WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. — The West Liberty University’s Board of Governors has voted unanimously to publicly censure President W. Franklin Evans following plagiarism allegations.
The BoG met Wednesday and a motion was made and seconded out of executive session to publicly censure Evans. The motion passed 10 – 0 with two of the board members, Michael Baker and Arlene Brantley, unable to attend the meeting.
In October, West Liberty’s Faculty Senate concluded that Evans committed plagiarism in multiple instances, including a recent convocation speech.
Trouble emerged after the Sept. 15 fall convocation speech made by Evans. The speech included uncredited tips from personal finance writer Robert Farrington’s “5 Tips For College Freshmen to Help Maximize Year One,” originally published online at Forbes this summer, MetroNews previously reported.
Evans followed by writing in a letter that he had not been careful to credit the original source.
Over recent weeks, faculty continued to examine some of the president’s other public presentations, with a full discussion by the faculty senate on Sept. 21. The full Senate went over the speeches, comparing original source material, and determined that Evans had committed plagiarism on at least four occasions, MetroNews previously reported.
On Oct. 20, the board considered whether Evans but decided not to in a 5-7 split vote.
Board Chairman Rich Lucas said Wednesday, “According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the definition of censure is an ‘official strong criticism and severe disapproval.’ This public censure will be placed into the permanent record of the minutes of the Board of Governors meeting.”
“The Board has consulted with the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC). Its guidance and experience have been invaluable. The decision to censure President Evans rests solely with the West Liberty University Board of Governors.”
Lucas said the board listened to students, alumni, faculty senate, staff, WLU Foundation, administration and other stakeholders for input on discipline.
“The BOG now believes it is time for West Liberty University to move forward and face the many challenges that all universities across the country are dealing with,” Lucas said.
Lucas further stated that the board expects Evans to implement actions to reunify the campus community, rebuild trust, and to improve communication with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the foundation. The board will develop specific goals and actions for Evans to have in that process.
“Dr. Evans will work with the Faculty Senate Policy Committee to craft and publish a formal policy for academic integrity that applies to all West Liberty employees,” Lucas said.
Evans released a statement following the decision by the board:
“I am grateful to the West Liberty Board of Governors for its support of my leadership as president of this great institution. I have expressed regret for the mistakes that I have made and am taking this opportunity to once again apologize to the university community. Please note that I am unable to address any specificities pertaining to issues handled by the board pertaining to me as they are personnel matters. With that in mind, I am determined to move forward and humbly ask for the West Liberty family to join me in doing so.
“As president of WLU, along with my executive cabinet, we are working collaboratively and collectively with faculty, staff, students, alumni and community partners to reunite and emerge even stronger. I have a great responsibility as the Chief Executive Officer of WLU to lead this institution to its next level of greatness. There are decisions that will be made that might not be popular, but those decisions will be made in the best interest of the university and the students we serve. We will encounter challenges, but with focus and a single-mindedness on achieving the vision of this university, we can move forward. And it is my resolve that West Liberty comes out even better than imagined.”
Members of the board include: Jack Adams (vice chairman), McMurray, Pa.; Michael J. Baker, Wheeling; Arlene Brantley, Atlanta, Ga.; Richard Carter, Wheeling; Thomas Cervone, Knoxville, Tenn.; Dr. Jamie Evick (secretary), Glen Dale, W.Va.; Ryan Glanville (WLU staff member), Wheeling; MacKenzi Jones, (student government president), Weirton, W.Va.; David H. McKinley, Wheeling; Jason Metz (faculty member), Pittsburgh; and Stephanie Shaw, Columbus, Ohio.