WVU partially changes course

West Virginia University has partially reversed course on its plan to eradicate all traditional world language instruction as faculty members prepare to vote on a resolution to express no confidence in university President Gordon Gee.

Under new recommendations, WVU now intends to offer face-to-face instruction in two languages: Spanish and Chinese. Five language professors would remain employed and move to another unit. The majority of the department’s faculty would still lose their jobs.

All foreign language majors and master’s degree programs would be wiped from campus as initially planned, but university officials have indicated that minors in Spanish or Chinese could be possible. WVU currently offers undergraduate majors in Spanish, French, German, Russian and Chinese, and graduate programs in linguistics and English as a second language.

“We listened to our students’ feedback and have provided an option for face-to-face language instruction,” WVU provost Maryanne Reed said in a news release. “This final recommendation will allow students to take language courses as electives and potentially as minors. This will also support our students pursuing prestigious scholarships and membership in honorary organizations such as Phi Beta Kappa. We feel this recommendation addresses the continued enrollment decline while serving the needs of our students.”

The updated recommendation came after the world languages department appealed the university’s initial sweeping recommendation, which language professors called “detrimental” for WVU students and the state.

In mid-August, WVU announced plans to eliminate 32 academic programs, merge or embed 15 others, and layoff 169 faculty members as the university faces a $45 million deficit. Hundreds of students and faculty members protested the proposed cuts last week.

WVU’s board of governors will vote on the updated recommendation, and other proposed cuts, on Sept. 15.

Next week, WVU’s faculty will vote on two resolutions: to express no confidence in Mr. Gee and to freeze the university’s academic transformation, a term WVU officials have used to describe the changes they are implementing during financial hardship.

The proposed resolutions came about after about 180 faculty members, or 7% of WVU’s faculty, signed a petition to call for a university assembly. If at least 700 faculty members attend the Sept. 6 assembly, a majority-rules vote on the resolutions will take place.

The vote would merely serve as an expression of the faculty’s opinion, said Frankie Tack, a WVU professor who chairs the school’s Faculty Senate. The faculty doesn’t have the authority to fire Mr. Gee or freeze the academic transformation process; only the board of governors can take such action.

From her perspective, Ms. Tack believes the cuts are awful, but necessary.

“I’m going to have colleagues who lose their jobs,” Ms. Tack told the Post-Gazette. “...They’re our neighbors, they’re our friends. It’s just awful. Having said that, I don’t believe we have an alternative at this point, and no one has presented an alternative because we have a structural deficit.”

In a Monday statement, Mr. Gee said he understood this is a “stressful” time for the university, but reiterated his belief that cuts are necessary for WVU’s survival.

“I understand we are making very hard decisions that will affect people’s lives and careers,” he said in the statement. “I also understand there is frustration and anger regarding the process, and I am a logical choice for those feelings. I accept that criticism as it comes with the job. And while I know this is difficult, I also believe very deeply in what we are doing. And we must move forward.”