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Three Vermont Schools Merge to Stay Afloat During Pandemic
Castleton University. Photo: castleton.edu
February 22, 2021
Three schools of the Vermont State College System (VSCS) are set to be consolidated to form one “Vermont State University,” according to a proposal put forward by the Vermont State Colleges Board of Trustees.
VSCS trustees will meet today to make a final decision about the college consolidation plan first proposed last year after COVID impacted the financial position of state academic institutions.
If approved, three of the system’s four-year schools including Northern Vermont University, Castleton University, and Vermont Technical College will merge into one single institution. The Community College of Vermont will remain a standalone institution.
Key Budget Items (click HERE for full Summary):
Supports FY2022 total General Fund appropriations of $1.99 billion.
Supports base spending with base funding.
Fully funds state retirement and debt obligations.
Maintains all statutory reserve levels.
As part of the Governor’s ongoing pandemic response, he proposes using $210 million in one-time funding for economic recovery through investments in housing, infrastructure, broadband buildout, environmental stewardship, carbon reducing initiatives, and government modernization, among others.
As part of the one-time investments, makes a down payment on state government modernization by creating a Technology Modernization Fund to propel costly, and much needed, IT upgrades.
Economic Recovery and Downtown and Village Center Revitalization:
The start of the new year has been a tumultuous time. With a domestic act of terrorism on U.S. Capitol building and over 4,000 COVID-19 deaths per day, nationally, many