BY WJU FACULTY

Below is the text of a statement issued by Wheeling Jesuit University faculty on March 18.

In response to Wheeling Jesuit University’s recent declaration of financial exigency, on Friday, March 15, 2019, the WJU faculty passed a Resolution requesting that the administration prioritize and commit publicly to providing for the educational needs of its students, fulfilling its contractual obligations to employees, and following best practices for shared governance in any plan for the school. At a minimum, this condition of financial exigency is likely to involve significant cuts to programs and personnel, if not closure of the University altogether.

“This is a difficult time for everyone, and the faculty recognize the incredible pressure that leadership is facing,” says Faculty Council Chair and Associate Professor of Theology Jessica Wrobleski. “This Resolution is not to question the administration’s intent, but to call them—even in this time of difficulty—to make decisions that prioritize people over budgets, as our Catholic tradition demands.”

The Resolution asks that in the event of program termination or institutional closure, “[t]each-out plans should be established where possible, and university personnel should be directed to assist students through the transfer process.” Further, the Resolution points to the financial and other sacrifices that WJU employees, including but by no means limited to faculty, have made over the years for the sake of the school’s survival and its students’ flourishing. The Resolution asks that the University honor its existing contracts with employees and grant severance pay in accordance with time of service to the University.

Finally, “shared governance” points to the idea that faculty should have primary responsibility for oversight of curricula, instruction, and related matters, including academic budgets. Not only the University’s accrediting body (the Higher Learning Commission) but also several national associations of higher education, have emphasized the value of shared governance to higher education, particularly in times of crisis. The Resolution asks that the administration follow best practices for faculty involvement during financial exigency. To date, faculty have been excluded from the process.
The full text of the Resolution is available upon request (email dweimer@wju.edu). For further information, please contact members of the Faculty Council:

Marybeth Emmerth (memmerth@wju.edu)
Darin McGinnis, Secretary (dmcginnis@wju.edu)
Theodore (Ted) Pauls (tpauls@wju.edu)
Dan Weimer (dweimer@wju.edu)
Jessica Wrobleski, Chair (jwrobleski@wju.edu

See also an October 2018 blog post, “Our Lawsuit and Fight for Shared Governance at Wheeling Jesuit University.”