Topic: MU Board of Governors Meeting

[Flat Tire 2]

A lot is going on at MU. The link has a lot details and here are some highlights.


Marshall expands aviation enterprise with plans for a second hangar and helicopter program
Next step for cybersecurity institute construction also approved  October 11, 2023

The Marshall University Board of Governors today gave approval to build a new multimillion-dollar aviation hangar at the Bill Noe Flight School in Charleston, as well as the purchase of a rotorcraft (helicopter)to begin a third academic training course of study.

According to Marshall?s Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, H. Toney Stroud, the cost of the new facility is not expected to exceed $15 million. Anticipated funding for the project is expected to be announced soon.

?The current hangar houses seven airplanes and when the eighth aircraft arrives later this fall, the hangar will be at capacity,? Stroud said. ?The second hangar will allow for additional planes including helicopters. Our flight programs have exceeded all expectations with the pilot program at 140% of initial estimates for enrollment.?

Stroud said approval for the purchase of the helicopter will allow the university to become the only school in the region with a training program for helicopter pilots. The aircraft will be purchased from Airbus for $1.5 million and will be paid for with private funding.

Cyber Update
In other action, the board moved forward with official approval to begin construction of the new Marshall University Institute for Cybersecurity at the corner of 4th Avenue and 16th Street. The new facility will feature four floors and 90,000 square feet. The ground floor will include retail space, the second and third floors dedicated to academic learning areas, and the fourth floor will be leased to industry partners.

Brad Smith Update
In his report to the board, President Brad D. Smith described the excitement in the air across campus and the community, ranging from student creativity to alumni engagement and academic advancement and athletic excellence. Reiterating his Marshall For All, Marshall Forever road map that focuses on five areas including increased access for students, Smith noted that the university has seen a 4.5% overall growth in enrollment this fall with an increase of 13.7% in first-time freshmen.

Smith referenced an uptick in student retention, significant double-digit growth in online students and enabling lifetime achievement through increased alumni engagement, among other opportunities.

Officials say the growth in student enrollment, coupled with a Serve to Save initiative and other plans to reduce campus spending, has led to a decrease in the university?s structural deficit from a forecasted $28 million to $22 million.

https://www.marshall.edu/news/2023/10/marshall-expands-aviation-enterprise-with-plans-for-a-second-hangar-and-helicopter-program/

[svherd]

Wonderful news. Thanks for posting. Brad is getting it done. I hope he sticks around for a long time and can name his successor to keep the momentum going.

[Flat Tire 2]

The news of increased enrollment is great! Hopefully MU can keep up this trend to grow the enrollment which solves a lot of the financial problems at MU.

Hats off to Smith and his staff!

[HerdEcon]

Great news.  I hope Smith sticks around to continue what he has started. 

Only two floors dedicated to academic learning in the new Cyber Security Institute building?  I can foresee the Cyber Security Institute quickly outgrowing the allocated space.  I'm not complaining, just hoping (knowing) that it really takes off. 

[Flat Tire 2]

Cyber Update
"In other action, the board moved forward with official approval to begin construction of the new Marshall University Institute for Cybersecurity at the corner of 4th Avenue and 16th Street. The new facility will feature four floors and 90,000 square feet. The ground floor will include retail space, the second and third floors dedicated to academic learning areas, and the fourth floor will be leased to industry partners."

VCU, which is located in an urban area of Richmond, has used the concept of providing retail space on the first floor of some of university buildings (Starbucks) which has worked out well for the school.  I would imagine the rental space provides the school with rental income.

The interesting part of the above release about leasing the fourth floor to "industry partners". Does this mean that private industry might be moving into Huntington with jobs? Could this be the beginning of Huntington becoming a mini center for high tech industries?

[HerdEcon]

Cyber Update
In other action, the board moved forward with official approval to begin construction of the new Marshall University Institute for Cybersecurity at the corner of 4th Avenue and 16th Street. The new facility will feature four floors and 90,000 square feet. The ground floor will include retail space, the second and third floors dedicated to academic learning areas, and the fourth floor will be leased to industry partners.

VCU, which is located in an urban area of Richmond, has used the concept of providing retail space on the first floor (Starbucks) which has worked out well and I would imagine provides the school with rental income.

The interesting part of the above release about leasing the fourth floor to "industry partners". Does this mean that private industry might be moving into Huntington with jobs?

Given the that a significant source of funding came from the US Military, my guess would be that a good portion of the 4th floor will be dedicated to "government" partners or government contractors.  Either way it is much needed, well paying jobs.

I could see the WVSP digital forensics lab moving from their existing space at Marshall to the 4th floor.  Although, the WVSP digital forensics lab was relocated to a larger and newly remodeled space last year.

[Flat Tire 2]

FWIW: I like the idea of MU expanding down Fourth Avenue toward the downtown area. Hopefully MU will continue to build in this area. MU already has the Aderson Necomb or Stone and Thomas building across from Pullman Square. The old Nasser store building on 9th Street was been gifted to MU. MU could help with the development of downtown Huntington and bring in jobs and improved retail operations.

[Flat Tire 2]

Does anyone know why the flight school was located in Charleston? I know the Kanawha County Commission gave a grant of $442,000 for the flight school. Hard to believe anyone in Charleston would give MU money. I am not complaining about the school being in Charleston, it is good move for MU to be working with them. Maybe it will lead to their legislators helping with other MU projects? I have read that the students of the flight school take their classes online or at the South Charleston MU campus. This is a Win Win for MU.

Marshall flight school ready for take off after receiving grant from Kanawha County Commission
https://www.wsaz.com/2021/07/24/marshall-flight-school-ready-take-off-after-receiving-grant-kanawha-county-commission/

[marshallmark]

Does anyone know why the flight school was located in Charleston? I know the Kanawha County Commission gave a grant of $442,000 for the flight school. Hard to believe anyone in Charleston would give MU money. I am not complaining about the school being in Charleston, it is good move for MU to be working with them. Maybe it will lead to their legislators helping with other MU projects? I have read that the students of the flight school take their classes online or at the South Charleston MU campus. This is a Win Win for MU.

Marshall flight school ready for take off after receiving grant from Kanawha County Commission
https://www.wsaz.com/2021/07/24/marshall-flight-school-ready-take-off-after-receiving-grant-kanawha-county-commission/

I don't think Tri-State has the infrastructure for several hangars like MU needed.  Also, I believe the plan was always to have the flight school attached to the Graduate School and MU built a dorm (or is planning to?) there to accommodate the students, and (I think) have a maintenance program at Tri-State. 

[coalherd]

Cyber Update
"In other action, the board moved forward with official approval to begin construction of the new Marshall University Institute for Cybersecurity at the corner of 4th Avenue and 16th Street. The new facility will feature four floors and 90,000 square feet. The ground floor will include retail space, the second and third floors dedicated to academic learning areas, and the fourth floor will be leased to industry partners."

VCU, which is located in an urban area of Richmond, has used the concept of providing retail space on the first floor of some of university buildings (Starbucks) which has worked out well for the school.  I would imagine the rental space provides the school with rental income.

The interesting part of the above release about leasing the fourth floor to "industry partners". Does this mean that private industry might be moving into Huntington with jobs? Could this be the beginning of Huntington becoming a mini center for high tech industries?

Wouldn't put a lot of stock in a comparison between VCU and MU, FT2.  The former is in a REAL urban environment; the latter not so much.  VCU is a lot more an urban school, like the Sun Belt's GA State in Atlanta.  In all REALITY, Huntington is increasingly a "large" town, getting smaller, apparently, yearly, at least in the population wise. Hence, Marshall is located in a large town, with a lot of nearby rural areas. Huntington needs a very sharp turnaround, a real 180, in terms of population and economic activity, meaning significant and SUSTAINED growth in both before real discussions of, and comparisons with, legitimate URBAN areas elsewhere in the US and Huntington, WV, can be made

[Flat Tire 2]

Wouldn't put a lot of stock in a comparison between VCU and MU, FT2.  The former is in a REAL urban environment; the latter not so much.  VCU is a lot more an urban school, like the Sun Belt's GA State in Atlanta.  In all REALITY, Huntington is increasingly a "large" town, getting smaller, apparently, yearly, at least in the population wise. Hence, Marshall is located in a large town, with a lot of nearby rural areas. Huntington needs a very sharp turnaround, a real 180, in terms of population and economic activity, meaning significant and SUSTAINED growth in both before real discussions of, and comparisons with, legitimate URBAN areas elsewhere in the US and Huntington, WV, can be made

The point is I was trying to make the point that MU is not located in an area like Concord or Genville. I will defer to you on being an expert on urban areas.  I believe you live in Mercer County, Princeton or Bluefield?

[coalherd]

The point is I was trying to make the point that MU is not located in an area like Concord or Genville. I will defer to you on being an expert on urban areas.  I believe you live in Mercer County, Princeton or Bluefield?

Just saying your comparison is ludicrous, given the overall demographics of Richmond versus those of Huntington.  Also, FYI, last I looked, could have changed, the largest colleges/Universities in the Old Dominion, enrollment wise, were NOT UVA and VA Tech, but VCU and George Mason U.!!  If you're looking for success in business ventures by locating on the first floor of this new MU facility, and really counting on foot traffic mainly from the MU Community, well, good luck!  Especially considering that MU's enrollment has either been static or declining for about a decade or so. (And as a whole Huntington's population is down to what 42,000 or 43,000 or so versus 70,000 plus back when, say, Coach D was on campus as a student athlete).  Of course, the availability of numerous homeless in and around downtown Huntington and the MU campus perhaps will provide enough "spending power" to make all those business ventures proposed/planned for the new MU building along 4th Ave. very successful, financially!! BIG difference in the population density in and around the inner city VCU campus in Richmond versus that of the MU campus environs in the "town" of Huntington!!

Also, FYI, lived and worked in the Northern VA/DC area for two decades, which included commuting in Nation's second worse traffic morass, so I'm certainly enjoying the "open spaces" of Mercer County currently!!!

[herdfan129]

Love hearing that the aviation program has not only been a success, but it has surpassed expectations. Those are good paying jobs which are also in high demand.

Also really excited to hear the increase of online students and Hope Marshall continues to invest in this area as that?s the most realistic way we get significant increase of enrollment.

[Flat Tire 2]

Love hearing that the aviation program has not only been a success, but it has surpassed expectations. Those are good paying jobs which are also in high demand.

Also really excited to hear the increase of online students and Hope Marshall continues to invest in this area as that?s the most realistic way we get significant increase of enrollment.

Below is a link to a WSAZ article about the expansion of the Flight School with a video and comments by Bill Noe.

Multi-million dollar expansion approved at MU?s Bill Noe Flight School
https://www.wsaz.com/2023/10/12/multi-million-dollar-expansion-approved-mus-bill-noe-flight-school/