Skip to main content
Modernization Program

We Heard You

To ensure that WVU Modernization Program initiatives are understood and ultimately successful, we asked the University community about past large-scale changes that went well - or didn’t. Close to 2,000 faculty and staff replied with insights that we’ll turn into action as we move forward with the implementation of the Workday system and the next phases of our Student Experience and WVU Research Administration Portal (WRAP) projects. We are reimagining business as usual and laying the foundations for a more connected, efficient, and future-ready university. We’re eager to have your participation on the journey ahead.

What we did

  1. Emailed a personal survey to anyone who gets a paycheck from WVU and collected responses Oct. 15–31, 2025.
  2. Read every response, including comments, concerns and suggestions. Grouped the feedback into themes to identify patterns and broad underlying concerns.
  3. Shared broad concerns about non-Modernization issues with the departments that oversee those matters.
  4. Established a baseline of “organizational readiness,” or how the community may respond to the changes ahead.

What you said

  • Clear and repeated communication is essential. We’re busy, so tell us what’s happening, but tell us more than once so we’re ready.
  • Tell us WHY things are happening. We want to understand the vision and the rationale. We don’t want change just for the sake of change.
  • Change at WVU is exhausting and never-ending, so don’t rush us. Give us clear timelines and explain HOW things will change. We don’t like surprises.
  • We’re worried about workloads and long-term stability. Make sure we know what to expect, give us training, then make sure we have support after the change occurs.
  • We see our colleagues as open to reimagining how work is done, suggesting WVU is ready for improvement and innovation.
  • We generally trust our immediate supervisors because their actions match their words. Work with them to help us through times of change.
  • We don’t know that much about Modernization Program in general. Tell us more and give us a place to find information on our own.
A pie chart showing survey responses by role: nearly 37% nonclassified staff, 16% classified staff, 27% faculty, and additional respondents including student workers, courtesy appointees, and temporary workers.

How we'll move forward

  1. We’ll use a Faculty and Staff Change Network with representatives from across WVU to make sure colleges and departments have clear channels for two-way communication.
  2. We’ll check in periodically as our initiatives progress to make sure you are getting the right information at the right time through the right medium.
  3. We’ll provide frequent updates to show our progress and what’s coming next, including demonstrations like the Workday in Action webinar series. We’ll follow that up with plenty of training opportunities long before we launch a new system.
  4. We’ll constantly monitor engagement and participation to identify areas where more resources or outreach may be needed.
  5. We’ll create opportunities for you to ask questions, provide feedback and see how your input influences decisions.