West Virginia University’s Board of Governors gathered Friday, Dec. 16 kicking off a Commencement weekend of events on the Morgantown campus.

“During our meetings through the year, we talk a lot about every detail of the University’s functioning — budgets, facilities, academic programs, employee policies, student recruitment,” President Gordon Gee said. “But each Commencement ceremony reminds us why we are here and how each decision we make culminates in better lives for our graduates and better futures for West Virginia.”

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Maryanne Reed told Board members students seemed “very glad” to be back and have a full on-campus experience this fall.

“All in all it was a good semester, our first truly ‘normal’ semester since COVID,” Reed said.

As the spring semester approaches, Reed noted that WVU Tech will have a new president in southern West Virginia native and WVU alum T. Ramon Stuart. The announcement was made earlier this month as Carolyn Long prepares to retire at the end of December.

“Dr. Stuart is extremely personable and committed to improving student outcomes, as well as attracting new students to higher ed,” Reed said.

Across the WVU System, Reed said Academic Transformation efforts have recently shifted to graduate programs with 2023 goals anticipated to include increased focus on graduate student success.

The Board also accepted the annual financial statements and audit compliance report for the WVU Research Corporation and approved Honorary Degree recipients to be announced at a later date.

Additional actions included approvals for:

• annual PRT agency safety plan
• transfer of property to the West Virginia Department of Transportation for a right-of-way as part of the Van Voorhis Road widening project
• renaming of two WVU Tech buildings (Finance Business Services and Adventure Recreation Management)
• granting authority to transfer of buildings and property in Montgomery to the State Armory Board
• new BA degree in Sport Leadership
• dining club addition at the WVU Coliseum
• Café Evansdale kitchen renovation project

Chairman Tom Jones was celebrated for being named an honorary member into Upsilon Phi Delta, the national honor society for health administration, an honor he received for his distinguished career in health care.

And Gee praised students, faculty and staff who supported WVU’s annual United Way campaign by raising almost $200,000 for 27 community service agencies in Monongalia and Preston Counties, as well as those who donated more than 500 toys to the 23rd Annual Toy Mountain drive. Christian Help will distribute the toys to more than 900 underprivileged children in the Morgantown area.

“I am grateful to all Mountaineers for their generosity,” Gee said.

The next regular BOG meeting is scheduled for Feb. 17.