The West Virginia University Board of Governors on Tuesday unanimously approved a proposal to relocate the school's Institute of Technology from Montgomery to a new satellite campus in Beckley.
The vote came one day after WVU officials privately informed students, faculty and staff that the school and all its programs would be moved about 40 miles south over the next two years.
"These are not easy decisions," WVU President Gordon Gee said. He went on to say that moving WVU Tech, which, according to school officials, would require $45 million in aid to stay in Montgomery, is the right decision for the state of West Virginia.
Before the vote, elected officials, including Fayette and Kanawha delegates and state senators, argued that the move would be detrimental to the upper Kanawha Valley and city of Montgomery.
Sen. William Laird, D-Fayette, who spoke on behalf of several other elected officials during a hour-long public comment period, urged the board to defer action on the proposal and consider other options. While he admitted a move to Beckley makes economic and academic sense, he was critical of WVU, saying deliberations lacked transparency.
He also said officials have not handled the situation in an orderly fashion, calling their methods "pop-goes-the-weasel."
Following delegations, board members voiced sympathy for the beleaguered school, which for years has struggled to attract students and deal with structural issues with facilities on campus. WVU Tech President Carolyn Long, who also oversees the Beckley campus, said the Montgomery school has not met enrollment goals and requires an estimated $100 million in deferred maintenance.
Saying the move is a difficult one to come to terms with, Long admitted that she thinks it's the only viable solution.
"This is the only way we can ensure the survival of West Virginia Tech," she said.
Starting next year, first-year students will be admitted to the Beckley campus while sophomores, juniors and seniors can choose to complete their degrees in Montgomery. The school's 15 sports programs will remain in Montgomery until the transition is completed in 2017.
The school's future in Montgomery has been debated for years. While WVU has invested millions and covered annual operating budget shortfalls since 2011, when Tech exhausted its cash reserves, the school's future became even more uncertain last year, when WVU leaders announced that they were negotiating an $8 million purchase of the former Mountain State University campus in Beckley.
While school officials said the buy was not made with intentions of closing Tech, several indicated Monday relocation became the only remaining option.
"This wasn't designed," Gee said. "A year ago, we didn't even know the [Beckley] campus would be available and that opportunities would be there."
In addition to moving to a campus left in better condition than the facilities in Montgomery, relocation will create opportunities for new programs, WVU Provost Joyce McConnell said. During a presentation to the board, she said the school, once relocated to Beckley would have all of the quality programs Tech offers, as well as region-specific programs, like tourism and nursing.
School officials communicated the benefits of the move, but it remains a bittersweet reality for many.
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., who has voiced his support for the school's continued operation in Montgomery, issued a statement following the vote, saying he is "deeply saddened" to hear the Montgomery campus will close. He said he has spoken to Gee and that he is optimistic there are options for Tech students and that there will be "viable opportunities" for the city of Montgomery.
"We have a responsibility to make sure every student who is willing to work hard has the resources to achieve their educational goals," he said. "And no stone will be left unturned in searching for a solution."
As for Montgomery, Gee said WVU is willing to assist city leaders in securing a future for the facilities that will be vacated. A news release issued after the vote said the institution will help fund an economic-assessment study "to further determine the opportunities and partnerships that might be developed."
Despite the blow to Montgomery, Gee and other officials expressed optimism in the move. He said he expects the school - which is rumored to be renamed West Virginia University at Beckley, Home of the Institute of Technology - will have 5,000 students within five years.
How the move impacts the region and other schools in the area, like BridgeValley Community and Technical College, remains to be seen.
BridgeValley President Jo Harris said she expects that her school will remain unchanged, although she said new programs could be offered if Tech's absence creates gaps and needs are identified.
"I want people to know that BridgeValley will continue to have operations in Montgomery," she said. "We have no plans to leave."
BridgeValley has two campuses: one in Montgomery and one in South Charleston.
Tech's move to Beckley could open the door for BridgeValley expansion in Montgomery. Harris said the school might conduct a feasibility study to see if it can assume control of any vacated facilities, but she said there are no plans to expand at this time.
The school, however, will market its two-plus-two agreements, which allow students to start college at BridgeValley and transfer credits to another school, where they can complete their degree. She said that option will be critical to locals who want to pursue a postsecondary degree but want to remain in the area.
The state Higher Education Policy Commission, which oversees two- and four-year colleges in West Virginia, will study academic program proposals for the new campus when they are made available. The commission is statutorily required to review and approve new programs at new locations.
Reach Samuel Speciale at sam.speciale@dailymailwv.com, 304-348-7939 or follow @samueljspeciale on Twitter.