Potential cuts at West Virginia University won’t hurt WVU Parkersburg, says WVUP president

PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (WTAP) – In September, West Virginia University’s board of governors will vote on whether or not to cut dozens of programs and faculty members. It’s a tough decision motivated by dropping enrollment and a $45 million budget deficit.

West Virginia University at Parkersburg President Dr. Torie Jackson said that thankfully, WVUP isn’t facing the same financial challenges as WVU and don’t have to make cuts. “If WVU is choosing to make cuts to any of their academic, it does not impact any of the programs at WVU Parkersburg,” she said. “And right now, we ended the year with a surplus, and we are not facing a deficit, so we are not making academic program cuts at all right now.”

Jackson said the issues at WVU don’t impact WVUP because, while the two institutions have some overlap, they’re financially distinct. “When it comes to our association as a college, we are independent,” Jackson said. “We operate financially under two different sets of criteria, and we have our own budget, and it is not impacted by WVU’s budget.”

Jackson said that WVUP also isn’t facing the same enrollment challenges as WVU and many other colleges and universities. “Currently our enrollment is up as of today at 9%” Jackson said. “Our summer enrollment was up 16%, and considering the current economy and the number of students enrolling in higher education, we are very excited by that number.”

Jackson said that WVU losing some of its programming may leave a void that WVUP and other colleges could expand to fill. “While WVU is making potential cuts to programs, it gives the other colleges in the state an opportunity to say, is that program that they will no longer be able to offer one that we already have that we may potentially grow,” Jackson said.

Jackson said the position WVU is in is not unique. She said issues with enrollment in particular are forcing colleges across the country to make hard decisions about their programming and future.

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