The Joint Statement is below followed by statements from university/college personnel/board members.
February 19, 2021
The Honorable Mayor Glenn F. Elliott, Jr. & Wheeling City Council
1500 Chapline Street, Suite 303
Wheeling, WV 26003
RE: A JOINT STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO THE CITY OF WHEELING’S
JANUARY 5, 2021, MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) WITH
BLUEFIELD STATE COLLEGE
Dear Mayor Elliott & Council Members:
On behalf of the faculty, staff, and students of Wheeling University, West Liberty University,
and West Virginia Northern Community College, we write on a topic of serious concern.
This joint statement expresses our strong disappointment with, and opposition to, the MOU
that Wheeling elected officials recently inked with representatives of Bluefield State College
(see attachment). Said agreement commits to examining the feasibility of offering two-year
Engineering Technology degree programs in the former OVMC facility (currently owned by
the City). Programs in Manufacturing are also mentioned.
Our institutions have proudly served this region with high-quality, post-secondary education
and workforce solutions for many decades. We have developed deep roots in our
community, becoming critical partners in the Northern Panhandle’s economic development,
including, and especially, with the City of Wheeling. Thousands of local citizens have
completed our education and career training programs, earning college degrees, launching
new careers, earning higher incomes, and improving their families’ standards of living.
The goods and services purchased locally by our institutions and our employees creates
additional economic value for the City of Wheeling and the region. Collectively, we add
tens of millions of dollars in income and provide thousands of jobs in our hometown
and throughout the region. Our institutions are vested partners in this City’s growth,
development, and future success.
Together, we offer more than 200 degree programs that lead directly to local jobs –
including both Engineering and Manufacturing that are specifically mentioned in this
MOU. Each of us relies on data and research, in addition to outreach with local business
and community partners, to assess and address the employee development and workforce
skill needs of local employers. Our credentials lead to well-paying and satisfying careers
that are in high-demand in the local labor market. We have a well-established history of
collaborating to provide a seamless transfer option for students who, upon earning an
associate degree, seek to continue their education at a four-year institution.
We urge Wheeling elected officials to rescind this MOU. The agreement was apparently inked based, in part, on several misrepresentations about our institutions including our interest in and capacity to offer said programs. Additionally, City leaders failed to fact-check and perform basic due diligence with our colleges. In fact, this region is already well-positioned with three higher education institutions that are proven commodities and have been excellent higher education partners with the City of Wheeling: each making significant multi-million dollar capital investments in the city, county, and beyond. We are confident there exists no unfilled degree void in this region, not for our students, nor our business/employer partners. If there is a legitimate unmet local need, we commit to filling it at no additional cost to City taxpayers. We take our mission(s) to serve the higher education needs of this region [and this City] very seriously.
There is no viable path forward for this MOU with Bluefield State College. Moving forward would cause additional negative consequences for one or all of our institutions and therefore, potential consequential impacts in our community. We stand united in our opposition.
We greatly appreciate the City of Wheeling’s continued support and commitment to higher education.
Respectfully,
cc: Brenda J. Delbert, City Clerk — bdelbert@wheelingwv.gov
Chad Thalman, 1st Ward Council Rep — cthalman@wheelingwv.gov
Ben Seidler, 2nd Ward Council Rep — bseidler@wheelingwv.gov
Rosemary Ketchum, 3rd Ward Council Rep — rketchum@wheelingwv.gov
Jerry Sklavounakis, 4th Ward Council Rep — jsklavounakis@wheelingwv.gov
Ty Thorngate, 5th Ward Council Rep — tthorngate@wheelingwv.gov
Dave Palmer, 6th Ward Council Rep — dpalmer@wheelingwv.gov
Daniel P. Mosser
WV Northern Community College
President
Ginny R. Favede
Wheeling University
President
W. Franklin Evans
West Liberty University
President
Bluefield State College Eyes Former OVMC Buildings
Ginny Favede, president, Wheeling University:
“The decision to enter into this recent MOU by the City of Wheeling is disappointing, and in partnership with my colleagues at West Liberty and West Virginia Northern, I am opposed to this agreement allowing Bluefield State College to offer duplicate academic majors in our valley. This action by the City diminishes the quality, rigorous educational opportunities our institutions provide to the men and women of this region. Our academic institutions produce graduates who will meet the workforce needs of local and regional businesses. Wheeling University has been serving the city and Ohio Valley for the past 67 years, as Wheeling’s university. I would hope that the leaders of the city, during this time of vulnerability, would support our institution and forbear implementing actions that would harm our employees and students.”
“Wheeling University offers an Engineering Science major and minor, a program that provides students expert instruction from Professor Robert Yahn, a native of the Friendly City. Wheeling University’s Engineering program expands on the needs of skilled professionals offering a minor and a professional certificate in Construction Management and will soon offer a Bachelor of Science. The unique and value-added educational experience Wheeling University offers, calls for Experiential and Service Learning as a requisite, guiding our students to become successful, lifelong learners, highly prepared and principled career professionals, and active national and global leaders. This is a distinct impact we have on our community and the economic development of our city.”
Dr. W. Franklin Evans, president, West Liberty University:
“I stand in solidarity with the other leaders of our local colleges and universities in this matter. We are confident that our three institutions are equipped to provide the educational needs of this region with quality programs that meet the demands of our regional employers.”
“There is a process that must be followed to ensure that the expansion of programs by public institutions of higher learning in the state of West Virginia are needed and successful. This process is proper and is the only way to achieve approval of such expansion.”
David Artman, chair, West Virginia Northern Community College Board of Governors:
“Since Wheeling is already well served by three exceptional colleges and universities, not to mention those in surrounding counties, there is no need for Wheeling elected leaders to enter into an MOU/feasibility study with Bluefield State College. Our local colleges have been outstanding partners to the city, county and region and have served our students, communities, and employer partners well for many decades.”
Dr. Daniel Mosser, president, West Virginia Northern Community College:
“The City of Wheeling is fortunate to be served by three higher education intuitions; West Virginia Northern, West Liberty University, and Wheeling University, that work well together to offer local residents several options for high quality, affordable higher education. When there is a new need identified in our region for skilled professionals, Northern has adapted our education and training offerings to prepare our students for these new career fields, based on economic and workforce data confirming employer demand for such programs. WVNCC’s recent announcement(s) of new programs to prepare peer substance addiction counselors and support specialists is one example. Other examples include significant expansion of our career programs to support the oil & gas industry like Welding Technology, Petroleum Technology and Instrumentation.”
“Northern’s commitment over the years has included purchasing and refurbishing several abandoned buildings in Downtown Wheeling to create the Advanced Technology Center and Industrial Technology Center — each costing state tax payers more than $4 million. The City has experienced significant revitalization through Northern’s continued investments including two current parking lot and green space projects. New programs on the horizon, identified through Gap Analysis, include CDL Class A & B and EMT/Paramedic.”
