DANIELS, W.Va. — The Marshall University Board of Governors approved two measures Tuesday to help ease tuition costs for students in hopes of increasing enrollment.
The BOG, during its meeting held at Glad Springs Resort near Beckley, decreased the time a new employee can become eligible for the dependent undergraduate tuition program from one year to six months. The board also extended Marshall’s Metro tuition from 15 counties in nearby Ohio and Kentucky to 59 counties in those states within a 100-mile radius of Huntington
Students classified as Metro residents pay $7,344 a semester for tuition. It’s more than in-state tuition which is $4,302 but less than out-of-state tuition which is $9,829.
BOG Chairman Patrick Farrell called the expansion of Metro tuition “an exciting change.”
“That we can start to include the greater Tri-State area as part of our Metro area. So we can attract more students to Marshall which is our natural target area,” Farrell said.
The change will take effect for the Fall 2023 semester.
Metro tuition at Marshall currently includes the Ohio counties of Gallia, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Pike and Scioto counties. In Kentucky it’s Boyd, Carter, Elliott, Floyd, Greenup, Johnson, Lawrence, Martin and Pike counties.
The expansion includes:
Ohio: Adams, Athens, Brown, Clermont, Clinton, Fairfield, Fayette, Highland, Hocking, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pickaway, Ross, Vinton and Washington.
Kentucky: Bath, Bourbon, Bracken, Breathitt, Clark, Clay, Estill, Fleming, Harrison, Knott, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, Magoffin, Mason, Menifee, Montgomery, Morgan, Nicholas, Owsley, Pendleton, Perry, Powell, Robertson, Rowan and Wolfe.
Marshall has suffered from a decrease in enrollment in recent years. It’s believed a lot of it is tied to the pandemic. New Marshall President Brad Smith has listed increasing enrollment as one of his top priorities.
One of Marshall’s financial officers reported Tuesday the university continues to show a weakening in both gross and net tuition from fall to fall. The decrease is tied to both resident and international student segments, the report said.
Farrell reminded BOG members that higher education is changing and Smith is ready to lead Marshall through those changes.
“It’s apparent to anyone who is paying attention that higher education is changing across the country and that everything that is happening at Marshall is being reconsidered in light of where we need to be,” Farrell told BOG members.
Farrell said he has told Smith he supports the changes but has some concerns about how fast Marshall can move. Farrell told BOG members Marshall can’t afford not to change.
“We are Marshall means not just Brad Smith is Marshall, it means we are Marshall. It means we as a community have to keep up and have to keep pace with the rate of change in all things we are doing,” Farrell said.
Smith continues to fill leadership positions
Smith updated the board on efforts to complete his leadership team. He said four searches have been completed. Three other searches are underway with two additional searches planned early next year.
Smith said Tuesday Marshall is going to put additional resources toward its new Bill Noe Aviation and Flight School including making a key hire.
“We are now looking at taking that and upscaling that program–so we’re in search of a chief aviation officer. Someone who can come in and help us 10x the program and begin thinking about aviation in a much more strategic realm,” Smith said.
Athletics moves
BOG member Chris Miller provided Tuesday’s report on the Marshall Athletic Department.
Miller said Marshall is repurposing some assets to prepare for further changes on the college sports landscape.
He said efforts are underway to provide beer sales at Marshall basketball, soccer and softball games. Beer is already sold at John C. Edwards Stadium.
Miller added Country Boy Brewing is working on a propriety beer can for Marshall sporting events.
Next meeting
The Marshall BOG is planning a September meeting to talk about the new state higher education funding formula approved by state lawmakers earlier this year.