MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia University is facing the same challenges as other institutions of higher learning across the nation: increased costs, a declining college-aged population, lower enrollment and a narrative that questions the value of college. To combat that, President E. Gordon Gee said the university will focus on “First Principles” to guide the institution into the future through a strategic repositioning of the entire WVU system.

“The state of West Virginia University is strong,” Gee said Monday during his annual State of the University address. “And we will be even stronger in the decades to come, thanks to a concerted focus on what matters most.

“We must put our students first. Second, we must embrace our land-grant mission and the people we serve. And third, we must differentiate ourselves by investing in the initiatives that uniquely serve our campus community, reflect our values and play to our strengths.”

Gee, calling on the perspective his 42 years as a leader in higher education provides, believes the country’s tertiary system is at a crossroads that began prior to the pandemic and has only gotten worse. He said WVU joins others navigating financial hurdles and projects an estimated $35 million structural budget deficit for fiscal year 2024.

“Keep in mind, the university operates a budget of $1.3 billion. A $35 million deficit equals about 3% of our total budget,” Gee said. “From a short-term financial perspective, the number is manageable.”

To keep it manageable, Gee said there may be tough decisions ahead. Universities, he said, have been great at saying yes but lousy at saying no. He likened it to a garden that has never been pruned — overgrowth obscures the garden’s beauty.

“My friends, we have been overgrown for a very long time,” he said. “To address that, we will identify university priorities through the lens of our First Principles. We will assess what is most relevant and invest in those initiatives that support our students, our mission and meet market demand.

“We will invest in our strengths — both in programs and in talent. Every unit will examine their priorities to ensure we are investing wisely,” Gee added. “Armed with that data, we also will need to make the difficult decision to stop investing in those things that no longer meet our expectations.”

Gee said he spent several weeks this winter speaking with student focus groups on the Morgantown campus. Safety, mental health resources and the cost of attendance served as recurring themes.

Approximately 25% of WVU students are Pell Grant eligible, which means they have exceptional financial need.

“I am pleased to announce a new scholarship program called WVU Pledge. This last-dollar-in scholarship program will assist qualifying Promise scholars, who have an expected family contribution of zero, with their cost of tuition, fees, university housing and a meal plan,” Gee said.

“It is imperative that we remove as many barriers as possible to allow our brightest West Virginia students access to higher education. Ensuring that their basic needs are met allows them to focus on their education and their future.”

When combined with the efforts of faculty and staff in service and outreach initiatives, as well as research only possible at an R1 institution, students are a crucial component of the university’s land-grant mission creating a bridge between the “First Principles,” and they help to further define WVU’s unique place among its peers in higher education.

“Indeed, we are one of the few land-grant, R1 universities with a comprehensive health sciences portfolio that extends to a statewide healthcare delivery system. We are unique and we need to embrace that,” Gee said.

The Purpose Center, initially announced during Gee’s 2021 State of the University address, has quickly become another point of distinction.

Starting this summer, every incoming first-year student and transfer student will take the Gallup CliftonStrengths assessment prior to attending New Student Orientation. Then at NSO, students will break into groups, learn more about their Strengths and how to use them when they arrive on campus in the fall.

“This differentiates us from the pack and provides our students with an advantage as they head into the job market,” Gee said.

These competitive advantages serve as a foundation for the changes needed to address the current structural budget shortfall, according to Gee. WVU will partner with consultants to gain new perspective of administrative and academic portfolios and how they relate to students’ needs.

“This assessment and resulting data will lead to the development of an investment plan that establishes immediate, short-term and long-term goals, and measures for the growth of West Virginia University,” Gee said. “Among those, we will invest in academic programs that meet the needs of our students and the market.

“We will invest in initiatives that support student recruitment, retention, persistence and graduation, leading to increased student success. We will invest in student programs that provide opportunities for leadership, personal development, health and well-being, and career readiness.”

Gee also noted that a financial plan is being developed to serve the university’s future growth and stability. He said work would move forward quickly but thoughtfully — driven by data with updates shared frequently with students, faculty and staff.

“Make no mistake, higher education is under attack. We must stand firm, and we must provide example after example of why an educated citizenry is the best path forward for our country and our state,” Gee said.

“I believe we have an incredible opportunity to place our university in a position of great strength.”

Gee says he often draws inspiration for the future by thinking about why President Abraham Lincoln signed land-grant universities into being 161 years ago.

“When I dream of West Virginia University in 10 to 20 years, I see the current-day vision that President Lincoln had for us — providing an education for our students and caring for our citizens through innovative health care and life-saving research. West Virginia University can be all that we imagine — and more.”