dbeard@dominionpost.com
MORGANTOWN – In the wake of last year’s academic transformation – which sent shock waves across the campus – WVU Interim Provost Paul Kreider gave the Board of Governors a look at the new Academic Unit Reporting Process.
“This is an annual health check of academic programs,” he told the BOG on Friday. The current BOG review occurs every five years.
While academic transformation was the end of a years-long process, the campus community was dismayed by the abruptness of the changes that ensued last year.
Kreider said his office is now training program directors, department chairs and personnel in the deans’ offices on how the program will work.
The review will initially be based on three metrics: enrollment trends, student credit hour production by unit, and faculty-student ratios by major.
In spring 2025, he said, they will inform deans’ offices of programs that are under-performing on all three metrics. Under-performing units will work with the provost’s office to submit improvement plans.
Kreider reassured those listening that during this academic year, “There are no plans for a targeted reduction of faculty as a result of this process.”
In fall 2025, they will add two more metrics: costs to deliver programs and revenue generated per student or credit hour. He noted that not all programs are able to generate the same amounts of revenue and costs vary widely between programs.
They will also compare program outcomes to institutional averages and trends to identify low and high performing programs, he said. This will help them better assess use of resources, trends in the student market and where to further invest to increase revenue or market share.
Some confusion arose about the differences between this annual process and the five-year BOG review.
It was explained that the culmination of this annual process could run two to three years for an under-performing program. When a program is identified with concerns, it will have one year to improve. If it doesn’t it goes into the BOG review process, even if that is off its normal five-year cycle. Final resolution could take as long as three years but could be sped to two years.
Kreider identified three goals for the new program. One, to drive change: better efficiency, better use of resources, better ability to adapt to change in technology and workforce needs, and to maintain or increase program relevance.
Two, to meet student needs. “While we cannot guarantee every student’s success, we can certainly increase their likelihood for success.” And three, and recognize high-performing programs.
SUBHEAD: Presidential search update
Presidential Search Committee Chair Patrice Harris updated the BOG on the presidential search.
They began accepting candidate applications and nominations on Oct. 12, she said. Search consultant WittKieffer is reviewing those applications and nominations and proactively recruiting candidates from across the country that could be a good fit.
As previously reported, finalists’ names will not be revealed. Harris said Friday they’ve now entered the quiet period. “We remain on track in our search process.”
The search committee will review and interview candidates over the fall and winter. And then the BOG will interview finalists in anticipation of a selection next spring.
Travel rule change
The BOG approved putting out for public comment a proposed change to the rule on how WVU employees book travel. The change will remove the requirement to use WVU’s contracted travel management company to make travel bookings.
Kylie Barnhart, associate general counsel, told the BOG that WVU is no longer receiving financial and service benefits from using the company. And the company’s booking tool is not as user friendly as doing it through the airlines or through vendor apps and websites.
The proposed rule change will be for public comment Nov. 25-Jan. 6. The proposal may be modified based on the comments. The BOG will vote on the finalized rule at its Feb. 21, 2025 meeting.
