WHEELING, W.Va. — Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott says he is disappointed in the reaction from area colleges on the potential of Bluefield State College opening a branch campus at the former Ohio Valley Medical Center property in downtown Wheeling.
Presidents from Wheeling University, West Liberty University and West Virginia Northern Community College released a joint statement on Wednesday to continue to voice their opposition to the addition of Bluefield State College (BSC) to the Upper Ohio Valley education arena. The public statement reiterated the message sent in a letter to Elliott in February, that the institutions are able to provide the educational needs of the region.
Signed on January 5, BSC and the City of Wheeling entered into a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) to assess the feasibility of a long-term lease deal on the campus. Wheeling City Council approved the purchase of the 800,000 square feet of real estate in June of last year. The medical center closed abruptly in September 2019.
Elliott told MetroNews the city took a ‘calculate risk’ with the more than $1 million purchase and said the role as city council is not to determine who can enter into the market.
“In the state of West Virginia, the Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) will ultimately play a big role in determining whether or not Bluefield State can and should enter this market. We did not see that as our issue as a city council. We are charged by our city charter with pursuing economic development, not with regulating higher education,” Elliott said.
“Yes, I am disappointed. As mayor of the city of Wheeling, it doesn’t give me any joy knowing that three local higher education institutions are disappointed in me. I wish it wasn’t that way. I wish there was room for all these schools to work together here.”
The mayor said that the goal has always been to market those properties for a return to private sector use and the city council has made it well-known that they were willing to speak with anyone about the property.
“The longer we hold these buildings empty, the more costly it’ll be to the taxpayers and that’s not our goal. Our goal was to prevent these very sizable pieces of real estate from going dark and sitting empty for a period of time where the buildings may have to be torn down and create a void in our downtown district,” Elliott said.
Elliott said BSC approached the city on the move and officials from the college came to Wheeling for a tour of the facility, that includes a large classroom, in February. The plan for BSC, which has its main campus in Mercer County, is to open a branch campus with in-person courses in January 2022 focusing on engineering technology programs.
Officials with the school state in a news release on the MOU that the marketing department at BSC conducted surveys throughout West Virginia in 2019 to locate areas of interest for engineering technology programs. The results revealed a high demand in the northern panhandle of West Virginia where programs were not being offered, according to BSC.
Officials from BSC are not only looking at space for educational purposes but are also interested in facilities for student housing, food services and parking, according a BSC release.
Elliott said any entity going into the OVMC building as a tenant is going to compete with entities in the city of Wheeling. He said if the city’s role was to say no, they would never seek outside investment.
“If we put a law firm in there, it’s going to compete with local lawyers. If we put in a hospital there, it’s going to compete with a local hospital. Anything we put in there is going to compete,” Elliott said.
“Our role is to not pick winners or losers, as I see it. Our role is to pursue economic developments, particularly outside investment in our community.”
The president of BSC is Robin Capehart, former president of West Liberty University from 2007 to 2015 and well known in the Wheeling area. Capehart resigned from his role in March 2015.
Elliott said he has known Capehart but not on a personal level.
“I know Robin Capehart from his time in Wheeling. I didn’t know him when he was president of West Liberty but I have met him over the years,” Elliott said.
“We are not personal friends or anything but we did meet to discuss this MOU in February.”
Elliott noted the process has to be approved by city council as a whole and he has not spoken with council members or BSC since the issue with the local institutions became public. Elliott is wanting the topic to be discussed at the next city council meeting, which is scheduled for March 16.
The mayor knows the HEPC will have the final call on whether BSC can make a home in Wheeling. A decision is expected this spring.
Wheeling University declined further comment on Thursday to MetroNews. Officials with West Liberty University and West Virginia Northern Community College were unavailable to speak on Thursday.
The full statements from Wednesday sent to Elliott and Wheeling City Council include:
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.”