WVU Appears to be in Trouble

[CascadeClone]

E. Gordon Gee, President - $800,900
Rob Alsop, VP for Strategic Initiatives - $426,000
Paula Congelio, VP and CFO - $431,000
Cris DeBord, VP for Talent & Culture - $344,800
Jennifer Fisher, Executive Officer - $171,900
David Fryson, Senior Advisor for Diversity Community Outreach - $384,500
Paul Kreider, VP for Academic Strategies, Curriculum & Assessment - $353,300
Sharon Martin, VP for University Relations & Enrollment Management - $408,500
Meshea Poore, VP for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion - $234,500
Maryanne Reed, Provost & VP Academic Affairs - $435,500
Cindi Roth, President and CEO WVU Foundation - $533,800
Robin Yorty, Exec Director of University Events - $141,300

This is just from some quick, cursory research, I'm sure there are more out there, but I think this makes the point.

Dont forget the WV version of IPERS and relatively early retirement costs adding to that.
Education in general has jacked up costs in ADMINISTRATION roles so much the past 20ish years. Admin/teacher ratio is way higher, and the real money is in those admin jobs.
E.g. 400k for "University relations and enrollment"- similar private sector job would be, what, half that? And with much higher accoutability and probably less staff.

I guess what i am saying is that imho the problem isnt so much just funding dollars, its how that funding is applied. Reforms are needed.

 

[FriendlySpartan]

Like most things today the cost of higher education is out of control. CCs like DMACC set their programs so 100% of their classes would transfer to state universities. This and AP classes reduce revenue for Universities. So it becomes a vicious cycle students need fewer credits from state universities so the cost per credit goes up to make up for it driving more incoming students to seek alternate paths to getting a degree.

How is its up to the CC so that 100% of their classes transfer? That’s up to the school they are transferring to. Both at MSU and Michigan there are some pretty severe limitations on what can transfer with Michigan obv having more restrictions. What you’re proposing really doesn’t make sense to me.

 

[LeaningCy]

Most of this deficit is caused by the state of West Virginia dramatically cutting funding for higher education.

In real dollars, state funding for higher education is down 26% since 2012.

If state funding had remained at the same level as a decade ago, over 80% of the current budget shortfall would not exist.

Erosion of State Funding for Higher Education Explains Most of WVU's Budget Crisis - West Virginia Center on Budget & Policy

West Virginia University is currently facing a $45 million budget shortfall for the upcoming fiscal year, expected to balloon to $75 million annually by 2028. During this year’s State of the University address, WVU President Gordon Gee pointed to several factors driving the shortfall including...

wvpolicy.org

 

[KnappShack]

How is its up to the CC so that 100% of their classes transfer? That’s up to the school they are transferring to. Both at MSU and Michigan there are some pretty severe limitations on what can transfer with Michigan obv having more restrictions. What you’re proposing really doesn’t make sense to me.

ISU gave me zero credit for every science class I took at Western Illinois

This was back in the day, but added time to the journey

 

[FriendlySpartan]

Having successful institutions in your state is better than not having them. Businesses can thrive in that environment and you'll keep more kids than you would if they left before college. If your state sucks, this isn't the reason, but it can make your state suck less. Unfortunately, the states that suck are likely also the ones that will let thier universities die.

This is a great take. When organizations are looking to expand and grow they look at the ability to obtain talent in the area. If they try to set up in a state like WV you are going to have to outsource so much of the work or transplant alot of the necessary employees due to issues like this. Remote work could help but it’s still a major issue.

Edit* I think you would have to may least triple my salary to work in WV, I don’t know how they obtain any healthcare workers that aren’t alums from WVU.

 

[CycloneErik]

How is its up to the CC so that 100% of their classes transfer? That’s up to the school they are transferring to. Both at MSU and Michigan there are some pretty severe limitations on what can transfer with Michigan obv having more restrictions. What you’re proposing really doesn’t make sense to me.

There's some level in alignment when the various schools negotiate their partnership arrangements, because schools need to operate in a business model instead of just making things work.

 

[cowgirl836]

Most of this deficit is caused by the state of West Virginia dramatically cutting funding for higher education.

In real dollars, state funding for higher education is down 26% since 2012.

If state funding had remained at the same level as a decade ago, over 80% of the current budget shortfall would not exist.

Erosion of State Funding for Higher Education Explains Most of WVU's Budget Crisis - West Virginia Center on Budget & Policy

West Virginia University is currently facing a $45 million budget shortfall for the upcoming fiscal year, expected to balloon to $75 million annually by 2028. During this year’s State of the University address, WVU President Gordon Gee pointed to several factors driving the shortfall including...

wvpolicy.org

All. By. Design.

 

[cyfan92]

Most of this deficit is caused by the state of West Virginia dramatically cutting funding for higher education.

In real dollars, state funding for higher education is down 26% since 2012.

If state funding had remained at the same level as a decade ago, over 80% of the current budget shortfall would not exist.

Erosion of State Funding for Higher Education Explains Most of WVU's Budget Crisis - West Virginia Center on Budget & Policy

West Virginia University is currently facing a $45 million budget shortfall for the upcoming fiscal year, expected to balloon to $75 million annually by 2028. During this year’s State of the University address, WVU President Gordon Gee pointed to several factors driving the shortfall including...

wvpolicy.org

States SHOULD NOT fund for higher education when children are hungry and undereducated in preK-12...

Want your state's children to be successful as adults.. Keep their belly full and provide them with awesome pre-K thru 12 education. Then and ONLY then would I consider funding higher education.

 

[CycloneErik]

States SHOULD NOT fund for higher education when children are hungry and undereducated in preK-12...

Want your state's children to be successful as adults.. Keep their belly full and provide them with awesome pre-K thru 12 education. Then and ONLY then would I consider funding higher education.

That's completely ****** up. Do both. It isn't that complicated.

 

[cowgirl836]

States SHOULD NOT fund for higher education when children are hungry and undereducated in preK-12...

Want your state's children to be successful as adults.. Keep their belly full and provide them with awesome pre-K thru 12 education. Then and ONLY then would I consider funding higher education.

I don't even have to look to know that WV likely made cuts to those areas as well. It's not an either or for states of this color. They cut both, as much as they can, as often as they can.

 

[cyfan92]

That's completely ****** up. Do both. It isn't that complicated.

NO, you cannot have a thriving society unless you take care of your children BEFORE they become young adults.

I am not saying cut both, I want children taken care of before we lose them to avoidable reasons.

I don't even have to look to know that WV likely made cuts to those areas as well. It's not an either or for states of this color. They cut both, as much as they can, as often as they can.

Did I say cut support to both? If you READ what I said, I want to fully support children before funding college.. Don't project two party thoughts into what I said..

 

[BigTurk]

As someone who teaches math and is currently the Chair of Math and Science at a community college in a state other than Iowa, I would disagree with your point of view. Maybe the CCs in Iowa aren't up to par, but where I teach the students come out with a better education for their first two years than the students at the state university do. Students are taking smaller classes taught by professional educators versus the students at the state university who sit in giant lecture halls taught by graduate students or faculty who only look at teaching a 100 or 200 level class as a distraction from what they get paid to do, research and bringing in grant money. Our rigor is at least what they get at the state universities, and our students do well at the university level. The biggest issue is that the large state universities don't prioritize education. Instead they gain their reputations from research and grants.

Yeah, my perspective is based on CC's in Iowa, so my apologies to your institution.

 

[cowgirl836]

NO, you cannot have a thriving society unless you take care of your children BEFORE they become young adults.

I am not saying cut both, I want children taken care of before we lose them to avoidable reasons.


Did I say cut support to both? If you READ what I said, I want to fully support children before funding college.. Don't project two party thoughts into what I said..

I agree kids need food and states should invest heavily. No argument there at all.

I'm telling you that states can walk and chew gum at the same time. States like West Virginia - with their current adminstrations - are incentivized to have children do poorly and destroy public education in all its forms. It's not that they are sacrificing higher ed to provide nutrition to kids. They're doing neither.

 

[CloneFan65]

How is its up to the CC so that 100% of their classes transfer? That’s up to the school they are transferring to. Both at MSU and Michigan there are some pretty severe limitations on what can transfer with Michigan obv having more restrictions. What you’re proposing really doesn’t make sense to me.

Community colleges work very closely with the state universities to ensure all courses will transfer and as what course. There are agreements made ahead of time so students know when they take a course at the community college how it will transfer. Any time the state universities make a change to their curriculum the community college systems will make sure the competencies in their courses will still match up sufficiently so as to transfer.

 

[Clonehomer]

States SHOULD NOT fund for higher education when children are hungry and undereducated in preK-12...

Want your state's children to be successful as adults.. Keep their belly full and provide them with awesome pre-K thru 12 education. Then and ONLY then would I consider funding higher education.

Keeping kids bellies full requires jobs in your state. Employers look at education when looking at whet their to move into or out of your state. So yes, you could fund younger children and be successful in the short term, but you’re mortgaging your future to do that by cutting higher education.

 

[FriendlySpartan]

Community colleges work very closely with the state universities to ensure all courses will transfer and as what course. There are agreements made ahead of time so students know when they take a course at the community college how it will transfer. Any time the state universities make a change to their curriculum the community college systems will make sure the competencies in their courses will still match up sufficiently so as to transfer.

Ok, maybe the states are just different but “all courses will transfer” is legit something I’ve never heard of and I’ve heard a ton of stories saying the exact opposite. Most people at Michigan can’t even CC transfer credits after freshman year and even many of those classes don’t transfer. Just a different system I guess.

 

[cowgirl836]

Deets on WV public K-12

WV public schools suffer budget cuts, teacher shortages. What’s the fix?

West Virginia lawmakers want to improve public education. Here are some of the biggest problems that schools currently face.

mountainstatespotlight.org

Childhood poverty - their own federal Senator (actually both of them) helped to kill one of the best ways that childhood poverty was reduced in the state.

West Virginia has highest rate of child poverty in the US

In West Virginia, 25% of children live in poverty, this is a 21% jump from 2022. This means that 86,000 children in West Virginia live in poverty. In neighboring states, Ohio is at 17% and Kentucky…

www.wowktv.com

 

[FriendlySpartan]

NO, you cannot have a thriving society unless you take care of your children BEFORE they become young adults.

I am not saying cut both, I want children taken care of before we lose them to avoidable reasons.


Did I say cut support to both? If you READ what I said, I want to fully support children before funding college.. Don't project two party thoughts into what I said..

You realize no state in the country has “taken care” of kids right? Childhood poverty, homelessness, food insecurity, are issues in every state.

 

[cowgirl836]

You realize no state in the country has “taken care” of kids right? Childhood poverty, homelessness, food insecurity, are issues in every state.

Some do better than others though. WV is not even close to trying.

 

[CycloneErik]

NO, you cannot have a thriving society unless you take care of your children BEFORE they become young adults.

I am not saying cut both, I want children taken care of before we lose them to avoidable reasons.


Did I say cut support to both? If you READ what I said, I want to fully support children before funding college.. Don't project two party thoughts into what I said..

I'm saying that, since you have people at both age groups, it's not one or the other. Do both. Can't be losing the adults or the children.