Champlain Finalizes Agreement for Woodbury Institute
Students See Little Change as Woodbury Programs Move to New Home
BURLINGTON, VT (Sept. 22, 2008) -- Plans to transfer the academic programs of Woodbury College to Champlain College have been completed following more than two months of negotiations by officers of both institutions. The acquisition was finalized Friday afternoon by a vote of the Board of Trustees at both Champlain College and Woodbury College.
Under the agreement, nearly a dozen Woodbury staff members will move to Champlain in January to support The Woodbury Institute. The agreement also keeps Woodbury's $350,000 endowment intact to support the transferred programs.
With the 2008-09 academic year already underway, Woodbury's current students will see little change. They will attend classes in Montpelier and online as they have in the past through December, when operations move to Burlington. As the transition is finalized and the Woodbury Institute at Champlain College evolves, students from both colleges will have more course options available to them. Each Woodbury undergraduate will have a detailed, individualized degree completion plan. Tuition and financial aid for Woodbury students is not expected to change this academic year, officials said.
"It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the Champlain College family," wrote Champlain College President David F. Finney in a letter sent to all Woodbury students on Monday. He emphasized the positive nature of the change. "Like our colleagues at Woodbury College, we at Champlain care deeply about maintaining a small-school feel where faculty, staff and students, online or on campus, know each other well. This focus has helped us deliver the most innovative and relevant programs in a community connected through the "human touch." Indeed, it is this cultural fit in addition to the academic fit that makes joining our academic offerings so sensible."
Woodbury College has established itself as one of the nation's premier institutions of higher education in the critically important areas of legal studies, mediation, and advocacy. More than 1,600 students have graduated from Woodbury, going on to play essential roles in Vermont government, nonprofit activity, and the private sector in Vermont and elsewhere.
"Woodbury's unique academic assets and expertise will enrich Champlain's curricula and improve our own ability to enroll students in an increasingly competitive environment," Finney explained.
Agreement Details
Especially noteworthy is the fact that The Woodbury Institute will provide Champlain with two new graduate-level programs, Finney said. "This is a smart move for both our institutions and one that will benefit our students, now and in the future."
An important area of negotiations was continuing employment for Woodbury College's 26 staff positions. As part of the agreement, "All Woodbury employees have employment guaranteed until December 31," according to David Provost, Champlain's senior vice president for finance and administration.
"Just under half of those employees have been invited to move to Champlain and support the transition and Woodbury Institute beyond that date. A number of other Woodbury staff will be interviewing with Champlain departments for open positions at Champlain. Woodbury College is providing outplacement services for the remainder of the employees who want to continue working in Montpelier and central Vermont," he said.
The Woodbury Institute itself will remain in Montpelier until the end of this year and will move to Champlain's Burlington campus in January 2009. Woodbury officials say they hope to sell their Montpelier building this fall. "A number of parties have already expressed interest," Provost said.
"Through the transaction, Champlain has been able to achieve the important objective of keeping Woodbury's endowment intact and will honor the wishes of the donors to support the on-going growth of Woodbury's programs," Provost noted.
Faculty at Woodbury is largely unaffected because they are part-time or adjunct employees of the College. Current faculty will teach the existing courses this academic year and those with the appropriate backgrounds may have additional opportunities to teach courses at Champlain College, college officials explained.
Shared Goals
"Champlain shares Woodbury's goal of creating access to high quality education for Vermonters, as well as for those outside the region. Woodbury Institute will provide tremendous advantages in the marketplace as well as enhanced educational offerings for our students," Finney said.
Woodbury Institute at Champlain College will have no material effect on Champlain's Master Plan, officials said. Woodbury's academic programs combine online learning with short intensive residencies and growth will continue to be online, so the Institute is not expected to grow the student presence on campus or increase demands on Champlain College physical facilities.
Champlain College, a private baccalaureate institution, was founded in 1878. Located in Burlington, Champlain College is a national leader in educating students to become skilled practitioners, effective professionals and global citizens. It was ranked 12th in the top tier of Best Comprehensive Colleges in the North by U.S. News and World Report's America's Best Colleges 2009.
Champlain has approximately 2,000 students, presenting 32 states and 17 countries. It has study abroad programs that include campuses in Montreal, Quebec and a newly opened campus in Dublin, Ireland. For more information, visit www.champlain.edu