Jonathan Spiro, the acting provost at Castleton University, will take over as interim president on June 1.
The board of trustees of the Vermont State Colleges named Spiro as Karen Scolforo’s temporary successor during a meeting Wednesday evening.
Scolforo submitted her resignation, effective May 31, after a falling out with then-chancellor Jeb Spaulding over his proposal to close three state college campuses, partially based on financial difficulties stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic. If his recommendation had been adopted, Spaulding had planned to let Scolforo go and appoint Elaine Collins, the current president of Northern Vermont University, to take over at Castleton.
Spiro is an expert on the eugenics movement, and has previously served as Castleton’s dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, and chair of the Department of History, Geography, Economics & Political Science.
Spiro will serve as Castleton’s president until a search committee names a permanent leader for the school.
— Lola Duffort
