Going strong, WVU ends fiscal year on solid financial footing, bolstered by exemplary academics and athletics

With a focus on investments in the future of West Virginia University, the Board of Governors approved a $1.3 billion operating budget for the coming fiscal year during a Friday meeting (June 19) that opened with the announcement of a first-of-its-kind research partnership with Johns Hopkins University and a celebration of the historic College World Series run for the WVU baseball team.

"Through WVU Athletics, we show the state and nation what it means to be a Mountaineer," President Michael T. Benson said. "The same keys to success we've been cheering for on the field - hard work, grit, determination, perseverance - can be applied off the field."

Hailing academic successes, President Benson reflected on the makeup of the Class of 2026, with upwards of 4,240 degrees awarded in May preparing 78 graduates to potentially work as mechanical engineers, 87 as lawyers, 31 as forensic examiners, 67 as accountants, 70 as elementary educators, 130 as nurses, 99 as medical doctors and 40 as pharmacists.

"This is a small sample of the impact WVU has across disciplines and industries," Benson said. "Each Commencement season highlights the outcomes of the life-changing experiences we provide - with Mountaineer graduates who are prepared to serve others and lead in West Virginia and the world."

To ensure WVU continues to effectively serve future generations of Mountaineers and the Mountain State as a whole, the Board approved the balanced operating budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

"The FY2027 budget reflects the University's commitment to investing in students, supporting employees, strengthening academic and health care programs, improving campus infrastructure and serving the people of West Virginia," Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Chris Kabourek said.

Designed to provide a responsible financial path forward while positioning the University for long-term strength and competitiveness, the budget includes:

• $12 million to support employee compensation.
• $8 million in dedicated institutional funding for deferred maintenance and campus infrastructure, which will be in addition to separately allocated deferred maintenance funding from the Higher Education Policy Commission.
• $3 million for targeted investments in WVU Health Sciences, including the WVU School of Medicine and WVU School of Nursing to strengthen high-priority clinical training pipelines to address health care workforce needs.
• $2.3 million in additional investment for the WVU John Chambers College of Business and Economics to contribute to student professional development, career placement and program strength in areas important to the state and regional economy.
• $1.4 million in targeted resources for marketing and enrollment outreach to support student recruitment emphasizing the value of a WVU education.

"To make these critical investments and address inflationary and operating cost pressures while allowing for strategic flexibility, we've taken a balanced funding approach with this budget that includes available institutional resources and a modest adjustment to baseline tuition," Kabourek said.

On the Morgantown Campus, baseline undergraduate tuition will increase by $156 per semester for West Virginia resident students and $912 per semester for non-resident students. Baseline graduate tuition will increase by $180 per semester for resident students and $945 per semester for non-resident students.

Traditional University fees will remain at current levels through the 2026-27 academic year, while the rate for the separate Mountaineer Athletics Advantage Fee will increase to $250 per semester.

At WVU Potomac State College in Keyser and WVU Institute of Technology in Beckley, tuition and fees will increase by $108 and $144 per semester for resident students, respectively, while non-resident University tuition and fees will go up by $468 and $672. For metro rates, tuition costs will rise by $312 per semester for PSC and $396 per semester for WVU Tech.

"We are committed to affordability and value," Kabourek said, noting the distribution of $466 million in financial aid to students across the WVU System during the 2024-25 academic year. "Even with these tuition and fee increases, WVU remains competitive compared to our Big 12 and regional peers."

During the annual BOG faculty representative presentation, Lesley Cottrell, professor in the WVU School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics and director of the WVU Center for Excellence in Disabilities, and Scott Crichlow, immediate past Faculty Senate chair and associate professor in the WVU Eberly College of Arts and Sciences Department of Political Science, highlighted the full range of faculty contributions in teaching, research, service and clinical practice.

Cottrell and Crichlow called on their fellow Board members to sustain scholarly gains through investments in faculty success, advising, experiential learning and accessibility innovation.

In his final Board presentation, Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Paul Kreider celebrated recent faculty and student accomplishments to demonstrate what, he said, makes WVU "a special place."

"I have been blessed to be part of this amazing institution for 15 years - a place I will always call home," Kreider said.

The Board also:

• Authorized WVU Athletics to complete design development and full construction design for the Milan Puskar Stadium West Tower Project.

• Reelected current Board officers for 2026-27 with Robert "Rusty" Hutson Jr. continuing to serve as chair, Robert "Bob" Reynolds as vice chair and Paul Mattox as secretary.

View the June 19 Board of Governors regular meeting agenda and meeting materials.

The next regular BOG meeting is scheduled for Sept. 11.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Shauna Johnson
Executive Director of Strategic Communications
WVU Strategic Communications and Marketing
304-293-8302; [email protected]

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