Off and on, I have been working on a longer post about how West Virginia's population (especially among its younger citizens) will continue to decline and the consequences it will have for the state. I'll get back to it, but for now, I'll note how WVU's president, E. Gordon Gee, has recently made a major contribution to that decline. Here is just a small sample of how the rest of the world sees us:

The New York Times

“If you’re a West Virginian with plans to attend West Virginia University, be prepared to find yourself cut out of much of the best education that the school has traditionally offered,” writes @leifweatherby. https://t.co/Kq5vweAx7A

— New York Times Opinion (@nytopinion) August 20, 2023

Slate

The best overview of the financial situation at WVU that I’ve seen and the dire consequences it has on the entire state of WV.

If you want to learn about what’s going on at WVU - start here.

By @OnlyMyya https://t.co/ROGdKLQFIi

— Emily Calandrelli (@TheSpaceGal) August 20, 2023

The Nation

The Evisceration of a Public University--West Virginia University is being gutted, and it’s a preview for what’s in store for higher education. https://t.co/HRace4Jt3S

— Katrina vandenHeuvel (@KatrinaNation) August 22, 2023

Fortune

It's the only state that now has fewer residents than it did in 1950, after the greatest population drop of any U.S. state from 2010 to 2020. https://t.co/UJrSoYNAJh

— FORTUNE (@FortuneMagazine) August 22, 2023

Finally, here is a look at our future state legislators

There are quite a few young political scientists in SGA. Surely they know that being apolitical is itself a highly political choice. And choosing silence and disengagement when direct harm is being inflicted on those they are charged with representing, well, that’s political too. https://t.co/czu76BX8AQ

— Scott Crichlow (@SCrichlow) August 22, 2023

I find all of this very depressing.