Vermont Busness Magazine The Vermont State Colleges system (VSC) has begun a process to develop strategic alliances between Johnson State College and Lyndon State College, as well as between Vermont Technical College and Community College of Vermont. These alliances would be intended to provide sustainable financial savings in operations, while preserving or improving academic and support services for students. The VSC Long Range Planning Committee has directed the presidents of those colleges to work with the Chancellor’s Office to develop multiple options to provide greater coordination and possible consolidation of functions for consideration by the Board of Trustees, with the expectation the Board may take action on implementation of one or more options at its July meeting.
M. Jerome Diamond, Chair of the Long Range Planning Committee, emphasized that his committee members envision maintaining the existing, vibrant campuses -- each with its own identity and critical role in its regional economy -- and separate accreditation.
“This is not an effort to close a campus, but if our colleges are to remain financially viable, we must find ways to lower our cost of delivery and target available funding to the kinds of things that contribute to a high quality educational experience for our students,” he stated.
Left, Jeb Spaulding, VBM photo. Very top, aerial of Lyndon State College, courtesy of LSC.
VSC Chancellor Jeb Spaulding commended the Long Range Planning Committee for initiating this process.
“In light of demographic trends, financial realities, and technological advances changing delivery models and expectations in higher education, we must find ways to reduce administrative and other costs, while expanding program and service quality – academic, co-curricular, and the overall student experience,” Spaulding explained.
The following guiding principles for analysis and consideration of options for strategic alliances between Johnson State College and Lyndon State College, as well as Community College of Vermont and Vermont Technical College, were agreed upon on January 7, 2016:
• Maintain multiple vibrant campuses, each with its own character and separate academic accreditation by NEASC (New England Association of Schools and Colleges).
• Increase opportunities for access to high quality academic programming.
• Preserve or improve academic and support services for students.
• Provide sustainable financial savings in overall institutional operations.
• Avoid duplication of academic programs, while optimizing access to instruction.
• Create meaningful potential for economies of scale and scope.
• Streamline administrative services, while maintaining or improving service quality.
• Maintain or enhance involvement and contributions to regional economic and community development.
• Sustainable financial savings will be redeployed to assist in achieving or implementing both institutional and system goals, with attention to how and where savings were generated.
• To the extent that this effort leads to changes or reductions in staff, vendor relationships, or similar actions, the VSC as a system and the colleges individually will proceed with deliberate sensitivity, fairness, and full respect to contractual and other legal obligations.
Vermont's state colleges include Castleton University, Community College of Vermont, Johnson State College, Lyndon State College and Vermont Technical College. The Office of the Chancellor is in Montpelier.
Source: Vermont State Colleges 1.18.2016