Lt. Governor Zuckerman’s Statement on the Vermont State College System
PRESS RELEASE: April 19, 2020
CONTACT: Megan Polyte, Campaign Manager 802-343-2604
Lt. Governor Zuckerman’s Statement on the Vermont State College System
BURLINGTON: Today, Lt. Governor David Zuckerman called on the Vermont State College System’s (VSCS) board of trustees to delay their vote on closing three Vermont State College Campuses: NVU Lyndon, NVU Johnson and the Randolph campus of the Vermont Technical College. He also called for the creation of a task force to investigate the current system and provide recommendations on how the VSCS can continue to be a vital part of our education system and Vermont economy.
Lt. Governor David Zuckerman pointed to the possible negative economic effects of the closures: “Right now so many are struggling with the health and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We understand and can see the real financial consequences this pandemic is having on our personal budgets and our state revenue stream. We also know the economic, social and cultural value these campuses bring to regions of our state that are already experiencing a downturn. It is clear that this drastic change in shutting down the Lyndon, Johnson and Randolph campuses will hurt Vermont and Vermonters. This action will go against all that we are trying to achieve.”
The Lt. Governor also pointed to the positives of keeping the system funded and functioning: “These institutions allow us to invest in the future of Vermont, they lure young people from across the country, they educate our young Vermonters about our state and local industries, and they provide Vermont businesses with eager interns, future employees and entrepreneurs. As we look towards the future of our state, we should be working to uplift these institutions, and support our rural communities that depend on them.
State support for the VSCS ranks at the bottom of U.S. states and accounts for only 17% of the VSCS budget according to recent information released by the system. This would need to be adjusted and other innovative paths forward will need to be proposed and implemented for the continued presence of these VSCS institutions in Vermont. To achieve this goal, the Lt. Governor called on the legislature, community members, businesses, students, and faculty to work together to build these institutions going forward.
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