Originally posted by The Real SamC:
IMHO, the future of MU is the same future MU has always had, MU has a unique burden. To serve the State of West Virginia (a job WVU turned its back on long before any of us were born). Particularly the southern half of West Virginia. To turn its sons and daughters into useful citizens with skills to serve society and to, by doing so, support themselves as non-parasites.
The challenges change. The burden does not.
Today's challenges?
- The continued population loss. Including the possibility that the bad guys win their War on Coal. A WV without coal is a WV with about 1M people, an unsustainable %age of those being either old folks or life welfarists, heading for 750K in the next generation. The solution to that is above the pay grade of the MU president, but being prepared to serve WV, not what kind of WV that WV is, in 2020 or 2030 or whenever, is not.
- The internet. The growth of internet based classes and colleges, both totally fake, semi legitimate, and even legitimate, along with the (totally unregulated in WV, sadly) growth of proprietary vo-tech schools that pass their programs off as "college" cut right at the heart of our mission. People have to be made to understand that most of what you learn in college you learn outside the classroom and that the "core" classes not in your major are important. The growth of every college in WV, particularly WVU, offering Master's by e-mail, with no legitimate work required, is an especial threat.
- WVU. WVU is WV's burden. Sucking up most of the money and returning little or nothing in return. Dealing with WVU, and dealing with the legislature is a big part of the job. You have to make those in power understand that an education $ given to racist Gee to subsidize more New Jersites who will use WVU for an easy degree and never return is a $ wasted. A $ we don't have.
- The diaspora. MU has a very unique alumni footprint. Because a huge %age of our alumni do what the girl did at the end of We Are Marshall. Which is GTFO of WV ASAP. That provides challenges. It also provides opportunities.
- Growth. How do you grow a school whose mission is, and should be, to serve a declining population?
- Lower ed. The most common college level among WV adults is not "never attended". It is "failed to earn a degree". WV's high schools do not prepare WV students to succeed in college. MU has two burdens here. First, to turn out better teachers that are equipped to do their jobs. Second, to serve the students we do get, understanding that many need help and attention.
