[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6345592,"mediaKeyId","2248808-aae74b2f4986c2b135c09f259d2e7bcf","parentId",2248808,"title","Vermont State Colleges ask for continued bridge funding, capital repairs in FY26 budget hearing","audioSeconds",2119,"startMs",47254,"endMs",2166825,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2248808-aae74b2f4986c2b135c09f259d2e7bcf&start=47&end=2166","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2248808-aae74b2f4986c2b135c09f259d2e7bcf/thumbnail_47254.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6345592/Vermont/Vermont-State-Colleges-ask-for-continued-bridge-funding-capital-repairs-in-FY26-budget-hearing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6345592-86a7d5b5b3c7b18003998fb7b035ccb7/orig.mp4?Expires=1775904547&Signature=Fv~A1CKveHWMt45D~BMFzs6LPohQ0JSX9Y9F53NcuiLEXBNlGegYVrc3A7k8mnCpKtzDYGnFXa-lHbx1IRYDEyeWarvCw-mLIrNpPdsHJG9tY-tPvsw2Oql9c3iB4b8AzmvQbIZwd1-MpCLkGHNx3-HMNsNH7sBwhrDIRQCeOBfMUZKgGy3gr7kn9-qK7py3adVvRwVOuW~cLzsRUqvH4cfQ0kVewXQOhUAamtxHDXipLDxN9Px~dOXBFshXkqYLRCjL4jvN4OYaSL5GVRSQlWA7xn2ny-vtpY51mmeS4SWaInmhJMzkrfRXi0y0~D12GEhU8I24zB5JmBw9JMdb0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-02-07T19:32:05Z","article","CHANCELLORS AND CFO GIVE OVERVIEW, BUDGET REQUEST
On Feb. 7 at a meeting of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Vermont State Colleges Chancellor Beth Mauck and Chief Financial and Operating Officer Sharon Segosh presented the system's FY26 budget request and capital needs, asking the legislature to continue bridge support while the system completes a multi‑year financial turnaround.

Why it matters
The Vermont State Colleges system includes the Community College of Vermont (CCV) and Vermont State University (VTSU) and operates campuses and centers across the state. Committee funding decisions will affect operating capacity, maintenance of campus buildings and tuition programs that several presenters said are driving enrollment and workforce outcomes in key fields such as nursing.

What presenters told the committee
For the record, Chancellor Beth Mauck said the system has about 850 employees and described the colleges as “the heart and soul of these rural communities.” Mauck highlighted the system’s recent work to expand workforce programs, noting in her remarks that “this year alone, we graduated 500 nurses. Over 90% of them were Vermonters or took the exam in Vermont.”

CFO Sharon Segosh reviewed finances and the multi‑year recovery plan the system has followed since the pandemic. Segosh said the system had about eight days of cash on hand early in the pandemic and that the legislature created a select committee and a multi‑year plan to restore sustainability. She described the FY25 base appropriation as $50.9 million and said that amount represented about 26% of the system’s total revenues, up from roughly $30.5 million (about 17% of revenues) during FY20.

Specific budget requests and governor’s recommendation
Segosh told the committee the Vermont State Colleges is requesting a 3% increase to base appropriations (consistent with the governor’s broad recommendation), plus an additional $1.5 million tied to a legislative change in the required structural deficit reduction under Act 113, and $5 million in bridge funding (a step down from the $10 million bridge provided in FY25). The administration’s recommended package shown to the committee included $52.5 million in general fund appropriations, $5 million in bridge funding and $1 million for CCV’s tuition‑advantage program.

Capital and maintenance request
The system requested $21.5 million in capital funds to support statewide major maintenance, a renovation to Jeffords Hall at the Casper Moon campus (as presented), and a central heating plant replacement at the Johnson campus. The governor recommended $3 million for major maintenance and $5 million for the Johnson campus heating plant (a total of $8 million).

Segosh said the Johnson central plant is more than 60 years old and that the administration’s recommendation reflects a like‑for‑like replacement approach. She told the committee that converting the plant to a substantially different fuel or system would likely raise costs significantly; she gave a rough additional estimate of about $15 million to make a larger alternative‑fuel conversion possible because of site constraints and required building work. The system said planning and design work for the project would be scheduled in year one of the biennium with construction in year two if full funding is available.

Tuition programs and enrollment trends
Mauck and Segosh described recent enrollment and student aid outcomes: the system reported about 2,000 graduates in the most recent year, roughly 10,000 degree‑seeking students and about 7,000 students in workforce programs; they said roughly 80% of enrolled students are Vermonters. VTSU showed a reported 14% increase in new students in the year referenced by presenters, and the system expects continued growth for fall 2025.

Mauck and Segosh highlighted the 802 Opportunity Grant, administered through the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC), which provides free CCV tuition to Vermonters whose families earn $75,000 or less. They said the grant has driven enrollment and retention at CCV; the presenters said about 60% of CCV students benefit from the 802 Opportunity Grant. The system told the committee it would like to explore expanding comparable eligibility to VTSU, and offered an approximate annual cost figure of around $5 million to extend an 802‑style program into VTSU (presenters also cited an estimate of roughly $7 million for a $100,000 income cap across the system in one scenario).

Fiscal and structural context
Segosh said the legislature reduced the system’s required structural deficit reduction from $25 million to $22 million under Act 113 and that the system’s FY26 request includes funding to align with that updated target. Segosh reiterated that while the system has reduced operating expenses and rebuilt reserves, continued state support during the multiyear transition remains necessary to meet commitments and complete capital work.

Questions from committee members
Committee members questioned the presenters about the scope and sequencing of the Johnson campus heating plant project, potential alternative fuels and the timing of planning and design work. Presenters described options: proceed with a like‑for‑like replacement to lower upfront costs, include assessment of alternatives during planning if additional planning funds are provided, and return to the legislature for further funding if conversion to a different system is chosen.

What the committee will do next
No formal committee action or vote on VSC funding occurred at the Feb. 7 hearing. Committee members said they will review the system’s written materials and the governor’s recommendation and will take further testimony and deliberations during the budget adjustment process.

Ending note
Mauck closed by describing a strategic plan called “VSC Vision 2030,” which prioritizes online program growth, seamless transfer pathways, apprenticeship education and housing transformation to support older and part‑time students.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Appropriations – 2025-02-07 – 2:30PM","oneSentenceSummary","On Feb. 7 at a meeting of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Vermont State Colleges Chancellor Beth Mauck and Chief Financial and Operating Officer Sharon Segosh presented the system's FY26 budget request and capital needs, asking the legislature to continue bridge support while the system completes a multi‑year financial turnaround.","taxTitle","Appropriations, SENATE, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",36948,"location","Vermont","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6345588,"Joint Fiscal Office briefs Senate on federal funds, spending authority and carry‑forward rules",2418,2218865,4637675,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2248808-aae74b2f4986c2b135c09f259d2e7bcf&start=2218&end=4637","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2248808-aae74b2f4986c2b135c09f259d2e7bcf/thumbnail_2218865.jpg","/articles/6345588/Vermont/Joint-Fiscal-Office-briefs-Senate-on-federal-funds-spending-authority-and-carryforward-rules","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6345588-9f4f2330c2cf9beee59fcb7d9872b60a/orig.mp4?Expires=1775904547&Signature=Hn2cabsczGzhvEc3jpwcDnOrMeTkwskiXEbco4LkwloNnKW4QUo~ltPAKHuzm8GKVcbPjrD18vJgOzoMgsw76gbB17FFfZIyCYQhEuz6YjlV--dGmAnDny-vMCMq-A3EsKJFWZ0umZ9MbwFD4B2hzz4HHnc2-I-Wsqj4hBuz9BKd~YHPqSCox6SusFuh0Ir5VnWeWvCcJbUdMJsH8y3SEJ-AYZzmKHFttz1vBattouxY8KxoyFyEJFYsWJhUD8RFiqa8qqDuC6S7XOf6dRENqL~5eF0EFsvU4~ildgPXxkY1WeGS~K8odVM5p2Qnc1aaVDjOiiVjL24N-PIJEFRnYw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","JOINT FISCAL OFFICE EXPLAINS FEDERAL FUNDING MIX AND SPENDING TERMS
On Feb. 7, Emily Burton of the Joint Fiscal Office presented an overview of federal funds flowing through the state budget and a plain‑language guide to appropriations mechanics for the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Why it matters
Federal funds make up a substantial portion of the state’s budget and often carry statutory conditions, matching requirements and maintenance‑of‑effort obligations. Committee members said understanding how federal funds differ from state general fund dollars is necessary to assess risks and timing for FY26 decisions.

Key points from the briefing
Burton said the portion of the state budget funded by the federal government is roughly 36%, with 64% state‑funded. She told the committee this percentage applies only to dollars that flow through state agencies and are appropriated by the General Assembly; it does not capture federal funds that go directly to municipalities, nonprofit subrecipients or higher‑education institutions.

Burton highlighted program‑level federal reliance: Medicaid (global commitment) accounts for roughly 60% federal funding in that program area, the transportation program is more than 50% federally funded, and unemployment insurance funding in the Department of Labor is more than 63% federal. She also described how federal grants often impose matching requirements and maintenance‑of‑effort obligations and that each federal grant must be approved and accepted by the Joint Fiscal Committee or the General Assembly as required by statute.

Appropriation, obligation and expense
Burton defined spending authority (appropriation) as the legislature’s legal authorization to spend a specified amount from a named fund. She distinguished that from obligation (entering a contract or otherwise committing funds) and expense (when payment is actually made).

Carry forward and reversion
Burton explained that unobligated spending authority at fiscal year end may be carried forward or reverted depending on the fund and statutory language. Some special funds and capital appropriations carry forward automatically or by statutory provision; general fund carry forward is subject to approval by the secretary of administration in the budget adjustment process. Reversion returns unobligated funds to their originating fund for re‑appropriation.

Rescission and federal uncertainty
Committee members asked how the state would respond if federal funds the state was relying on were withheld or delayed. Burton said a rescission is a procedure used to pull back planned spending authority if receipts or reimbursements are not available, and that obligations already entered into present a more complex legal situation that may require negotiation and, in some cases, litigation or federal reconciliation.

Where to find the documents
Burton pointed the committee to the Joint Fiscal Office website as the primary repository for federal‑funding summaries and the FY25 budget adjustment materials (including the budget adjustment summary spreadsheet and the web report that annotates changes between the governor’s proposal and the house action). She said the budget adjustment summary spreadsheet is a primary tool staff use to track changes and confirm that the bottom line remains balanced.

Committee follow up
Committee members asked a number of clarifying questions during the presentation about examples, timing, and how carry forward and reversion have been applied in recent budget cycles. Members said they will use the JFO materials and the budget adjustment spreadsheet as they review FY25 and FY26 funding adjustments.

","Emily Burton of the Joint Fiscal Office told the Senate Appropriations Committee Feb. 7 that about 36% of the state budget is federally funded and walked members through terms and processes such as appropriations, obligations, carry forward, reversion and rescission.","actionData","errors"]

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Vermont State Colleges ask for continued bridge funding, capital repairs in FY26 budget hearing

Joint Fiscal Office briefs Senate on federal funds, spending authority and carry‑forward rules