WVUP’s BOG discusses upcoming Higher Learning Commission visit

Parkersburg, W.Va. (January 17, 2024) — WVU Parkersburg President Dr. Torie Jackson reviewed the 18 criteria that the Higher Learning Commission will use to evaluate the college during its visit in March, at the Board of Governors meeting on Tuesday.
The HLC is one of seven regional accreditors in the United States, with the purpose of accrediting degree-granting post-secondary educational institutions.
Jackson gave examples of each criteria in her President’s report and tied them into five criterion:
• Mission
• Integrity: Ethical and Responsible Conduct
• Teaching and Learning: Quality, Resources, and Support
• Teaching and Learning: Evaluation and Improvement
• Institutional Effectiveness, Resources and Planning
The board welcomed Vasanth Ananth, a new Board of Governor member, who is taking over for former member Steven Hardman. The Honorable Ellen Smith, 3rd Family Court Circuit judge swore him in during the meeting.
Ananth is a Wooster, Ohio native, who graduated from Wooster High School, and went on to graduate from the London School of Economics in London, England. He then pursued law at Ohio State University and has been working in the Oil and Gas field with Antero Resources for the past 10 years. Ananth lives in Marietta, Ohio and works with local community organizations, like the United Way Alliance of the Mid-Ohio Valley, where he serves on the Board of Directors as president.
“I’ve been involved with the United Way and some other community organizations for a while. Through those organizations, I’ve seen an impact at WVUP, its staff, its leadership and its students in the Mid-Ohio Valley and beyond,” said Ananth. “I just thought it (WVUP) would be a place where I can make a difference.”
Ananth said he has only heard WVUP spoken about in high regard from friends and colleagues, and thought joining the board would be a good opportunity for him.
“I’m pretty excited to see what WVUP can do with the old OVU campus and the transition that is going to happen up there,” said Ananth. “It’s going to provide a lot of opportunities for people in this area and I’m really grateful to be a part of that transition.”
Jackson brought one policy before the board to take action on. The BOG policies to reflect a review of the Payment and Refund of Fees policy.
Jackson said as the policy currently stands, students who do not attend class during the first three weeks of a semester get withdrawn with no penalty, whereas students who attend class during the first three weeks, and choose to withdraw, must pay a penalty. Jackson proposed to change the policy to reflect anyone who withdraws within the first three weeks of classes will receive a 100% refund for their classes.
The board unanimously approved to review the policy and send it out for comment. If there are no substantive comments, the board will vote on the policy during the next BOG meeting.
The next meeting will take place on March 19, 2024.