Castleton University was chartered as a grammar school in 1787, making it the oldest institution dissolved to create Vermont State University.[5] Johnson Academy was founded in 1828, later becoming Johnson State College; Vermont Technical College was founded in 1806 as Orange County Grammar School; Lyndon State College was founded in 1911 as a normal school. The Vermont General Assembly created the Vermont State Colleges System (VSCS) in 1961, creating a "loose confederation" of colleges that also included the Community College of Vermont after its founding in 1970 (but never included the University of Vermont).[6] Beginning in 1977, the Vermont State Colleges adopted a more centralized model, with its trustees overseeing the operations of all its constituent schools. This began to reverse somewhat beginning in 2000, when the system allowed more autonomy for the schools while still encouraging cooperation, including uniform course numbering so students could take courses from different VSCS institutions.[7]
By 2020, however, the Vermont State Colleges were in poor financial shape. That year, Vermont State Colleges Chancellor Jeb Spaulding proposed closing Northern Vermont University, closing Vermont Technical College's Randolph campus, and laying off almost 500 employees.[8][9] Even with the proposal, Spaulding told trustees, the system needed an immediate infusion of $25million to keep operating.[10] Spaulding withdrew the proposal amid fierce opposition and the state appropriated additional funds to keep all campuses and colleges operating, but lawmakers asked VSC to come up with a way to fix its financial situation.[11] VSCS formed a committee, named the Select Committee on the Future of Public Higher Education, which ultimately recommended a similar proposal to Spaulding's closure plan. Instead of closing campuses, however, the committee recommended merging all three of the system's four-year colleges into a single institution with multiple campuses. While the committee did not recommend including the Community College of Vermont in the merger, it did recommend it focus more toward workforce education and adult learning.[12] The proposal was projected to save the system $25million over five years.[13]
Two aspects of the original plans to merge proved controversial. First, the libraries were going to remove most of their physical books with most of their holdings only being virtual. Second, there were several planned changes to intercollegiate athletics. In particular, the athletic teams at the Johnson campus (previously part of Northern Vermont University), would leave the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA). Athletic teams at the Randolph campus (previously part of Vermont Technical College) would leave the USCAA and move to a club-only model.[14] Students, faculty, and staff protested these planned changes and drew national attention. Vermont state legislators introduced bills to prevent these changes. These changes were both paused in April 2023 when president Parwinder Grewal abruptly resigned.[15]
The combined institution included the roughly 5,500 students at its three predecessor institutions; however, the 250 academic programs offered between the three schools were reduced to 100.[16] Interim President Mike Smith announced an initiative in September 2023 to "examine our list of academic offerings" and consider combining or closing additional degree programs.[17]
Academics
Vermont State University offers associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees. The Castleton, Johnson, and Lyndon campuses offer liberal arts education while the Randolph and Williston locations house technical programs. Students have the option to take online courses as well as hybrid courses from other campuses.[18]
In 2023, the university announced plans to lay off up to 33 faculty members and the same number of full-time administrative and staff positions.[19]
Athletics
Owing to the university's unique composition from a series of formerly independent colleges, four of its five campuses have their own athletics programs. Students are able to participate in athletics based on their campus, with some of the campuses competing against each other in athletic conferences.[20]
The original merger plans were that, starting in the 2024-25 academic year, athletics at the Johnson campus will become sanctioned by the USCAA, and athletics at the Randolph campus will move to a club-only model.[21] These plans were placed on hold in mid-April 2023 when the university president abruptly resigned.[15]
Campuses
Castleton
Woodruff Hall at Vermont State University - Castleton campus
The 165-acre Castleton campus has been in its current location since 1818. The Castleton Medical College Building, built in 1818, is the oldest building on campus and is believed to be the oldest surviving medical school building in the United States. The campus is residential and is located in the heart of Castleton Village.
Johnson
Library and Learning Center at Vermont State University - Johnson campus
The Johnson campus is located on a hill overlooking the Lamoille River valley. It is 350 acres and includes several buildings including the Visual Arts Center and Dibden Center for the Arts. The Babcock Nature Preserve, located ten miles away, is a 1,000-acre forest owned and maintained by the college for scientific and educational study.
Lyndon
The Lyndon campus is notable for the three-story Samuel Read Hall Library. Other sites on campus include News 7, a daily live broadcast studio; the Stannard Gymnasium; and nine residence halls.
Randolph
The campus in Randolph is the largest of the five at 544 acres and hosts engineering labs and an advanced manufacturing center.[4] The campus has received United States Department of Defense funding to establish the first advanced manufacturing education, research, and development facility in the state.[22]
Williston
The suburban Williston campus, located just outside Burlington, houses several labs and a small residential building.[4]
Leadership
The Theodore N. Vail Center at the VTSU Lyndon campus
Parwinder Grewal was appointed as the university's first president in 2022.[23] Grewal was previously an administrator at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.[24] However, Grewal resigned abruptly in April 2023 before the university officially opened. His resignation was preceded by a vote of no confidence by the faculty, who also voted no confidence in the Vermont State College's chancellor, chief administrative officer, and its entire board of trustees.[25]
Grewal was replaced by Mike Smith, who previously served as interim president at Burlington College and was the state's Secretary of Human Services during the COVID-19 pandemic.[26] Smith created a task force to study additional programs that could be combined or closed.[17] Smith agreed to serve for six months, with his tenure concluding at the end of October 2023.
On September 22, 2023, David Bergh, a former administrator at Johnson State College and the final president at the former Cazenovia College in New York, was selected as the college's next interim president.[27] Immediately after Bergh's rise to the interim president position at the beginning of November 2023, the office of the President and the Vice President of Business Affairs Sarah Truckle were included in a vote of no confidence submitted by the student government associations at the Castleton, Randolph, Johnson, and Lyndon campuses regarding staff and faculty terminations during university optimization plans.[28]
List of presidents
Parwinder Grewal (July 2022–April 2023; prior to establishment)[29]
Alexander Dunnett, Randolph Normal School graduate who served as US Attorney for Vermont, a member of the Vermont Senate, and Caledonia County State's Attorney.
