Overview
- The Washington Center for Civics, Culture and Statesmanship, created by a 2025 Republican-backed law to teach classical civics, is set to open this fall and reporters found Thursday that only one student has enrolled.
- Lawmakers set aside roughly $3 million to launch the center and Gov. Patrick Morrisey appointed Dr. Patrick Lee Miller last October as director with a reported salary above $300,000.
- WVU lists classes such as 'Woke,' 'The New Right,' and 'Nation and Migration,' but the university has not yet approved those courses to count toward majors and state leaders say that credit hold limits student sign-ups.
- The center’s launch drew pushback because WVU recently faced a $45 million shortfall that led to the elimination of 28 majors and hundreds of layoffs, prompting critics to question prioritizing the center’s funding.
- Supporters say enrollment should rise if WVU grants course credit, and the unfolding situation will influence how much authority state officials have to set curricula at public universities.