WHEELING, W.Va. — Wheeling University reports progress with its finances as it continues to recover from a tumultuous period several years ago.
The school drew the ire of the U.S. Department of Education and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) after trouble paying its bills several years ago. During the turmoil, Wheeling fired President Ginny Favede, later replacing her with Dianna Vargo.
Wheeling University Board Chair David Hendrickson addressed the Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) during its meeting Friday morning. The university was up for provisional reauthorization from the HEPC — annual approval from the commission to continue operations. The board approved the authorization after Hendrickson’s update.
Hendrickson said the university has implemented suggestions the HEPC made, including a “Metro” fee and stepping up its fundraising efforts.
Hendrickson mentioned the university received $525,000 in fundraising money last week, and another $1.6 million was announced this week. He teased a third multi-million dollar fundraising effort that could be announced soon, all to help balance the university’s budget.
“To say we’ve come a long way is an understatement in the last three years,” Hendrickson said. “We still have challenges, as all of you know, and I want to just thank the commission for all the diligence they do in making sure that we cross the t’s and dot the i’s in providing the best education possible for the students of West Virginia.”
Hendrickson pointed to his own experience on the commission, noting that it’s a different role. He said Wheeling is receiving positive news with its enrollment as well.
“We are currently 150 kids higher than we were this time last year, enrolled on campus,” Hendrickson said. “We should be, hopefully, over 1,000 students on campus this year (for the) first time in a lot of years.”
The enrollment total is comprised of full-time online, graduate, and undergraduate students, Hendrickson explained. Work is being done all over campus, he said, including the library, computer room, and workout area. Hendrickson joked that the computer room was last updated when “Abe Lincoln was president.” He said those projects were made possible through fundraising money.
Hendrickson said he understands there are challenges, but the university is determined to work and improve.
The Higher Learning Commission reviewed Wheeling University’s audit last year and placed them on a watchlist. Hendrickson said the university has remained in contact with the HLC.
“They’ve been very helpful, we have two more degree programs that we’ve asked them to approve for online learning,” Hendrickson said. “They’re just in the process now, there’s nothing that we need to do, other than wait for them to act on those. We’ve had several good meetings with those folks, as you (the HEPC) are aware, last year they put us on a watchlist in April and took us off in (December).”
Wheeling University leadership will answer to a new bishop, Evelio Menjivar-Ayala, starting next month. Menjivar-Ayala was selected by Pope Leo XIV in May to replace bishop Mark Brennan in the Wheeling-Charleston Diocese.
Hendrickson said he’s not yet spoken to Menjivar-Ayala, but university leadership plans to have conversations with him as soon as possible.
“I don’t know him, I haven’t met him,” Hendrickson said. “The current bishop knows him every well, the current bishop assures me that this new bishop is very much a higher education kind of person. He understands the need to educate people, especially in our realm of Catholic education and university education.”
Hendrickson emphasized that no one at the university is upset with the commission for taking action — they understand why they’re in this position. Hendrickson said operations were in rough shape three years ago, and many improvements have been made since then. Still, he said there’s still work to do.
One of Wheeling University’s biggest downfalls was its budget, Hendrickson noted. He admitted that for the first couple of years he was in the role, he didn’t ask for money because university officials weren’t sure whether Wheeling University would remain open. Hendrickson said the changes are night-and-day; now, they’re confident the university is hanging around into the future.
The recent fundraising numbers will turn audit numbers around, Hendrickson said, which is what the HEPC is concerned with.
HEPC Chairman Michael Farrell said based on his review of the numbers — provisional reauthorization fits. The provisional aspect gives Wheeling incentive to fundraise money, he said.
Hendrickson agreed that the provisional approval made sense for the time being.
“Would I rather not have the provisional tag? Absolutely,” Hendrickson said. “But we can still give degrees, we’re going to still survive, and we’re still going to move on. So, I would rather not have it, but it is what it is, and we’ll move on and do the best we can.”