West Virginia’s higher education system operates under a dual governance structure. The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) oversees the state’s 12 four-year public institutions, comprised of a 10-member board that develops and oversees public policy agenda for colleges and universities. The West Virginia Community and Technical College System (CTCS) coordinates nine community and technical colleges with 20 satellite campuses statewide, partnering with businesses to meet workforce needs. Governance for each public institution is vested in local boards of governors. The private nonprofit sector is represented by the West Virginia Independent Colleges & Universities (WVICU) and operates independently but remains subject to state authorization rules.
