Another Issue That West Virginia Democrats Do Not Understand: Two Year Colleges

If it ain't broke don't fix it. That is the tried and true engineer maxim. One of the few things in West Virginia that ain't broke is the college and university system. However, Senate Education Chairman Bob Plymale seems determined to fix it.

His target is West Virginia University at Parkersburg. Somewhat like Potomac State College, WVU-P is a branch campus of West Virginia University. It serves students in Wood and at its own branch in Ripley. Like Potomac State students, many in the mid Ohio Valley want to get a degree from West Virginia University eventually, but do not want to make the complete leap from high school to mega campus. Campuses such as WVU-P and Potomac State give state students more options. A student can earn a two year terminal degree or go on to WVU. In the smaller campus they have a wide range of majors to pursue. The trend recently has seen WVU's two year schools expand their offerings in both two and four year programs.

This not only allows for more choices, if allowed to continue it ensures continued economic development in these communities at less cost to the state over time. As the cost of tuition in the Northeast rockets to amazing heights, these small colleges increasingly serve out of state students and earn their mother institutions more money. Imagine the benefit to Keyser and Mineral County as a whole if Potomac State becomes a four year school? Parkersburg is another former industrial city that could use such a shot in the arm.

Plymale has his own very limited vision for state two year schools. He sees them as useful for workforce development alone and wants to slice away WVU-P from its mother campus. Sorry all you history, literature, and political science majors who are not quite ready for a 30,000 student campus. Senator Plymale says small colleges are for workforce development only. Potomac State's relationship with WVU is much tighter and is likely going to remain unaffected, at least for now. Who knows what plans Plymale has for the future?

Basically Plymale seeks to limit the options available to state students because he thinks he has a better idea. Liberals often do prefer to think for others since the common people surely cannot decide such important issues on their own. Fortunately WVU-P has Republican allies in the Legislature such as Frank Deem and Donna Boley. Boley accuses Plymale and others of "back room" dealing.

Deem and Boley need help if they are to save WVU-P from having to break from WVU. Marshall University also has a major branch campus in Point Pleasant and they need to watch these developments closely. WVU president Mike Garrison needs support from his peers as well as Governor Manchin to ensure that the Legislature keeps its hands off institutions such as WVU-P.

Michael Garrison Visits Potomac State College

Potomac State College welcomed incoming West Virginia University president Michael Garrison today. In front of perhaps sixty faculty, administrators, staff, alumni, and other locals, Garrison held a question and answer session that lasted around an hour and a half.


Many questioned the process that led to Garrison's hiring. He held a post in the administration of Governor Bob Wise and had strong connections with state higher education officials. Garrison came under fire even before his hiring. West Virginia University faculty argued that his law degree and state government experience failed to meet the standard of credentials that a university president should have. Garrison's supporters reasoned that political experience and connections would be an asset to a university president trying to fight for a proper share of the state budget.


In any event, Garrison was chosen to lead West Virginia University and by extension Potomac State College. His visit to Keyser formed part of a tour of all the university's branch campuses to hear the comments and concerns people have with WVU leadership. Most comments centered around the expansion undertaken in the past two years under outgoing president David Hardesty. Enrollment and capital expenditures increased dramatically in that period.


Garrison gave a few clues about his vision for the future of the school. He repeatedly emphasized "managed growth." This indicates a conservative outlook about making sure the school has resources before more expansion occurs. Resources not only include the budget, but also faculty, staff, and infrastructure.


Some criticism centered around Garrison's youth, but he handled a few difficult questions well and with assurance. His comments about West Virginia University and Potomac State leave a lot of room for optimism. Garrison is not the empty political suit that some made him out to be. However time will tell whether his vision unfolds successfully or not. Other clues to that vision can be found in statements to the Charleston Daily Mail that he considers athletic success to play a prominent role in the university's image.


Garrison's youth and quick rise to prominence as captain of the state's flagship institution most certainly begs the question about his future. Likely if his presidency proves successful, Garrison will become one more Democratic Party name with whom Republicans will have to contend.

The Hallowed Halls of Academia

Eastern Community and Technical College has not gone the way of the Edmund Fitzgerald yet, but it is certainly sailing into rough waters. What began as a curious experiment in grass roots academics mixed with state level pork is shaping up to be a possible disaster. Two presidents have resigned in the past eighteen months and an $8 million grant to construct a main campus has been reversed.

When political considerations get in the way of common sense, situations such as this occur. Eastern CTC represented a nice cut of bacon for Delegate Harold Michael to bring home to his Hardy County constituents, but it also tries to compete with a long established two year school only a short drive up the road. Eastern has very little advantage over Potomac State College due to PSC’s merger with West Virginia University and Eastern’s continued lack of accreditation. All it has to offer residents of Hardy County is a somewhat shorter commute. It currently is banking on federal funds that would come if the school gets accreditation, but it also lacks a college president.

Governor Joe Manchin and the CTC council chairman for the state, Nelson Robinson, have both expressed concerns about the institution’s future. However Eastern does have students, instructors, and an army of deans. What it lacks is vision, focus, and seemingly coherent organization. A simple answer lies in folding Eastern into either Shepherd University or Potomac State College either of which offer a much wider variety of potential services for students.

******************************************************************************


Speaking of lacking a college president (at least until last Friday) West Virginia University’s Board of Governors approved the candidacy of Mike Garrison, former Wise Administration aide. The student government leaders conversely had voted strongly in favor of Garrison.

In the strange world of academia, presidents have different roles. They are stewards of institutions that invest heavily in advancing knowledge and ideas, so some believe that university leaders must have impeccable academic credentials. One professor's quoted statement leads one to believe that a WVU degree in itself represents insufficient credentials. That being said, they must also have the political skills and experience to slug it out in the trenches of legislative politics. Finally a university president needs the charisma and connections to be chief fundraiser. What each person felt was the most important role of a university president went a long way towards determining who they backed for WVU president.

What seems to be happening here also is a backlash by proxy against Manchin. Could it be the case that the ultraliberal faction of state Democrats fought against the presumed Manchin choice? Could they have been wanting to make a political statement about the Governor without attacking him directly? It is probably best to reserve judgment about Mike Garrison until he has been on the job for a while. After all David Hardesty came from a rather unconventional background for a university president and had done a pretty good job.

The WVU presidential selection process, if nothing else, has been an interesting display of state politics in action. Thank goodness we could hire a basketball coach without this much fuss.