Wheeling placed on financial watchlist concerning stability

[WVSU1995]

The West Virginia Higher Learning Commission has put Wheeling Jesuit under a watchlist concerning long-term stability. I believe that the HLC did this to both Ohio Valley & Alderson-Broaddus a year before each institution shut down their campuses.

https://www.wtrf.com/wheeling-univer...0PfEvuDbczhKhQ

[crixus]

WVSU1995 It's no longer called Wheeling Jesuit University, it's been Wheeling University for six years now. They've had problem$ for a long time so this is no surprise to me. I wish them all the best and hope things work out, but I wouldn't bet on it. *I'm still mourning the loss of the AB Battlers, was a fan for over 50 years.

From Wikipedia -

In April 2019, as part of a broader restructuring of its academic programs, the university announced the elimination of its programs in theology and philosophy that are key to its identity as a Jesuit institution. The Jesuits in turn decided to end their academic affiliation with the university at the end of the 2018–2019 academic year, while continuing to provide "an ongoing Jesuit presence" through its campus ministry and other programs. Two months later, Monsignor Kevin Quirk resigned from his position as chair of the university's board of trustees after The Washington Post published details from a confidential report alleging that one of his former colleagues was guilty of sexual abuse and financial impropriety. In July, the university formally dropped "Jesuit" from its name and became Wheeling University.

[Fightingscot82]

As I shared in the basketball forum, I think its only a matter of time for Wheeling. First and foremost, they've got all the characteristics of the colleges that are failing: small, tuition-driven (not a big endowment), borrowing from the scholarship endowment just to pay bills (kind of like taking out a HELOC or second mortgage), and skimping on operations to try to run an extra lean human capital enterprise. They also have no real niche in an ultra competitive industry and region. There are a plethora of small private, especially small Christian privates, and many Catholic colleges in the region.

Financial warning is the first step toward D Day. Second will be losing accreditation. Once they completely deplete all available funding streams, they're toast.

[AlexTheHAMMER]

WV has 12 Division 2 colleges, nearby PA has 21. That isnt counting D1/D3/NAIA schools, but I always thought that number was oddly high, considering the size of WV. This "enrollment cliff" is going to eliminate a few schools across the country. Unfortunate for sure.

A Catholic University eliminating Theology and Philosophy is sure a bold move....they offer the programs now via an agreement with Catholic Distance University, but the damage was done for them with Catholics (that previous statement is a bit jaded watching Benedictine (KS) in my moms hometown go ultra traditional, watching enrollment grow and the university flourishing)