Spending Cuts at Wiley College Result in Layoffs

MARSHALL (AP/Staff) – Wiley College in Marshall has laid off 16 employees and furloughed others as it cuts spending amid declining enrollment. Wiley College spokeswoman Tammy Taylor tells the Longview News-Journal a primary cause of the school’s financial woes is changes to federal aid programs that have made it more difficult for students to pay tuition. As a result, Wiley has had to increase scholarships it offers. Unmet fundraising goals also are a factor. Enrollment hit a high of about 1,400 students two years ago but that number has fallen to around 1,350. The historically black college gained prominence with the 2007 release of “The Great Debaters,” which chronicled the school’s 1935 debate team that prevailed over a national powerhouse at a time when the U.S. was heavily segregated.