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The president of Bluefield State University retired this month, apparently in the wake of a highly critical report from the West Virginia institution’s accreditor, The Parkersburg News and Sentinel reported.
As president, Robin Capehart had eliminated the public institution’s Faculty Senate and threatened to punish dissenters from his and the governing board’s agenda. The institution announced Capehart’s retirement in early November, saying he would stay on through the end of the year to help with a transition.
The Parkersburg newspaper reported last week that the university’s interim president, Darrin Martin, had posted the October report from a site visit by a team from the Higher Learning Commission, Bluefield State’s accreditor, which harshly criticized actions by Capehart and the Board of Governors such as disestablishing the Faculty Senate and changing academic requirements without faculty involvement, among other things.
“The evidence indicates that the President and the Board of Governors of Bluefield State University do not operate with integrity in several academic and human resources functions,” the report stated.
The accrediting team recommended that Bluefield State appear before the Higher Learning Commission's board in March to provide evidence why it should not lose its accreditation.
Martin, the interim president, said the report showed that “as an institution, we have much work to do. I am rolling up my sleeves for Bluefield State. I hope that you will join me.”
