This commentary is by Glenda Bissex of Plainfield, a former Johnson State College faculty member and stepmother of a Johnson student.
Faced with a financial crisis at the state colleges several years ago, then-chancellor Jeb Spaulding proposed closing three of the schools. The outcry against that idea was huge. Each of those colleges, it was claimed, was a treasure, indispensable to the education of Vermonters and to the vitality of their surrounding communities.
Spaulding resigned, his plan died, the financial crisis remained.
A second plan involved the present merger of the colleges under a single administration. Clearly that was not sufficient to solve the financial problem, which was then handed to the new president hired to deal with it. I have not heard one voice raised in support of his solution but only protests, reasonable questions and arguments against it, and outrage.
If his plan to digitize the libraries and reduce the status of sports teams is abandoned or modified, there will need to be another plan. What will be acceptable to faculty, students and Vermont taxpayers?
The state treasury is now flush with extra money from the federal government because of Covid. There is much discussion about how to spend it — housing? Climate mitigation? Infrastructure?
I have not heard one voice advocating for beginning to adequately fund our state colleges. Higher education has historically been underfunded in Vermont. UVM gets the lion’s share, which is minimal in comparison with other state universities but opulent in comparison with the state colleges. And UVM has funding sources usually not accessible to the colleges — industry and wealthy alums. Competing with other large universities, it has a student center that seems more like a resort.
Education at the state colleges is pretty bare bones in terms of fancy facilities but not in terms of faculty-student relationships, small classes, personal caring and guidance. Many students are first-generation students who need those connections, not to mention the libraries.
If we want to continue to have these state colleges that we say are so important, we need to put our money where our mouths are or they will be gone.
Covid has been hard on all institutions of higher education. Even before Covid, because of demographics. college applications were down. It’s a complex problem with no single solution. Increased funding from the state must be part of it. Contact your legislators and the governor.
In addition to increased funding for the colleges, students need funding to be able to afford going to college rather than working full-time to support themselves and sometimes their families. Can groups of relatively well-off alums get together to sponsor scholarships? Or local businesses? Are there sufficient work programs where students can earn part of their tuition by working for the college or other employers?
Berea College in Kentucky is a model of such a school, enabling students from families in their poor area to achieve a college education.
It can be done. Now is the time to turn the energy of outrage at a solution that would damage the institutions it was designed to save — to turn that energy, that caring, into creative solutions that piece by piece will add up. Can you be part of the solution?
