Dec 3, 2025
Editorial: Driving the Future of Education
Amid disillusionment about the value of higher education, Fairmont State University embraces a new, nimble approach to programming that will serve all West Virginians into the future.
EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION: Remote Operations
To ensure the safety of our students, faculty and staff, the University will be open
under REMOTE operations for Monday, December 15.
Remote operations addresses the winter travel hazards we are facing while permitting
us to meet Monday’s grade submission deadline and for other important work that must
be accomplished before the holiday break to proceed.
Employees should speak with their supervisors if they have questions about their remote work responsibilities.
Some personnel necessary to the operation of the University — including many who work in the Physical Plant, Dining Services, the Falcon Center, and the Police Department — are considered essential employees and are expected to report to campus. If it is unsafe to do so, please consult your supervisor.
IT support will be available via Teams.
The Falcon Center will be open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The cafeteria will operate on reduced hours: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for brunch and 4 to 6 p.m. for dinner.
The Ruth Ann Musick Library will be closed.
Student athletes should check with their coaches for further direction.
Any additional weather updates will be communicated through our emergency alert system, social media, and the University website.
Note that due to this weather system, we anticipate closure of the top deck of the parking garage for the next few days. (This location accounts for a significant portion of winter slip, trip, and fall injuries on campus. To support the integrity of the structure, salt or other ice melting agents cannot be used. Structural deterioration from de-icers can lead to major repairs costing hundreds of thousands of dollars.) The University will alert motorists via large yellow signs posted at the traffic circle, near Turley Center, and at the top of the hill.
Amid disillusionment about the value of higher education, Fairmont State University embraces a new, nimble approach to programming that will serve all West Virginians into the future.
As some of you may recall, when I first arrived on campus as Fairmont State University’s 27th president, my priority was really listening to what the area residents, education and business professionals, legislators, and other university stakeholders had to say about the institution. One of the comments I heard most frequently was that Fairmont State University was the “state’s best kept secret.” Why did they say that?
I love traditions, and as president of Fairmont State University, I’ve been blessed to be a part of countless traditions that are rooted in our campus and broader communities.
Fairmont State is proud to call North Central West Virginia home—we feel a strong “stewardship of place.” This means we actively contribute to the preservation and celebration of regional history and culture. We also strive to contribute to residents’ upward mobility, prosperity, and civic wellbeing. That’s why when we schedule events, we do so with the community in mind.
At the end of July, I fulfilled my promise to visit all 55 counties in West Virginia during my first two years as president of Fairmont State University. Most of the final counties on my list were in the southern part of the state. Traveling through Logan, Mingo, McDowell, Wyoming and several others, I learned a great deal about this incredible state I have the privilege of serving.
Higher education in America faces severe challenges, many unprecedented. Since the pandemic, enrollment nation-wide has dropped by more than a million students, accelerating a decade-long trend. On top of that, we’re approaching a demographic cliff in Fall 2025, and new-student enrollment in American colleges could drop up to another 15%.
When I was hired as Fairmont State University’s 27th President two years ago, I made a commitment: We would not only be a school for the North Central region — we would serve all of West Virginia, and I would visit every county in the state.
Over the past couple of years, Fairmont State University has been working diligently to develop a strategy to guide our actions for the next decade. If you attended my inauguration last year, read my previous op-eds, or watched my monthly videos, you have no doubt heard me speak about our Strategic Vision.
In higher education, competition among institutions is often assumed to be a zero-sum game — one university’s gain is another’s loss. As presidents of two West Virginia public universities, we can tell you that nothing is further from the truth. In fact, we believe that when West Virginia’s higher education institutions work together, the entire state benefits.
Higher education must take the lead in reversing population trends. Fairmont State University is a leader in this area, and we know that we must be proactive if we are going to help the state of West Virginia reach its potential.
Fairmont State University’s biggest fundraising event of the year, the annual Day of Giving, takes place Thursday, February 27. The funds raised support academic programs, student organizations, athletic teams, and student support initiatives.
As I write this message to you, our neighbors, friends, and supporters, Fairmont State University is busy. We’re kicking off our spring semester, and our students and faculty have returned to join staff members who already hit the ground running in 2025.