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I didn't read the article, but you didn't post any thoughts either. So will they be able to save some jobs and restore accredidation?
Hopefully, but in my opinion UC is taking a huge gamble! If this doesn't work out it could hurt UC's good name, but if it pays off UC will rise in a big way.
For those who don't want to read the whole article:
UC faculty will help with the "teach-out" plan through this semester (MSU got their accreditation extended through Dec 31)
Starting in January, UC will retain control of the campus and MSU is tentatively scheduled to become University of Charleston-Beckley. There will be two current MSU board members on the new Board of Directors for UC-B, and is assured a Beckley presence will continue on the Board. Current faculty members will be evaluated but will stay in consideration for future faculty positions, but UC will have ultimate say.
They're still working out the specifics, but it looks like all of MSU's assets in WV (i.e. not its campuses in PA, NC, FL) will be transferred to UC. UC-B will continue to be a four-year, private college, but it is not known how separate from UC it will be (such as athletics, etc). The Martinsburg campus will just hold select academic progams.
I think this isn't as big of a gamble as originally thought. As a branch campus of UC, UC-B will have assume accreditation again because the parent college is accredited (UC pres. Welch said UC-B would assume their accreditation). Also, all of the infrastructure is in place in Beckley and they have a supportive community around them. They have none of the administrative issues that plagued MSU and they will hire their own faculty when needed. I was hoping for a Marshall or WVU campus, but I totally trust UC and it will be a great remedy for this problem, and it might even turn out better for the college and the city of Beckley, too.
The only reservation I have is how this will effect UC's main campus. This will certainly expand the UC brand and add a good number of students to the UC system, but I've been wanting UC to expand in Charleston for some time now. If that city is going to grow, having a larger base of college-age people will help to rejuvenate it. Hopefully the expanded brand recognition will equate into more people applying to the Charleston campus as well.
The only reservation I have is how this will effect UC's main campus. This will certainly expand the UC brand and add a good number of students to the UC system, but I've been wanting UC to expand in Charleston for some time now. If that city is going to grow, having a larger base of college-age people will help to rejuvenate it. Hopefully the expanded brand recognition will equate into more people applying to the Charleston campus as well.
You bring up an interesting point. UC's main campus could lose out, but the school itself would grow. UC needs to make sure that their main campus isn't going to lose students.
If all goes well, this should be a huge thing for the college and the state. UC is one of the best in the state, and can really become a major education source for our region. The University of Charleston's name will grow big time!
I didn't read the article, but you didn't post any thoughts either. So will they be able to save some jobs and restore accredidation?
My guess would be that if they operate it as part of the Charleston campus rather than as seperate institutions, they would have accreditation the same as the current Charleston campus so that wouldn't be an issue. This thing just might work for them, but in my opinion if it does it will be at the expense of jobs in Beckley. They will save money by utilizing the administrative capability already in place at UC, and laying off excess personnel elsewhere. They might, however do this by attrition, or they could shift some of the whole school's administrative functions to Beckley to soften the blow.
Remember, one of the advantages of merger is economy of scale.
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