Photo by Ron Rittenhouse
Gordon Gee delivers the State of the University address on Monday at the WVU College of Law. His remarks looked back at his second tenure as president, which began in 2014, and what lies ahead for WVU.
MORGANTOWN — WVU President Gordon Gee reflected on the accomplishments of the past decade and the bright future for WVU during his final State of the University Address on Monday.
“We are a driving force for good, for change and opportunity for all West Virginians,” he said. “The accomplishments of the past decade are not mine. They belong to each one of you. In a zeitgeist that elevates problems and obscures solutions, it is important to celebrate your creations.”
Gee will complete his second term at the university’s helm in June. He previously served from 1981-85 and returned in 2014.
He talked about his four pillars of progress – education, health, prosperity and purpose – and how WVU has contributed in each area.
Education: Students have more opportunities than ever. Ten years ago, he said, there were 100 student organizations, now there are close to 500.
Enrollment plateaued, but they plan to soon announce more robust enrollment strategies that will make a WVU degree attainable for more students in West Virginia, he said.
Among the important highlights to improve education he reviewed included the building of Reynolds Hall; moving WVU Tech to Beckley in 2016 to make for a more accessible and modern campus (a move not without pains for the Montgomery community at the time); doubling the size of the Honors College; and reaching the highest-ever retention rate this year: 83.2%.
He several times acknowledged the painful academic transformation process. In September 2023, WVU faculty voted overwhelmingly to support resolutions expressing no confidence in Gee and calling for a freeze on the academic transformation process.
But he said the process has better aligned complementary programs to serve students today and well into the future. “When the headwinds of charge threatened to take us off course, we made difficult decisions and transformed academics to meet students’ needs for today and tomorrow.”
In the area of health, he said, “In past decades, advances have literally been breathtaking.” They include breakthroughs at the Heart & Vascular Institute and the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute. “We now lead the world in Alzheimer’s research.”
They will build the Hazel Ruby McQuain Comprehensive Cancer Hospital and are pursuing National Cancer Institute designation to be recognized among the top 2% of cancer institutes nationwide. And with 25 hospitals statewide, “We are working to make sure every West Virginian has access to world class health care” without leaving the state, he said.
Prosperity: Ascend WV was launched in 2021 to draw remote workers to live in West Virginia. “It has grown into the nation’s premier talent attraction and retention program.”
WVU played a central role in bringing ARCH2, the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub, to Morgantown. “This investment will have a significant economic impact on communities in our region and our state, creating thousands of new jobs.”
And the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities named WVU an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University in 2023.
Gee said a sense of purpose is central to his own life, and is crucial for WVU and its community. The Purpose Center was established in 2022 as a kind of one-stop personal concierge for services scattered across the university – a place to access guidance on such things as tutoring, mental health and career support.
“This has been a key recruitment tool and differentiator of our great university,” he said. More than 15,000 people visited it in one year. “Today, Mountaineers are feeling and following our spirit of purpose as never before.”
Gee said “Why are you here?” is a key question. “For me, the answer is pretty simple … My purpose has been to make things better for West Virginia and to build a university with the strength and power to succeed long after I’m gone. … West Virginia University is built to last, I can tell you that.”
After his speech, Gee fielded some questions from the press.
Asked about what he’ll do in his final months, he reiterated his goal to solidify enrollment strategies, noting that it’s already leveled off. More than 50% of the state’s PROMISE scholars are attending WVU. “I like the fact that people vote with their feet.” His goal is to get retention to 90%.
Back to academic transformation, he said, “Change is hard. Moving a university in a different direction is a very difficult thing, but it is now necessary. … I would rather be the architect of change than its victim. … For me to say everyone is pleased about it is not the truth. On the other hand, it is the reality, and so many people are here because of the fact that we did that transformation.”
His successor, he said, will face three challenges. One is financial, common to many universities now. But with the new budget model, “We have put into place for the next president the ability to be able to face it.”
Two is the demographic cliff, with lower birth rates and fewer students entering college nationally. To manage it, WVU must stay competitive in order to attract and retain students.
And third is regaining public trust – another problem universities across the nation face. It will require talking and listening and making internal changes.
“It’s going to be a big agenda, there’s just no doubt about it.”