A Campus Conversation was held Thursday (Aug. 24) via Zoom to provide an update on the University’s overarching Transformation initiatives, including those to address academics and the structural budget deficit.
During the Campus Conversation, the question was asked by a participant if during the appeals process harsher actions could be imposed than originally proposed. The University would like to clarify and provide additional context for that question.
In all cases, the preliminary recommendations in the program review process were developed with the intent to affect a particular outcome for a department or its programs. It is not the intention of the appeals process to subject further reductions or introduce new program recommendations. But is it possible? Yes, as explained below using a hypothetical example.
During the appeal process, a department will present additional, critical information with the goal of moving to a more favorable outcome than the preliminary recommendations suggested. For example, the preliminary recommendation was to preserve the program but reduce the faculty from 10 to six (continue the program with specific action). If the program were to appeal by suggesting it could absolutely not operate the program with fewer than 10 faculty, the appeals committee would then need to consider whether to either grant the appeal and keep all 10 faculty and the program or whether to dissolve the unit and eliminate all 10 faculty (versus the recommended six). Clearly, that would be a less favorable outcome (or “harsher” as written in the question) that resulted from the additional information brought to the appeal process.
Again, it is not the intent of the appeal process to introduce new recommendations. But to be completely transparent, as the University has pledged to be, if a department brings information that warrants a different decision, it is possible.
If you missed the virtual session, you can watch the archived Conversation at this link.
The video, and other recent Conversations, are also available at transformation.wvu.edu.
Additional specific questions may be emailed to transformation@mail.wvu.edu.