NEWS

West Virginia University at Parkersburg 300 Campus Drive | Parkersburg, WV |  26104-8647  Phone:  304-424-8203 | Fax:  304-424-8315  Connie Dziagwa:  Communications/Public Relations Director

WVU Parkersburg has a new mission.

CONTACT: Erik Bitterbaum, president of WVU Parkersburg, 304-424-8200.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

West Virginia University at Parkersburg has a new mission.

The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission approved a new mission statement for the institution at its most recent meeting.

"We recognized that we needed to develop a more concise statement of who we are as an institution to clarify our vision more effectively," said Erik Bitterbaum, president of WVU Parkersburg.

"The statement we now embrace speaks to our commitment to community-based educational offerings in a student-focused environment," he added.

The college’s original mission statement was adopted in 1990 when the Parkersburg campus first began offering baccalaureate programs and assumed its role as a WVU regional campus. Since then, minor word modifications have been made.

Revising the 13-year-old mission statement included input from the college’s various faculty, staff, student and advisory constituencies. "We wanted everyone involved in the process in that it was more than just rewriting a statement," Bitterbaum noted.   "WVU Parkersburg has matured as an institution and the mission statement needed to reflect that development."

Plus, there was another reason for adopting a new mission statement, Bitterbaum noted.

"The original language was cumbersome - 353 words long," he said. "The new more succinct, understandable statement is 99 words, and fits on the back of college business cards."

The institutional process of assessing the college’s mission and developing the statement began 10 months ago with a nationwide review of mission statements from colleges similar to WVU Parkersburg; a campus strategic planning retreat, and development of core institutional mission elements.

The college’s Board of Advisors approved the new statement in November. The WVU Board of Governors endorsed it in March and the Higher Education Policy Commission approved the new statement at its April 24th meeting.

WVU Parkersburg’s new mission statement is:

West Virginia University at Parkersburg provides community-focused, accessible education dedicated to academic excellence and designed to prepare students to achieve their potential.  A regional campus of West Virginia University, WVU at Parkersburg is an open admission institution that delivers academic and career programs ranging from certificates to select baccalaureate degrees.  The institution also serves as a host site for graduate education.  WVU at Parkersburg with its Jackson County Center offers educational, social and cultural opportunities; encourages life-long learning; supports economic and workforce development; promotes progressive partnerships, and advances regionally and globally responsive education in a student-centered learning environment.