AP-2023-08-01: Students Against Proposed Cuts

West Virginia University
The Student Assembly - Student Government Association
Assembly Proclamation: AP-2023-08-01

ANASSEMBLY PROCLAMATION AGAINST THE UNIVERSITY CUTS PROPOSED BY THE PROVOST

Whereas, the West Virginia University mission statement reads, "[we] commit to creating a diverse and inclusive culture that advances education…prosperity for all…and advance high-impact research…by leading transformation in West Virginia and the world through local, state and global engagement ¹;” and,

Whereas, the West Virginia University Student Government Association's mission statement reads that, "We, the students of West Virginia University, desire to preserve within our University...an atmosphere that helps to foster an open exchange of ideas with civil discussion, inquiry, and self-expression to help ensure that the personal freedoms and general welfare of the students within our University are protected ²;" and,

Whereas, the University, as a land-grant institution, was created for the purpose of expanding educational opportunities to underserved communities ^3,4; and ,

Whereas, the proposed changes laid out by the Provost's office call for approximately 169 faculty positions to be terminated ⁵, disproportionately impacting some colleges more than others; and,

Whereas, these recommendations include the termination of multiple departments, including the Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics; the Department of Public Administration, the Resource and Economic Management Division, and the Design and Community Development Division ⁵; and,

Whereas, over 430 current students are expected to be directly impacted by the restructuring proposed by the Provost ⁵; and,

Whereas, student feedback, which is generally appreciated and solicited by administrators, has been limited in this process; and,

Whereas, representatives of the student body are not included in the appeals process due to BOG rules ⁶; and,

Whereas, these changes could significantly damage the student experience at West Virginia University through the possibility of larger class sizes, fewer research opportunities, and fewer student organizations, due to a strained and reduced faculty ⁷; and,

Whereas, the recommended reductions will diminish the educational and developmental opportunities for current and prospective students across the state undermining the University's land-grant mission.

Therefore, be it proclaimed by the Student Assembly of West Virginia University:

Section 1: The restructuring process undertaken by the University has not adequately addressed student concerns;

Section 2: WVU SGA opposes the cuts proposed by the Provost and urges the University to reconsider that course of action;

Section 3: WVU SGA is currently working on a resolution to make comprehensive recommendations to University leadership on finalized decisions on academic proposals;

Section 4: WVU SGA is currently creating, to the full extent of our ability, a framework for collecting student input through town halls, tabling, surveys, etc.

Mandate

• Dr. E. Gordon Gee,President
• Maryanne Reed,Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
• Dr. Evan Widders, Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education
• Rob Alsop,Vice President of Strategic Initiatives
• Tracy Morris, Associate Provost for Academic Personnel
• Dr. Mark Gavin, Associate Provost for Academic, Budget, Facilities, and Strategic Initiatives
• G. Corey Farris, Dean of Students
• Madison Santmyer, Student Body President
• Farzana Islam Tamanna, GPSS President
• Dr. Thanh Le, Director, Student Engagement and Leadership (Advisor)
• Karsey Prichard, Executive Secretary
• Frankie Tack, Faculty Senate Chair
• Shirley Robinson, Staff Council Chair
• Dr. Autumn Tooms Cyprés, Dean of the College of Applied Human Sciences
• Dr. Darrell Donahue, Dean of the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design
• Dr. Gregory Dunaway, Dean of the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
• Dr. Tara Hulsey, Dean of the School of Nursing
• Dr. Keith Jackson, Dean of the College of Creative Arts
• Dr. Pedro J. Mago, Dean of the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
• Dr.Clay Marsh, Dean of the School of Medicine, and Executive Dean for Health Sciences
• Dr.Diana Martinelli, Dean of the Reed College of Media
• Dr.Stephen Pachuta, Dean of the School of Dentistry
• Dr.Bill Petros, Dean of the School of Pharmacy Amelia Smith Rinehart, Dean of the College of Law Daily Athenaeum

APPENDIX A-RECOMMENDED REDUCTIONS ⁸

• ¹ https://www.wvu.edu/about-wvu/mission
• ²https://sga.wvu.edu/about/our-mission
• ³ https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/morrill-act
• ⁴https://landgrantdenter.wvu.edu/about
• ⁵ https://www.thedaonline.com/news/university/university-officials-release-preliminary-recommendations-for-program-cuts-faculty-reductions/article_f1fa85b0-3878-11ee-af44-f7e590c2e151.html
• ⁶ https://policies.wvu.edu/finalized-bog-rules/bog-academics-rule-2-2-program-creation-and-review
• ⁷ See Appendix A. As an example, the Mathematics Department is slated to be reduced by 18 faculty members, representing a 38% loss. More severe is the loss by the Plant and Soil Sciences unit of the Davis College, which is slated to be reduced by 52%.
• ⁸ All figures taken from https://provost.wvu.edu/academic-transformation/academic-program-portfolio-review