Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy And Representative Peter Welch On The Proposal To Close Or Consolidate Vermont State Colleges
Tuesday, April 21, 2020
The Vermont State Colege Trustees are holding an emergency meeting tonight at 7 pm to discuss the matter. It can be viewed on the VSC YouTube Channel here: www.vsc.edu/live
Senator Patrick Leahy and Representative Peter Welch Vermont’s state colleges have provided Vermonters with access to higher education and helped to build the Vermont workforce for the past 60 years. They are an essential part of our post-secondary system and the economic drivers of rural regions around the state. Community members, students and faculty have reached out to us over the last several days worried about the future of their education, jobs and towns. We share their concerns.
The proposal in front of the Vermont State College System’s Board of Trustees to consolidate the system into three entities -- a university, a technical college, and a community college -- is a significant change driven by economic realities and the unprecedented crisis we face today. There are many factors to consider, and we appreciate that the Board of Trustees has agreed to delay a vote on the proposal to evaluate its impact and the system’s financial future.
We stand together with many in our state in calling for a creative path forward for the Vermont’s state colleges. Demographic changes have forced the state colleges to adapt frequently over the past few years, and they have proven that they can do that while still providing Vermonters with access to quality education. They will adapt again, and we will continue to push for educational programs that support Vermont students, our state colleges, and their communities.
Senator Bernie Sanders sent this statement Monday:
"I appreciate the Board of Trustees' decision to delay a vote on the proposal to close three Vermont State College campuses. Clearly, there is no easy answer to the challenges facing our state college system, but delaying the decision is an important step forward. We need the time to have a statewide discussion which includes all of the stakeholders. Unfortunately, that kind of discussion cannot take place in the middle of a pandemic and stay-at-home practices.
“Our job in the immediate future will be to think creatively about how we can support higher education in Vermont and the communities where the state college campuses are located. And while Vermont is particularly hard hit, we are not alone in this crisis facing higher education. Colleges in states all over the country are suffering and the federal government is going to have to play a much more active role in supporting these vital institutions. As a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Education I intend to play an active role in that process."
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