Committee amends, advances bill to create Washington Center for Civics, Culture and Statesmanship at WVU

The Senate Finance Committee adopted a strike-and-insert amendment and reported the committee substitute for House Bill 3297 — which would establish the Washington Center for Civics, Culture and Statesmanship at West Virginia University — to the full Senate with a recommendation that it pass.

Why it matters: The bill would create a new center at West Virginia University that, as amended in committee, must operate under university oversight to avoid creating a separate campus or jeopardizing institutional accreditation. The legislation outlines governance, hiring and reporting structures and directs an initial appointment process involving the governor and university leadership.

Counsel told the committee that the original House version raised accreditation and liability concerns because it could have created a largely independent center on campus. The adopted strike-and-insert amendment clarifies that the center’s director must report to the provost and work with the university on curriculum and degree development. The amendment also requires hiring to comply with university procedures and national accreditation standards, and it requires the university’s Board of Governors to approve any curriculum.

The bill would authorize the center to house tenure-track faculty whose appointment is within the center. As amended, the governor — in consultation with the president of West Virginia University — would make the initial director appointment not later than 30 days after the section takes effect; if the initial director vacancy occurs later, a seven-member academic council appointed by the director would conduct a nationwide search and submit finalists to the governor for appointment.

Travis Mullahan, associate vice president for government relations at West Virginia University, told the committee the House-originated bill “came over from the House, unbeknownst to us,” and that the university had raised concerns about the House structure and accreditation. Mullahan said the university supports the concept if changes are adopted and noted the center could host lectures, guest speakers and courses for students and the public. ‘‘There could be guest speakers, there could be lectures, there could be on campus discussion, off campus discussion courses…a combination of everything,’’ he said.

A senator asked whether the legislature had placed funding in the House budget; counsel said the House had placed $1,500,000 in the surplus portion of the budget to fund the center. Committee members also asked whether the statutory name could be changed later; counsel said the name is in statute and would require further legislative action to rename.

The committee adopted the strike-and-insert amendment by voice vote. The senator from Harrison moved that the committee substitute for HB 3297, as amended, be reported to the full Senate with a recommendation that it pass; the committee adopted that motion by voice vote. The committee also adopted a title amendment by voice vote before adjourning.

What the committee did not do: The committee did not vote on funding specifics beyond noting the House placed $1.5 million in surplus; the committee did not record roll-call tallies in the transcript excerpt.