MORGANTOWN, WV – Local resident, Felicia Carrera, is currently enrolled at West Virginia University, a prestigious liberal arts college. She is majoring in world languages; the major was discontinued immediately following the tuition due date this year. Carrera helped unionize the students, has taken part in a student walkout at the school, been on numerous television interviews and now she wants everyone here at home to know what is happening.
WVU has a $45 million deficit and is looking for a way to save money; they want to do it at the cost of the students. Below, the list shows which majors are being cut because they “don’t make enough profit for the school.”
This not only affects the students, but it also affects the faculty as well. Many teachers will lose their jobs and the only option WVU has offered the students of these majors is to do it online or through an app – but still pay full tuition.
Furthermore, West Virginia has offered the school a land grant that the college turned down. Why would they do that? Carrera believes that the administration is burying information and that the state will investigate these things. Allegedly, the administration is overpaid and the President of WVU (Gordan Gee) owns his own private jet and other luxury items with his generous salary. The tuition that these students are paying may be going straight into their pockets and not put back into the university itself.
Carrera, who grew up in Central America, loves the idea of an international perspective. Her goal is to speak multiple languages and travel all over the world to experience different cultures. Right now, that future looks bleak.
When asked about her thoughts on this issue, she had a passionate response, “Removing the entire language program and replacing it with online courses is an affront to learning. Online learning for regular subjects is hard enough, but trying to convey the culture and richness of a language through a computer is nearly impossible.”
She went on to say, “First it’s languages, then what’s next? A lack of cultural competence in this global era will result in severely underprepared graduates. This sets an example for universities around the nation that it’s acceptable to offer a ‘liberal arts’ education without that cultural competency; it does not bode well for the United States’ future citizens.”
Carrera’s tenacity in the face of such a roadblock to her dreams has encouraged other students to step up and speak out. “It’s a structural issue affecting higher education all over the country, we’re just feeling it more sharply at this university right now. I encourage anyone to speak up about the value of higher education when they have the chance, so we don’t lose that chance,” were her words of motivation to other students facing the same dilemma.
This leans toward a nationalist viewpoint that could stunt a more internationally intelligent generation of future leaders. Carrera wants to be heard by WVU alumni especially because she believes alumni could make a difference in cutting these programs.
She requests supporters to write and call West Virginia Senators, Shelley Moore Capito (R) and Jow Manchin (D), to demand that they examine this issue and reverse what’s occurring.
Calling and writing WVU, forcing them to listen to the public, could make it possible for these majors to be reinstated as well.
To contact Shelley Moore Capito, click here: https://www.capito.senate.gov/contact/contact-my-office
To contact Joe Manchin, click here: https://www.manchin.senate.gov/contact-joe/email-joe
To contact West Virginia University, call 304.293.0111 or email web_services@mail.wvu.edu
Carrera appreciates all the support this community can give. The gallery of pictures shows the work being put into this cause.
Oh, someone finally “WOKE” up that colleges and universities aren’t about education at all? Now they realize that it’s all about MONEY? Congratulations, but if the courses offered cost more to provide then they make, they aren’t a fiscally responsible choice for the university to provide.
Depends. In the great majority of US universities the liberal arts courses are by far the cheapest to run, the cheapest cost per student seat.
you could apply this concept to state & federal government also: if the state found itself in a deficit, it would understandably cut things until it recovered. Lets not go the route of raising taxes + probably keeping them raised. Its usually not the case that once the raised taxes raise the revenue, the taxes go back to what they were. When a state is in debt, it should look at cutting services, but when has it ever done that? A list of offices that close because we can’t afford them + when we’re out- of- the- red, we will consider re- opening these offices. Similarly, about the federal government, it is an answer to debt to cut government services, but has it happened? Will it happen? Is it on the table? It would be fine if it were on a website, we’re in debt right now, so this this & this has been cut until we’re out of debt. And, when we’re out of debt, this this & this will be brought back. Discontinued because of debt. Will open again when out of debt. We closed down because of a state of emergency, whats wrong with closing because of debt?
Imagine going $100k+ in debt for a degree that “might” land you a job making $40k annually.
Please see a college degree as a purchase. After you feel like a college degree is a purchase, then decide where you want to go + what kind of degree you want. Absolutely, you should be able to go right for the PhD instead of getting the AA, BA, MA 1st. “