WVU Parkersburg Board of Governors honors longtime administrator, welcomes new member and advances policy agenda

 Parkersburg, W.Va. (August 19, 2026) — The WVU Parkersburg Board of Governors met Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, to swear in a new board member, approve a policy update for public comment and hear updates on enrollment, finances and campus programs as the college opened its fall semester with a renewed focus on student success.

President Dr. Torie Jackson opened the meeting by honoring the memory of Alice Harris, associate professor of accounting, who served the college for more than a decade, including as executive vice president of finance and administration. Jackson credited Harris with guiding the college through some of its most challenging financial years and helping mentor many members of the current staff.

“She was a trusted leader whose careful management and long-range vision helped strengthen the financial foundation of our college, positioning us for the opportunities we continue to pursue today,” Jackson said.

The board observed a moment of silence in her honor. The college community will celebrate Harris’s life on Sunday, Aug. 23, from 1 to 3 p.m. in the College Activities Center.

The Honorable Timothy Sweeney, judge of the Third Circuit Court, administered the oath of office to new board member Sami Kincaid at the start of the meeting.

In her report to the board, Jackson recapped the college’s fall welcome-back session, where five students shared their personal journeys with faculty and staff returning for the semester. She said the stories were designed to challenge every employee to consider how their work contributes to student success. Jack Comeau, known as Moon King, attended the board meeting after being recognized this month with the Governor’s Service Award in the Young Adult category for his volunteer work and community service while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Jackson also praised the college’s College 101 orientation, led by Dr. Jared Gump, who was also on hand, noting the effort drew roughly 30 employees to help welcome new students to campus.

Board Chair Blaine Hess reported the college has now posted 11 consecutive semesters of enrollment growth and holds the highest student retention rate among West Virginia’s community colleges. Chief Financial Officer Bradley Wilson told the board that summer enrollment rose 9.2% in full-time-equivalent students, generating roughly $124,957 in additional tuition revenue.

The board voted to move an updated version of Policy A-43, “Disability Accommodations,” forward for a 30-day public comment period. Jackson said the revision aligns the policy with current West Virginia code and adds language committing the institution to engage in good faith in an interactive process to identify reasonable accommodations. The board also received four policy updates as information items, with no board action required: Policy B-03 (“Sabbatical Leave”), Policy B-08 (“Holidays”), Policy B-12 (“Adjunct Faculty”) and Policy B-54 (“Emergency Call-In”). Jackson noted the sabbatical leave revision drew written comment from two faculty members but was supported by all five academic deans and the vice president of academic affairs.

“Every decision made by this board and every action taken by our employees creates opportunities for students to discover their potential and build brighter futures,” Jackson said.

The Board of Governors will next meet Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026.