Wheeling Jesuit University Undergoes Name Change

Quote:The school’s board of directors and the Maryland Province for the Society of Jesus agreed this week to end the university’s Jesuit affiliation at the end of this school year. In a statement released Wednesday, Wheeling Jesuit officials said the move is being done to realign the schools programs “to better equip students for the 21st century economy, while refocusing to emphasize core academic programs in health sciences, business administration and education.”

I think Wheeling University would be okay. If the rumors are correct? University of West Virginia could buy the whole campus and make it into a state school. Could be made into a JC, but Wheeling is one of their cities in the state.

(04-18-2019 05:56 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  I think Wheeling University would be okay. If the rumors are correct? University of West Virginia could buy the whole campus and make it into a state school. Could be made into a JC, but Wheeling is one of their cities in the state.

This rumor actually exists. Wrobleski is the outgoing faculty council chair

“What I was told in a response to that question was that they have been meeting with a variety of potential partners,” Wrobleski said. “Other local schools including WVU. There are still in exploring the options phase and trying to develop partnerships.

“That was not ruled out but it was also not confirmed.”

(04-19-2019 05:57 AM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(04-18-2019 05:56 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  I think Wheeling University would be okay. If the rumors are correct? University of West Virginia could buy the whole campus and make it into a state school. Could be made into a JC, but Wheeling is one of their cities in the state.

This rumor actually exists. Wrobleski is the outgoing faculty council chair

“What I was told in a response to that question was that they have been meeting with a variety of potential partners,” Wrobleski said. “Other local schools including WVU. There are still in exploring the options phase and trying to develop partnerships.

“That was not ruled out but it was also not confirmed.”

This is what they did with WV Tech. Tech's physical plant, finances and enrollment were in terrible shape at their campus in Montgomery. WVU took them over, renamed them WVU Tech and moved them to the old Mountain State University campus in Beckley. Everything worked out great except that football was cancelled along the way.

The big difference though is that while WV Tech was independent, it was still a public institution. Whereas Wheeling Jesuit is most definitely private.

(04-19-2019 11:38 AM)teamvsn Wrote:  

(04-19-2019 05:57 AM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(04-18-2019 05:56 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  I think Wheeling University would be okay. If the rumors are correct? University of West Virginia could buy the whole campus and make it into a state school. Could be made into a JC, but Wheeling is one of their cities in the state.

This rumor actually exists. Wrobleski is the outgoing faculty council chair

“What I was told in a response to that question was that they have been meeting with a variety of potential partners,” Wrobleski said. “Other local schools including WVU. There are still in exploring the options phase and trying to develop partnerships.

“That was not ruled out but it was also not confirmed.”

This is what they did with WV Tech. Tech's physical plant, finances and enrollment were in terrible shape at their campus in Montgomery. WVU took them over, renamed them WVU Tech and moved them to the old Mountain State University campus in Beckley. Everything worked out great except that football was cancelled along the way.

The big difference though is that while WV Tech was independent, it was still a public institution. Whereas Wheeling Jesuit is most definitely private.

Signs point to WVU getting involved somehow. They have the money and the political clout. They can either partner with the existing school now, or wait for it to collapse and take over the campus. But, West Liberty, also a public school, is only 23 minutes (11 miles of mountain driving) away. There would have to be a division of programs that benefits both schools.

Wheeling Jesuit looks toast.

The only undergrad majors left:
Business Administration
Education
Exercise Science
Nursing
Psychology

Basically it looks like the Nursing School (with RN and BSN/MSN) and Education School (certificate program the real draw) are pretty much all that is left. The sciences and liberal arts are pretty much gone. There is no reason to go to this school except for nursing or a teaching certificate.

I'd be shocked if any athletics continued.

If they want to continue as a college they need to do something to appeal to Pittsburgh and Ohio urban Catholics. Something unique. But that seems a little late. Nice facilities, it would make a really good site for a college prep boarding school.

Two HBCU's to look out for.

Bennett College for women just lost their accreditation,and said they would close, but did get $8 million in fund raising to save the school for now. The Greensboro, NC school is unaffiliated in sports and mostly play USCAA.
Saint Augustine is in financial crisis like the others posted. They are D2.

Central State, Wilberforce to merge some operations, campus services

https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/loc...udtPbt21M/

(06-17-2019 08:04 AM)Ohio Poly Wrote:  Central State, Wilberforce to merge some operations, campus services

https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/loc...udtPbt21M/

These two schools should have merged 30 years ago*. Two colleges in a little town. Wilberforce has less than 500 students, while Central State has around 2,000. Big issue obviously is nobody wants to be the "bad guy" to eliminate a HBCU.

(04-07-2019 02:26 PM)TDenverFan Wrote:  

(04-07-2019 01:16 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  How Many Universities Are In The USA and Why The Changes

Quote:While for-profit academic institutions have struggled in recent years with many closing, so too have small liberal arts colleges.

"Among the private colleges, those most susceptible to closing are the 800 private colleges with enrollment of (fewer) than 1,000 students. Schools that are small, schools that are almost entirely dependent on student revenues" Lapovsky says, adding that vulnerable institutions are threatened by the lack of other non-tuition funding streams flowing into those schools.

Hentschke notes that there are many factors in play when it comes to college closures.

"It's a combination of size, market location, market recognition and a brand that can either keep you afloat or conspire against you," Hentschke says. Despite market shifts, he notes the number of schools that close or merge is "relatively small in a given year."

2017 Forbes College Financial Grades

Liberal Arts Colleges In Crises

Quote:“Among the private colleges, those most susceptible to closing are the 800 private colleges with enrollment of (fewer) than 1,000 students.” Many liberal arts colleges are small and are totally dependent on tuition dollars. They do not offer the high-tech majors that are in demand in today’s career landscape. Grace University in Omaha, NE closed in late 2017 because their primary majors, education and psychology, were not attracting the number of students needed to pay their expenses.

So, the majority of small colleges that will close are in D3, NAIA, NCCAA, USCAA and unaffiliated.

1600 enrollment of Wheeling Jesuit is not enough to keep the school open after 2019/2020.
Presbyterian is at a little over 1400 which they are in the danger zone.
Davidson is a little better at 1900.
Wofford is in between 1600 and 1900.
All 4 have declinging enrollment, and all 4 could close.

Quote:In addition, some colleges took on too much debt during the recession financing new buildings and academic programs. Some colleges like Hawaii Pacific University felt that spending more money on perks like dorms, a fitness center, and other spaces would attract more students. It hasn’t. All that spending has done is rack up huge debt. “By 2015, the most recent year for which the figure is available, it owed $75.3 million in municipal bond liabilities, plus $10 million in mortgage and other debts, federal tax records show.” The total debt burden of today’s colleges tops $240 billion.

Hawaii Pacific is a large Private, but they piled up debt upgrading their facilities and added programs to attract more students that it backfired.

The spending like a drunken sailor by all colleges and universities are at all levels that put schools in debt spending on academics to sports.

Iowa Wesleyan only have 571 students which they are trying to stay open.

This is what can caused realignment.

In 2010, Davidson had 1,700 students (https://www.collegetuitioncompare.com/tr...rollment). Their acceptance rate is 22% - they're not declining, they're a small college intentionally.


Wofford (https://www.collegetuitioncompare.com/tr...Enrollment) has also seen a slight growth.

I'll admit Presbyterian has declined slightly (https://www.collegetuitioncompare.com/tr...rollment), but their acceptance rate is 62%, so if they wanted to grow they could easily just admit more students.

Steph Curry would never let it happen.

(06-17-2019 08:24 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  

(06-17-2019 08:04 AM)Ohio Poly Wrote:  Central State, Wilberforce to merge some operations, campus services

https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/loc...udtPbt21M/

These two schools should have merged 30 years ago*. Two colleges in a little town. Wilberforce has less than 500 students, while Central State has around 2,000. Big issue obviously is nobody wants to be the "bad guy" to eliminate a HBCU.

Actually, Central State rebounded to get over 3000 students. They are going upwards while Chicago State going backwards.

I say completely merged the 2 schools to become Central Wilburforce or Central Ohio University. It would be a good image change.

(04-23-2019 12:42 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  Two HBCU's to look out for.

Bennett College for women just lost their accreditation,and said they would close, but did get $8 million in fund raising to save the school for now. The Greensboro, NC school is unaffiliated in sports and mostly play USCAA.
Saint Augustine is in financial crisis like the others posted. They are D2.

St. Augustine's football stadium will get more use this season: Shaw is moving its home games there. Both are Raleigh schools but Shaw was playing its games in Durham, some 40 minutes away.

Interesting also to note that in 2013, St. Aug's was in negotiations to acquire Saint Paul's College in southern Virginia. The deal fell through, and Saint Paul's closed soon after.

(06-17-2019 03:06 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(06-17-2019 08:24 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  

(06-17-2019 08:04 AM)Ohio Poly Wrote:  Central State, Wilberforce to merge some operations, campus services

https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/loc...udtPbt21M/

These two schools should have merged 30 years ago*. Two colleges in a little town. Wilberforce has less than 500 students, while Central State has around 2,000. Big issue obviously is nobody wants to be the "bad guy" to eliminate a HBCU.

Actually, Central State rebounded to get over 3000 students. They are going upwards while Chicago State going backwards.

I say completely merged the 2 schools to become Central Wilburforce or Central Ohio University. It would be a good image change.

The timing is curious, but Wilburforce announced today the addition of track and field.

http://www.wilberforceathletics.com/article/76.php

Maybe the resource sharing with Central State includes T&F facilities.

(06-17-2019 08:24 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  

(06-17-2019 08:04 AM)Ohio Poly Wrote:  Central State, Wilberforce to merge some operations, campus services

https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/loc...udtPbt21M/

These two schools should have merged 30 years ago*. Two colleges in a little town. Wilberforce has less than 500 students, while Central State has around 2,000. Big issue obviously is nobody wants to be the "bad guy" to eliminate a HBCU.

Aren't they both HBCUs?

(06-17-2019 08:50 PM)TDenverFan Wrote:  

(06-17-2019 08:24 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  

(06-17-2019 08:04 AM)Ohio Poly Wrote:  Central State, Wilberforce to merge some operations, campus services

https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/loc...udtPbt21M/

These two schools should have merged 30 years ago*. Two colleges in a little town. Wilberforce has less than 500 students, while Central State has around 2,000. Big issue obviously is nobody wants to be the "bad guy" to eliminate a HBCU.

Aren't they both HBCUs?

Yes, they are. Central State was once a department within Wilberforce University until it was separated into its own independent college in 1947. If they were to merge it would essentially recreate what it was 75 years ago.

Would save the state some money with them merging with a new name like UTPA merged with NAIA's UT-Brownsville to become UTRGV.

(04-19-2019 11:38 AM)teamvsn Wrote:  

(04-19-2019 05:57 AM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(04-18-2019 05:56 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  I think Wheeling University would be okay. If the rumors are correct? University of West Virginia could buy the whole campus and make it into a state school. Could be made into a JC, but Wheeling is one of their cities in the state.

This rumor actually exists. Wrobleski is the outgoing faculty council chair

“What I was told in a response to that question was that they have been meeting with a variety of potential partners,” Wrobleski said. “Other local schools including WVU. There are still in exploring the options phase and trying to develop partnerships.

“That was not ruled out but it was also not confirmed.”

This is what they did with WV Tech. Tech's physical plant, finances and enrollment were in terrible shape at their campus in Montgomery. WVU took them over, renamed them WVU Tech and moved them to the old Mountain State University campus in Beckley. Everything worked out great except that football was cancelled along the way.

The big difference though is that while WV Tech was independent, it was still a public institution. Whereas Wheeling Jesuit is most definitely private.

More similar to the private Little Rock University being brought into the University of Arkansas System, and Henderson (Arkansas) being taken over by Arkansas and becoming a state university, and the private Lambuth being acquired as a campus for the University of Memphis.

Marygrove University To Close

They dropped under classmen classes, but did not make it.

D3 Oberlin College Could Close Down


For details on why? There is a thread in the Spin Room about what went down.

(06-19-2019 05:57 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  Marygrove University To Close

They dropped under classmen classes, but did not make it.

They dropped athletics in 2017, so this is irrelevent

Regarding the Wilberforce/Central St situation it makes the most sense for the public HBCU to absorb the private HBCU that birthed it.

At this point, Central St is what's killing Wilberforce. Why pay private school tuition for a small school HBCU experience when you could pay public school tuition at a university with an adjacent campus?