Vermont State Colleges tell Senate committee they are 'turning a corner' and ask for $5M bridge funding

BURLINGTON, Vt. — Chancellor Beth Mack of the Vermont State Colleges told the Senate Education Committee on Feb. 5 that the system is emerging from a financial crisis and is asking the Legislature for a 5.9% increase in base funding plus $5 million in bridge funding and $21.5 million in capital appropriations.

“Today, I have very good news for you as we're moving forward,” Mack said, describing a system that once had eight days of cash on hand and later required legislative bridge support. Mack and Sharon Scott, the colleges’ chief financial and operating officer, presented enrollment figures, workforce partnerships and a budget preview to Chair Bongard and the committee.

The request seeks to raise the system’s base appropriation to $53,970,000 (a 5.9% increase described by presenters as a 3% inflation adjustment plus $1.5 million to reflect a prior statutory change) and to secure $5,000,000 in continued bridge funding. The colleges also requested $21,500,000 in capital funds for statewide major maintenance and specific projects, including renovation at Castleton campus and replacement of a heating plant at the Johnson campus.

Why it matters: Vermont State Colleges runs two institutions—the Community College of Vermont (CCV) and Vermont State University (VSU)—with multiple centers and campuses across the state. The system said it serves roughly 10,000 degree‑seeking students and 7,000 workforce students, and that expanding seats, especially in nursing and allied health, has direct effects on Vermont’s health care workforce and small communities.

Enrollment and workforce details

Mack said the system graduated about 2,000 students last year and that CCV and VSU together produced about 500 nursing graduates; roughly 90% of those nursing graduates are Vermont residents. VSU reported a 14% increase in new students in fall 2024, and presenters said they expect continued gains in new enrollments while the overall student body remains relatively flat following post‑COVID declines.

Mack and Scott described programs aimed at adult and nontraditional learners: stackable certificates, accelerated courses, hybrid and online sections, career pathways cohorts that offer stipends and college credits, and expanded apprenticeships in trades such as plumbing and electrical. Mack noted the system served about 2,600 Vermonters through the 802 Opportunity program (families earning $75,000 or less eligible for free CCV attendance) and that a tuition‑advantage program served about 900 students last year.

Grants, scholarships and capital needs

Presenters credited a combination of private philanthropy, congressional designated funds and federal ARPA scholarships with improving enrollments and completion in critical fields. Scott said the colleges have two congressional designated awards totaling more than $12 million earmarked for health and dental hygiene education and cited a separate $6.3 million grant to expand nursing sites statewide.

Scott said ARPA‑funded “critical occupation” scholarships helped students complete programs in nursing and mental health counseling, but those ARPA dollars have concluded. The system named a private foundation program (identified in testimony as the Macquarie Foundation) that funds a “free degree promise” scholarship allowing early‑college students to receive a second year free to finish an associate degree; presenters said that commitment is currently funded for roughly two more years.

Financial context and governance

Scott said the colleges’ composite financial index now supports transformation and redesign instead of survival planning. The system’s board of trustees cut $5 million per year from Vermont State University budgets in recent years, reduced workforce by about 15% and has built strategic reserves to address deferred maintenance, she said. Scott said state support since 2020 has increased the general fund appropriation by 67% and credited Act 77 (2021) and the select committee on the future of public higher education with structuring the system’s recovery.

Legislative follow‑up

Committee members asked for details about enrollment trends, the role of international students, and the link between scholarship programs and recent increases in health‑profession enrollments. Mack and Scott said they expect to return for more detailed budget conversations later in the session. No formal action was taken at the hearing; the presentation served as an informational budget preview and request for legislative consideration.

Ending

Mack closed by stressing the system’s mission “for the benefit of Vermont,” citing workforce needs and the importance of flexible pathways for older and part‑time students. Scott reiterated that while the colleges are not “out of the woods,” she can “see the edge of the woods” and said continued state support is critical to reach a balanced budget and to fund capital projects that address life‑safety and deferred maintenance issues.