHAIR OF THE WVU BOARD OF GOVERNORS
David Alvarez
PAST CHAIR OF THE WVU BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Bill Wilmoth
PAST CHAIR OF THE WVU BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Tom Flaherty
PAST CHAIR OF THE WVU BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Jim Dailey
PAST CHAIR OF THE WVU BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Tracy Schoenadel
CHAIR OF THE WVU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Bill Sheedy
CHAIR OF THE WVU FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
E. Gordon Gee
PRESIDENT OF WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY