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WLU Turmoil

Something has to give at West Liberty University. Declining enrollment gives WLU officials few options but to curb spending – perhaps by more than $1 million a year.

An intelligent approach to the problem would be to seek help from students, faculty and staff in crafting a package of austerity measures. No doubt WLU’s interim president, John McCullough, already has begun working on that.

Unfortunately, a classic “failure to communicate” appears to have gotten the process off to a bad start.

Like many institutions of higher learning, WLU enjoyed a few years of excellent enrollments, in part because of a poor national economy that made college an attractive alternative to futile job searches. Next month, university officials expect to confer degrees on about 390 students. That is 10 percent more than were in last year’s graduating class.

Good times are coming to a screeching halt, however. Enrollment for next year already is lagging. One prediction calls for the number of new WLU students to drop by about 5 percent.

That could mean about $430,000 less in tuition and fee payments flowing into WLU coffers. And, because 80 percent of freshman students live in university housing, it could reduce income from room and board payments by more than $700,000.

WLU Board of Governors members recently discussed options for reducing costs. One of them is to close three buildings: College and Shotwell halls and the Annex facility.

That prospect alarmed and upset some students and faculty, who turned out for a meeting Wednesday to protest the plan.

McCullough emphasized no decision to close the buildings has been finalized. He added that, “I firmly believe a practical and workable resolution will be developed so as to effectively serve our students and faculty” in programs that would be affected by closing the buildings.

Some faculty members felt blindsided by the suggestion buildings be closed. “It was never discussed with us,” one said.

Blame that on general turmoil at WLU, involving the resignation of former President Robin Capehart just a few weeks ago. That put McCullough, who has done similar service for WLU as interim president in the past, in a very difficult position.

Unfortunately, every option needs to be on the table to deal with a potential loss of $1 million or so in revenue. It probably is impossible to cut spending by that much without adversely affecting at least some programs and people.

The goal now for McCullough and the Board of Governors is to minimize the damage – and perhaps the best way of doing that is to make students, staff and faculty a meaningful part of the process.

WLU Turmoil

Something has to give at West Liberty University. Declining enrollment gives WLU officials few options but to curb spending – perhaps by more than $1 million a year.

An intelligent approach to the problem would be to seek help from students, faculty and staff in crafting a package of austerity measures. No doubt WLU’s interim president, John McCullough, already has begun working on that.

Unfortunately, a classic “failure to communicate” appears to have gotten the process off to a bad start.

Like many institutions of higher learning, WLU enjoyed a few years of excellent enrollments, in part because of a poor national economy that made college an attractive alternative to futile job searches. Next month, university officials expect to confer degrees on about 390 students. That is 10 percent more than were in last year’s graduating class.

Good times are coming to a screeching halt, however. Enrollment for next year already is lagging. One prediction calls for the number of new WLU students to drop by about 5 percent.

That could mean about $430,000 less in tuition and fee payments flowing into WLU coffers. And, because 80 percent of freshman students live in university housing, it could reduce income from room and board payments by more than $700,000.

WLU Board of Governors members recently discussed options for reducing costs. One of them is to close three buildings: College and Shotwell halls and the Annex facility.

That prospect alarmed and upset some students and faculty, who turned out for a meeting Wednesday to protest the plan.

McCullough emphasized no decision to close the buildings has been finalized. He added that, “I firmly believe a practical and workable resolution will be developed so as to effectively serve our students and faculty” in programs that would be affected by closing the buildings.

Some faculty members felt blindsided by the suggestion buildings be closed. “It was never discussed with us,” one said.

Blame that on general turmoil at WLU, involving the resignation of former President Robin Capehart just a few weeks ago. That put McCullough, who has done similar service for WLU as interim president in the past, in a very difficult position.

Unfortunately, every option needs to be on the table to deal with a potential loss of $1 million or so in revenue. It probably is impossible to cut spending by that much without adversely affecting at least some programs and people.

The goal now for McCullough and the Board of Governors is to minimize the damage – and perhaps the best way of doing that is to make students, staff and faculty a meaningful part of the process.

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