MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The West Virginia University Board of Governors approved a tuition and fee increase and received updates on the presidential search and academic transformation, and selected a new set of officers for the coming year.
The BOG approved a $228 per semester tuition increase (4.7%) for resident undergraduate students and $624 (4.5%) per semester for non-resident students. Tuition for resident graduate students will increase $252 per semester increase (4.6%) while non-resident graduate student tuition and fess will increase by $639 (4.5%) per semester. The increases include a $12 fee increase as well. Similar to last year, internal financial support for students will grow proportionally.
The balanced budget approved includes $1.2 billion in revenues and $1.2 billion in expenses with the assumption there will be 4,329 first-time freshman on the Morgantown campus. The total enrollment considered in the plan is 23,017 on the Morgantown campus and 24,490 across all campuses.
Also approved, were the members of the Presidential Search Committee on Campus. The committee is made up of 21 members including all units from the institution and Chancellor of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, Sarah Armstrong Tucker.
Members of the presidential search firm WittKieffer led by Melody Rose toured campus and presented key phases of the process to come. From July through September as many university groups as possible on a variety of platforms including the Search Committee will included in a series meetings to determine the most important attributes for the next president of WVU. A community survey will also be circulated during that time.
“On your love of the institution, the things you want to make sure we share as we are recruiting your pool,” Rose said. ” And the kinds of qualities and qualifications you think are critical for the next president to bring.”
Those meetings and input from the Search Committee will produce the leadership profile that will be approved by the BOG and the search will then begin.
“This is when our work really ramps up,” Rose said. ” This our opportunity to share the word about your presidential position and talk with many individuals to actively recruit them into your pool.”
The leadership profile and job announcement will be advertised for about 10 weeks while WittKieffer begins their vetting process.
“Our team will conduct a range of due diligence activities to bring forward to the BOG further information about those candidates in the final stages,” Rose said.
The Search Committee will be a part of the first interview candidates and by spring a smaller pool of candidates will begin the final interview process. The 27th President of WVU is expected to be in place by July 1, 2025.
Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Maryanne Reed said on July 1, 2024 the new College of Creative Arts and Media and the merger of the WVU Extension, WVU Center for Community Engagement and the renamed Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources to form the new Division for Land-Grant Engagement will launch.
A review of programs at Potomac State College and WVU Tech has been completed with specific actions being given to 23 programs.
“Between WVU Tech and WVU Potomac State College 50 academic majors were reviewed, five were recommended for discontinuation, and 11 majors will be combined into cooperative programs,” Reed added.
Greenwood/Asher Associates LLC is managing the search for the next president at Potomac State College. Chris Gilmer stepped down as President in January of 2024 after serving in the post for a little more than one year.
“Since June 7, 2024 we have already received 30 applications in our pool and many of these candidates have excellent credentials,” Reed said.
A slate of new officers for the Board of Governors was also selected for the coming year. They include Richard Pill as Chairman, Patrice Harris as Vice Chair, and Robert Reynolds as BOG Secretary.