West Virginia University has to 'rebuild trust,' says Gee

“I think any institution that tries to say it’s through transforming is an institution that’s dead,” he said. “We are through phase one. But, yes, we are going to continue to have transformation. But it’s going to be a part of our culture now.”

In mid-September, WVU officials announced plans to eliminate about 8% of majors and about 5% of faculty, along with other cost-saving measures, as the university sought to rectify a $45 million budget shortfall.

In the lead-up to the announcement of which programs and faculty members would be cut, the campus experienced student protests, and WVU was the subject of numerous national media reports.

Gee, who at the beginning of September received a symbolic vote of no confidence from WVU’s faculty, said university officials made “the right decisions.”

“Did we make mistakes? Obviously. Did we correct mistakes? Yes. When you’re first in line, when you’re the point of the spear, you sometimes make mistakes,” he said. “But I think generally I feel really good about where we are.”

Experts recently signed off on the university’s financial plans, Gee said.

“I’ve just talked to our auditor, and our financial picture is very strong,” he said.

“We’re one of the few (higher education) institutions where our bonding agencies have given us a clean bill of health.”

WVU has received positive assessments from Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings, Moody’s and Fitch Ratings, Gee said.

During his State of the University address Oct. 23, Gee said WVU’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget was designed to reduce expenses by around $24 million, leaving an additional $24 million in net expense reductions and revenue enhancements.

The “academic program review process” is estimated to yield around $17.3 million by Fiscal Year 2027 after “phased retirements and teach-out plans.”

In addition to savings associated with reduced salaries, Gee said it is projected that through other measures such as the academic support unit review and college mergers, WVU continues to move toward closing its budget gap.

In his address, Gee laid out his vision to help WVU become a “modern land-grant university.”

“We will expand access to education by improving recruitment and retention and focus on raising scholarship funds; we will advance our R1 mission to deliver solutions to real world problems; we will grow the academic medical center to improve the health of our people; and we will remain the economic engine of the state by partnering with industry,” he said.

The day after Gee spoke with WV News, WVU announced Rob Alsop, WVU’s vice president for strategic initiatives, would be leaving at the end of January.

Alsop will step down from his current role and transition to the role of “special adviser to the president, effective Nov. 18 through Jan. 31” prior to his departure, according to WVU.

“I have been very fortunate to play an important role at my alma mater for the past several years,” Alsop said. “And I am eager to continue serving to assist in key areas during this transition. As the university turns the page to its next chapter, it is also an appropriate time for me to begin my next chapter.”

Gee was granted a one-year contract extension by the WVU Board of Governors this past July, and has said he plans to retire when it expires at the end of June.

Just four months shy of his 80th birthday, Gee said the fact he’s not looking to the next stage of his career uniquely positions him to lead WVU during this transitional period.

“I’m 79. I’m not hunting for another job,” he said. “I have no fear, and I don’t say that in a braggadocious way, I just have no fear.”

The process of culling of the university’s faculty and programs has been “painful,” Gee said.

“I think it’s been more painful for the people with whom I work and others,” he said. “Because this is the first time they’ve been through it. I’ve been through it a lot, in different forms, different configurations, but I’ve been through it a lot. I’ve always taken pride in the fact that I think change is an imperative, but it comes at a price.”

WVU officials have their work cut out for them in the months and years ahead, Gee said.

“We have to rebuild trust; we have to rebuild relationships,” he said. “Our culture was very strong before we started and we have to look at that. I would be silly if I’d say we didn’t have a lot of work to do, but I’d prefer to work on that than calling people up and saying we’re going to eliminate you, cut your budget and send you packing. I think that’s important.”