Winston Salem State University aims to improve retention

Winston Salem State University is shifting its focus to restructuring their academic curriculum after abandoning their efforts to move up to Division I athletics.

WSSU Chancellor Donald Reaves is laying out a strategic plan aimed at improving retention and graduation rates as well as post-graduate outcomes for students.

Some changes include curriculum reviews, updating freshman programs and providing more support for academic success.

“Our plan calls for a fairly comprehensive reform for the university. When I say comprehensive, it’s a top-down overhaul,” Reaves said at the UNC-system Board of Governors meeting last week.

In 2004, WSSU announced plans to move to Division I athletics, saying the plans were in the best interest of the university and would improve its standing among its peers.

The recent decision to shift the school’s focus to academics has received some criticism because it was made after administrators halted the university’s transition to Division I athletics, citing a nearly $2 million budget deficit as the cause.

“Our athletes worry because they’re here to play Division I, and some may want to transfer,” said Nancy Young, interim director for media relations at WSSU.

But WSSU Student Body President Whitney McCoy said she supports the chancellor’s decision.

“Athletics is a big part of university life, but what is a university without your education?” McCoy said.

Reaves said he wants to increase admission standards to cap enrollment while balancing the school’s historical mission.

“Bigger is not necessarily always better,” he said.

His decision mirrors the Board of Governors’ concerns about admitting unprepared students during periods of rapid growth in order to receive more state funding.

Another area under close examination is WSSU’s science department, especially one biology class with a 60 percent failure rate, Reaves said.

“You can’t keep doing this year in and year out,” he said.

The chancellor’s plans also include providing more academic guidance for freshmen to make sure they can manage their course loads, Young said.

Other areas being reviewed are the school’s nursing program, academic facilities and the ability to provide more academic scholarships.

But it is unclear whether administrators will have enough money to implement academic reforms just by remaining a Division II school.

“It doesn’t necessarily free money. We’ve been having to take funds from other sources to cover athletic losses,” Young said.

But Reaves said his strategic plan for academic review is still a work in progress.

“If you think health care reform is hard, try reforming the academic curriculum at a university,” he said.



Senior writer Tarini Parti contributed to reporting.

Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.