Vermont State leaders lay out online acceleration plan, launch marketing for 15 new programs

Board members received an update on the Vermont States Colleges online acceleration initiative as leaders described steps taken to build an online infrastructure and begin enrollment marketing for new programs.

Administration said it has posted a search for a vice president of digital learning and operational effectiveness and is identifying operational hires for an administrator and enrollment marketing lead focused on lead generation. A marketing campaign was announced to promote 15 new online programs that include associate, bachelor and master’s options and career‑aligned certificates; examples mentioned were psychological science, athletic leadership, and an RN‑to‑BSN pathway.

Leaders stressed a dual approach: they called it a "both‑and" model that aims to expand access and workforce alignment through online offerings while maintaining campus‑based, in‑person experiences valued by many students. Trustees asked about program modalities, workforce alignment and initial program examples; presenters said the initial launch mixes degrees and certificates tailored to state and regional labor demands and that Lightcast labor data guided program selection.

Quote: "It's not an either‑or when it comes to face‑to‑face or online," the incoming president said, adding the system will prioritize accessibility and career relevance while continuing on‑campus offerings.

Next steps: administration will return with metric reporting on recruitment and enrollment from the marketing campaign and the vice president search, and trustees asked for follow‑up on modality mix, enrollment yield metrics and projected revenue per program.