MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The WVU Board of Governors has decided to allow the university’s incoming provost to do a further review of the Davis College of Agriculture’s School of Agriculture and Food Systems after BOG member Terry Hauser highlighted issues within the school.
The BOG voted 9-3 at its Friday meeting to remove the Agriculture School item from its consent agenda. The board was lined up to pass a measure that called for the college to begin developing an attrition plan. Hauser successfully argued against it. He said it would be premature.
“I really don’t want to see us head down a road of attrition for the Ag college,” he said. “To me, it’s like selling your best producing cow when the problem is the farmer isn’t getting it properly milked.”
Hauser, a WVU grad and a longtime educator and farmer, said the morale in the Davis College is probably at its lowest point in its history.
“We’ve got issues in the Davis College,” Hauser said. “It’s been called a toxic work environment.”
Hauser said the school’s faculty feels like information is not transparent or forthcoming.
“We have researchers who can’t develop a budget because a budget has not been disclosed to them–available monies,” Hauser said.
Hauser said those outside the university in the agriculture industry aren’t investing in the college because of the failures.
“Personal and professional relationships need to be dealt with,” he said.
The BOG’s Academic Affairs and Accreditation Committee discussed the Davis College at a recent meeting. The details of what was discussed were not shared Friday. Committee Chairman Charlie Capito said earlier in Friday’s BOG meeting that most of the work was done in executive session.
BOG member Kevin Craig voted against Hauser’s motion. He said the board developed a process on how academic programs would be evaluated during WVU’s academic transformation a few years ago and they should stick with it.
“I’m pretty confident in what was presented and I think the process worked,” Craig said.
BOG member Steve Ruby joined the majority in supporting Hauser’s call for a delay and additional look.
“I don’t see any downside to having some further review of this issue if it’s an issue that a member of the board thinks is of some concern,” Ruby said.
Hauser said having an attrition plan done before a deeper dive “would be one more thing to depress the situation.”
“We need a cheeleader to fight for things they are asking for. We’ve had attrition already happening,” Hauser said. “We’ve gotta create some positive board support.”
BOG member Dr. Patrice Harris abruptly stopped the debate on Hauser’s motion by calling the question. Hauser’s motion was then approved. WVU President Michael Benson did not comment during the nearly 25-minute discussion.
Incoming WVU Provost Beverly Wendland officially begins her duties next month.