The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) has approved $750,000 worth of campus improvement projects designed to increase recruitment and retention, including renovations for the new Student Success Center. The funds, which were appropriated by the West Virginia Legislature, were approved by the HEPC on May 18, 2012 for the designated projects.
The University requested $400,500 for the Student Success Center, which will offer a wide-range of programs and services aimed at assisting first-year and transfer students in their educational success at WVU Tech. The center will house offices for academic advisors, tutors and a mental health counselor, along with individual and group study space and a café lounge. Renovations will begin immediately, with the center expected to be up and running before the end of 2012.
Richard Carpinelli, dean of students, explained, “The center will be a high-tech, comfortable place for our students to study, have access to educational resources, including one-on-one advising, tutoring services and educational enrichment programs.”
Other projects funded include electrical upgrades in Ratliff Hall (on-campus residence hall), laundry service amenities for residential students, monies for the development of a university-wide recruitment plan and wi-fi additions in classroom buildings.
“The expanded wi-fi on campus is critical for the adoption of eBooks, which is a high-tech alternative we will be encouraging all of our faculty to consider as we move forward,” said CEO Carolyn Long. “All of these projects will help us continue our ongoing efforts to recruit, retain and rebuild.”