Board of Governors at West Virginia University Grants Tuition Hikes for Resident, Non-Resident Students
By Connect-Bridgeport Staff on June 16, 2025
Making strategic investments while addressing increasing costs, the West Virginia University Board of Governors approved a $1.2 billion financial plan for Fiscal Year 2026 during a Friday meeting (June 13), which was the last for outgoing University President Gordon Gee.
“I have been grateful to have you and your predecessors on the Board as friends as well as partners,” Gee said in his final President’s Report.
Along with Gee, the meeting was also the final one for Charlie Long, BOG student representative and former Student Government Association president, Shirley Robinson, BOG Classified Staff representative and administrative assistant, WVU Office of Undergraduate Education, and Frankie Tack, BOG faculty representative and service associate professor in the WVU College of Applied Human Sciences.
Tack joined Lesley Cottrell, BOG faculty representative and professor, WVU School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, and director, WVU Center for Excellence in Disabilities, for the annual faculty report which included a summary of progress and innovation at the University along with a call for collaboration and transparency.
To ensure continued University success amid uncertainty across the higher education landscape, the Board approved the 2026 Financial Plan that accommodates increased health insurance costs through the Public Employees Insurance Agency, growing labor and operations expenses, continued investments in technological infrastructure, enhanced support for Athletics and a modest central raise pool for faculty and staff.
“Our goal throughout the budget process has been to strike a balance between responsible stewardship and quality, strategic expenditures that are essential to position WVU for sustainable growth and continued excellence,” said Kevin J. Craig, chair of the BOG Finance and Facilities and Revitalization Committee.
“We are making the most of our available resources to deliver the best possible Mountaineer experience for our students, faculty, staff and community.”
Starting in Fall 2025 on the WVU Morgantown Campus, resident undergraduate University tuition and fees will increase by $324 per semester and non-resident undergraduate University tuition and fees will increase by $912 per semester.
For graduate students on the WVU Morgantown Campus, resident University tuition and fees will increase by $360 per semester and non-resident University tuition and fees by $945 per semester.
At WVU Potomac State College in Keyser and WVU Institute of Technology in Beckley, resident undergraduate University tuition and fees will increase by $204 and $420 per semester, respectively, and non-resident University tuition and fees by $468 and $672, respectively, per semester.
“WVU is committed to providing a high-value education for both resident and non-resident students while also ensuring the institution maintains long-term financial sustainability,” Paula Congelio, University vice president and chief financial officer, said.
“The University’s tuition and fee structure remains competitive with Big 12 peers, regional peers and other higher education institutions in West Virginia, from both resident and non-resident perspectives.”
Additionally, to support the future of WVU Athletics and student-athletes, a $125 per semester Mountaineer Athletics Advantage Fee is being created for students on the Morgantown Campus to start this fall.
The Board also authorized the finalization of an agreement with Gold & Blue, Inc. — doing business as Gold & Blue Enterprises — to serve as a partner in the development of a comprehensive Name, Image, and Likeness, and revenue-generating ecosystem. The partnership will support student-athletes and help position the University as a national leader in the future of collegiate athletics.
On a separate matter, WVU has made repeated efforts to address ongoing concerns with Sodexo’s performance over the past several years. During the Board meeting, Stephanie Taylor, the University’s vice president and general counsel, presented a series of unresolved contractual breaches related to Sodexo’s operations.
Based on this information, the Board voted to terminate the University’s contract with Sodexo for cause. Sodexo currently provides residential dining, retail outlets and catering services on the Morgantown, Keyser and Beckley campuses.
A one-year bridge contract with a new vendor was approved and will take effect on or around June 30. The new vendor will be announced at a later date.
The Board also:
• Issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to amend WVU BOG Talent and Culture Rule 3.5 — Employee Leave to streamline processes and better support incoming University employees. A public comment period will open Monday (June 16) and run through 11:59 p.m. on July 17.
• Amended Board by-laws to reflect new legislative requirements in House Bill 3279 addressing Board structure which took effect earlier this year.
• Welcomed three Board members — Terry Hauser, Paul Mattox and Charles Wilfong — to seats created in the legislation. Current Board terms end June 30 for Board Chair Rick Pill, and Board members Bray Cary and Alan Larrick. BOG members are gubernatorial appointees.
• Selected Board officers for 2025-26 with Robert “Rusty” Hutson Jr. as chair, Robert “Bob” Reynolds as vice chair and Mattox as secretary.
• Voted to extend Gee’s contract from June 30 to July 14 to accommodate the July 15 start date for incoming University President Michael T. Benson.
View the June 13 BOG regular meeting agenda and meeting materials.
The next regular BOG meeting is scheduled for Sept. 26.
