The final SGA meeting of the 2019-2020 academic year took place over Zoom on May 6 at 6:30 pm. The meeting was held earlier than usual so that all the participants could watch the Board of Trustees meeting together and discuss it in real-time.
The first half-hour of the meeting had Kate Henriques sharing a joint resolution created by members of NVU-Lyndon and NVU-Johnson’s Student Governments. In short, this proposal requests a $25 million one-year bridge fund to allow the VSC campuses more time to develop a solution for the financial troubles plaguing the system. The proposal also requests an additional $25 million on top of the current annual appropriation to ensure that the VSC can continue to provide higher education in Vermont. The proposal in full is available on the SGA’s Facebook page.
At 7:00 pm, the BOT meeting began. The primary item of note regarded the resignation of Castleton University president Karen Scolforo. The board was having issues with verifying their meeting minutes, and therefore had not formally accepted Scolforo’s resignation. The board proceeded to executive session for several hours on this matter, during which the SGA discussed what had been brought up in the meeting so far. Concern was shared among all of the participants over the disorganization the BOT had shown, especially over whether they would accept Scolforo’s resignation.
Luckily, that latter question was answered once the BOT came back to public session. The BOT voted not only to accept Scolforo’s resignation but also voted Jonathan Spiro in as a temporary president until a permanent candidate could be decided on, effective June 1. By this point, the BOT shifted the remaining items on their agenda to the next meeting and adjourned. Not long after, the SGA adjourned as well.
Hopefully, the SGA meetings next semester will be held in person. Until then, I bid you all adieu, and I will be looking forward to seeing you all again next year!