MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University Board of Governors received an update at its Board of Governors meeting Friday on student success and a new accelerated BS/BA to BSN nursing program that will soon open in Bridgeport.
Maryanne Reed, provost and vice president of academic affairs, said United Hospital Center paid for the new facility and will lease it to WVU for $1-per year. The building will include labs, classrooms, a conference room, student lounge and administrative offices.
“The School of Nursing is opening a new campus in Bridgeport,” Reed said. “The new nursing school will occupy approximately 5,000-square feet of space in a new addition at the WVU Medicine, United Hospital Center.”
The first class will begin the accelerated program in the Spring of 2023. A total of 24 students will be admitted each year.
“This is exciting because we know the nursing shortage is very real in West Virginia and this is another way the university is addressing that problem.”
“The shared mission of United Hospital Center and WVU School of Nursing presents a unique opportunity for collaboration, enabling us to groom future generations of nurses who can meet the evolving healthcare needs of our region,” Michael C. Tillman, president and CEO of UHC, said. “Skilled and compassionate nurses are critical to our mission, especially nurses who have the academic and clinical training that allows them to successfully adapt in a rapidly changing healthcare environment.”
The new center is in addition to nursing programs on campuses in Beckley, Charleston, Keyser and Morgantown.
Officials cited changing demographics and challenging finances are key reasons the focus on student success has become sharper.
Assistant Provost Evan Widders said the university is ahead of schedule in areas like graduation rates and retention.
Currently the four-year graduation rate at WVU is 43% compared to national average at peer institutions of 35 percent. Widders said their efforts have resulted in meeting some goals ahead of schedule.
“In 2019 the university set an aspirational goal of 62.5% six-year graduation rate by 2025,” Widders said. “We surpassed that goal this semester.”
Retention efforts are very important to students and the financial health of WVU. Currently, retention numbers lag slightly behind peer institutions, but efforts continue to bring those numbers up.
In 2019, the university set a goal of increasing freshman retention by one percent per year and that goal has been met despite the pandemic. However, for financial projections the goal was reduced to .5 percent per year.
“We are currently outpacing that number so if we can increase our retention rate faster than the .5 percent per year we’ll see some positive budgetary outcomes,” Widders said.
Retention following the pandemic year retention actually went up to 82%. Widders cited several factors like increased federal aid for students among others.
“People attribute that to relaxed academic policies. We had things like pass/fail policies that made courses a little easier on students to get good outcomes,” Widders said. “There was also an uncertain outlook in the job market.”
The WVU Board Governor also approved at Friday’s meeting:
1. Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Design and Development program in the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design.
2. Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work degree in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences.
3. Potomac State College’s new Human Nutrition and Foods major.
4. Next phase of the School of Dentistry’s multi-year master plan to modernize facilities and unify its operations in the Health Sciences Center.
5. Natatorium name change to the WVU Athletics Performance Center to better reflect that the facility now houses the strength and conditioning, athletic training and locker rooms to serve the Olympic sports, golf and rowing.
6. Updated Personal Rapid Transit Agency Safety Plan as required by the Federal Transit Association and U.S. Department of Transportation.
The Board also approved property transfers from the University to the City of Morgantown or State to pave the way to re-align and reconfigure the intersection of Campus Drive and Beechurst Avenue as part of the Beechurst Avenue widening project by the West Virginia Department of Transportation.
The next regularly scheduled meeting is set for Feb. 18, 2022.