West Liberty was approved to become a "university" by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission in November 2008. The West Liberty Board of Governor's voted to change to West Liberty University on 3 May 2009. The bulk of its student body comes from the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia, eastern portions of Ohio and areas of Western Pennsylvania. While elementary and secondary education are the most selected majors, WLU also provides a variety of other majors including digital media design, hospitality and tourism management, and forensic science. With the opening of the newly-built Media Arts Center, West Liberty students now have access to a television studio, recording studio, and digital media labs. West Liberty University is West Virginia's oldest institution of higher education. The school's athletic teams, known as the Hilltoppers, compete in the NCAA Division II West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.