On a stressful February day in 2021, the university administration made a decision that would affect the fabric of Wright State and put into perspective the work professors and faculty do for students.
The Wright State Board of Trustees approved eliminating 113 faculty members, affecting both the faculty and their students.
Retrenchment’s impact
Due to declining enrollment, financial hardship and unrest among faculty and university administration, the university decided to begin downsizing, or ‘Wright Sizing,’ the university.
Another key component of the downsizing plan offered certain faculty voluntary separation agreements or early retirement offers with added bonuses. These efforts combined with natural retirements significantly decreased the faculty population across campus.
As faculty leave the university, students reflect on how their professors and faculty members helped them through college, life and a global pandemic.
Editor’s note: The Wright State Guardian reached out to multiple faculty members about their retrenchment. Many professors did not wish to disclose their retrenchment openly. We have opted to share stories of impactful professors. Professors mentioned are not necessarily retrenched or retired, but faculty that greatly impacted their students.
Josiah Pugh
Senior behavioral neuroscience major Josiah Pugh began at Wright State as a biology major. Struggling with the course material of biology but still interested in the sciences, Pugh decided to take an introductory psychology course with Patricia Schiml in the spring of 2020.
According to Pugh, this class and Schiml’s passion for the subject inspired him to continue psychology and neuroscience. The ambitious student went on to take a position in Schiml’s research lab and is currently applying for doctoral programs.
“I would not be at this place [in life] if it weren’t for her,” Pugh said.
Lindsey Shaffer
Junior psychology major Lindsey Shaffer’s experience with Schiml also began in spring 2020.
Shaffer was also captivated by Schiml’s teaching style and overall humility.
“To me, Dr. Schiml was somebody I felt like I could trust,” Shaffer said. “Her positive energy and her absolute kindness for everyone has made me realize that there’s so much more to what a student-professor relationship can be.”
Impact beyond the classroom
Academic advisors also play a crucial role in the life of students. Kirsten Spires, a senior statistics major, sought out her faculty advisor, Julan Al-Yassin while struggling through the global COVID-19 pandemic and her most challenging semester.
Like many other students, Spires struggled during spring 2020, the first semester of the pandemic. The online format of classes became so difficult that Spires was considering dropping out of college.
“I was very seriously considering dropping out, at least until it became normal again, but when she was talking to me and going through all my options [they] convinced me actually to stay in school,” Spires said.
Spires reflected on how Al-Yassin talked through options, helped her retain her scholarship and was a key supporter of her college career.
Inspiration for further education
Samantha Johnson is a master’s student in the Raj Soin College of Business. Johnson transferred to Wright State while pursuing her undergraduate degree.
Johnson took organizational leadership with Jung-Soo Yi as one of her first classes at Wright State.
According to Johnson, Yi led this class with enthusiasm, inspiring her to continue her studies.
“He goes above and beyond for students and just really knows this s—. And is very proud to say he teaches at Wright State,” Johnson said.
Making Wright State home
Due to past negative experiences, senior Ashley Cheak was concerned that higher education was not for her.
After meeting with her French instructor, Karine Ould-Daddah, Cheak became more confident in her studies and French minor.
“I really felt like she valued me as a student even though she [did not] know me,” Cheak said.
Professors: the very fabric of the university
Professors are not just information machines; they are also leaders and mentors who can impact a student’s life beyond the classroom.
As professors leave due to retrenchment, they leave behind a legacy of inspiration and success through their work and their students.
