On Thursday, August 10, 2023, the West Virginia University Provost's Office released a decision recommending the discontinuation of both graduate mathematics programs (MS and PhD). 

• For over three decades, WVU's mathematics PhD program has remained the sole program of its kind in the entire state of West Virginia. The proposition to terminate this program (and its associated MS program) from a land-grant R1 institution raises perplexing questions. It appears counterintuitive for a land-grant institution to discontinue the state’s only PhD program in mathematics, a move that will discourage scientific and mathematical research within the state. 
• Remarkably, considerable demand exists for advanced mathematics courses that serve as essential components for various programs across the university. 
• Over the past 2 years, nearly 10% of the STEM-focused PhD degrees granted by WVU have been in mathematics. This constitutes a substantial contribution to WVU’s overall PhD production, with our mathematics PhD production rate being among the highest within the Big-12 universities, when benchmarked against our peer institutions.
• Between 2018 and 2022, we successfully awarded 9.5 MS and 6.5 PhD degrees on average per year, while maintaining an annual enrollment of 53.4 students in the program on average per year. 
• Notably, the mathematics program's prudent fiscal management has culminated in a net reserve exceeding $1 million as of July 1, 2023. These funds stand ready and could be employed to significantly defray operational costs for both the undergraduate and graduate programs over the ensuing years.

Despite the commendable stature of our mathematics graduate programs, the initial proposition from the Provost's Office is to terminate both programs (MS and PhD) and curtail the level of activity within the undergraduate program. Regrettably, the proposal also entails a reduction in the number of faculty members within the entire School of Mathematical and Data Sciences, diminishing the count to 30 faculty members from the current contingent of 48 members.

We are reaching out to seek your support and collaboration.

How can you contribute?

1. Please sign this petition, serving as a strong appeal to the Board of Governors and the Provost's Office to reconsider their plans regarding the termination of the graduate mathematics programs at West Virginia University.
2. Feel free to include your professional position or affiliation, if relevant, and share a message of endorsement in the comments section.
3. Extend the petition link to your colleagues and share it across your preferred social media platforms using the hashtag #ProtectWVUMath.

An open letter from the American Mathematical Society, along with additional letters, more information, and testimonials available at: https://sites.google.com/view/wvusmdsreview.

The field of mathematics stands as a foundational discipline, intersecting with a multitude of fields, rendering it an indispensable asset for any R1 university. WVU's commitment to our mathematics programs not only facilitates a wide array of research endeavors but also enhances our global academic standing. Furthermore, our dedication to cultivating and mentoring future adept researchers, attracting and retaining esteemed faculty members, and establishing a robust underpinning for undergraduate mathematics programs underscores our educational mission.

By WVU Transformation's First Principles:

"First, [WVU] shall prioritize our students.

Second, we shall embrace our land-grant mission and our community.

Third, we shall distinguish ourselves by investing in initiatives that uniquely benefit our campus community, align with our values, and amplify our strengths."

(Quoted from: [https://transformation.wvu.edu/about])

The decision to discontinue the singular PhD mathematics program (alongside its associated MS program) contradicts the principles that WVU professes to uphold. 

Furthermore, if the state wants new businesses and people to move to WV, it presumably also wants to keep them here. The state government must see that the cost of gutting WVU on the state economy will far exceed the $50M or so that constitutes the WVU’s budget deficit. The state boasts a $1.8 billion excess in its budget, and yet they would rather gut WVU, eliminate over 300 jobs (the already done staff cuts and the future faculty ones). It is fair to assume that if any business in the state was going to cut 300 jobs the state would be in crisis mode to save said business. 

The undersigned earnestly urge West Virginia University to reconsider the proposal to terminate the mathematics graduate programs (both MS and PhD).