MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – WVU President Gordon Gee started the 2019 State of the University address and said,”The wisdom of the past, especially as articulated by Abraham Lincoln, provides a guidepost for the future, especially for the land-grant universities he signed into law.”
Gee told the audience WVU should be available to all students, no matter their path to Morgantown, Keyser or Beckly. He said doing all that is possible academically, personally and health wise.
Gee quoted Lincoln several times during the address and tied it back to his future vision for the university.
Gee says Lincoln would have told us to “build bridges instead of walls” and prepare for the future in the process.
“We must topple the tyranny of the department and the college by restructuring our institutions.”, Gee said,”Rather than organizing our teaching and learning functions for obsolescence, we must imagine the world in 20-years and reverse engineer.”
Gee also cited the need for generational diversity.
Gee told the audience rankings like those is publications like U S News & World Report are not what university staff and faculty should be working toward.
“We must reject the relentless pursuit of money and prestige, chasing rankings that we know are deeply flawed, at the expense of genuine educational excellence,” Gee said. “Only six out of 50 flagship universities are affordable for most students, according to a recent Institute for Higher Education Policy report.”
President Gee also addressed mental health issues and said we must reach out to those who are suffering and help.
“According the Center for Collegiate Mental Health, higher education counselors today are treating more students than ever before for mental health challenges, primarily anxiety, stress and depression.”
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Maryanne Reed also outlined priorities to increase relevance, advance the school’s reputation, increase revenue and build strong relationships.