Faculty backs Mosser on Bluefield State College

WVNCC president opposes memorandum between City of Wheeling, school

WHEELING -- The West Virginia Northern Community College Faculty Assembly added its voice backing WVNCC President Daniel Mosser in his stance against the memorandum of understanding between the City of Wheeling and Bluefield State College.

The group released a letter addressed to the city both supporting Mosser and asking the city to reconsider the memorandum.

The MOU is a non-binding agreement that allows BSC to explore moving into one of the buildings at the campus of the former Ohio Valley Medical Center. At a city council meeting, Mosser excoriated council members about the agreement, and was joined by Wheeling University Ginny Favede and West Liberty University President W. Franklin Evans that night in voicing their opposition to the MOU.

The boards of governors at all three institutions have announced their support and WVNCC's Faculty Assembly, 53 faculty members across the community college's three campuses, joined the group Wednesday.

"We have always agreed with the City of Wheeling and its partnership with our institution in past endeavors; however, we urge you to reconsider the decisions made by the mayor and city manager to agree with Bluefield State College," the letter said to the city. "The agreement would allow Bluefield State College to set up a campus two blocks away from West Virginia Northern Community College's main campus to offer degrees in Engineering and Manufacturing."

WVNCC offers several programs in manufacturing, the letter stated. The assembly also challenged the MOU's claim that BSC will provide a high-demand program "not offered by any other institution of higher learning in the area." Wheeling University offers a degree in engineering science, the letter said, and WVNCC has partnered with WU in that program.