West Virginia University is facing a $45 million budget crisis, which it expects to get worse. The administration’s proposed solution to the deficit—which they are attributing to declining enrollment—is to drastically cut academic programs and course offerings, and to lay off countless faculty and staff.

This plan will be a disaster for the reputation of the university, for the residents of West Virginia, and for students from all over the world who receive their education here. Our research shows that the current crisis has been caused just as much by poor planning and financial malfeasance by university leadership as it has been by low enrollment, and that there are far better ways to cut unnecessary spending than undermining our core functions of teaching and research.

The financial situation at WVU has been caused by bad decisions at all levels of administration, and allowing those same administrators to rewrite the rules and restructure the university is a terrible idea.

In order to remain a world class research university, and avoid the ‘brain drain’ which West Virginia is already sadly familiar with, WVU must take this opportunity to invest in its future. Please join us in demanding an immediate halt to all program and job cuts associated with the “Academic Transformation” process until a more qualified group, led by independently selected faculty and (non-executive) staff, has time to analyze WVU’s current position and propose an alternative plan that respects the mission of the university and its vital role in our state.