The sixth SGA meeting of the spring semester took place over Zoom on April 15 at 8:00 pm. To get the full details, I implore you to check out the full meeting recording on the SGA’s Facebook page.
The hot topic of the meeting was about the state of the Vermont State College System (VSCS) in the wake of COVID-19. The pandemic has skyrocketed the system’s deficit, sparking a debate on what the future of the VSC system could be. As of writing this, details were slim on what the specifics of the plans are for not just NVU-Lyndon, but the rest of the colleges in the system. What was discussed in the SGA meeting, however, was how the plan will be discussed and announced by Monday, April 20. The VSC held a meeting over Zoom at 1 pm that day.
Plenty of strong emotions were shared among the meeting attendees at the prospect of NVU-Lyndon possibly being closed down as a cost-cutting measure. As of Friday, April 17, Chancellor Jeb Spaulding shared his proposal to shut down both NVU campuses and the Randolph campus of Vermont Technical Center.
I wouldn’t do my Lyndon family any justice by paraphrasing their words, so I encourage you to listen to their stories in the meeting video. What I will say is that what Lyndon lacks in size, it makes up for in spades with heart. Lyndon is a family for many of us, and it offers an experience that’s totally unique to this campus. We would not just be heartbroken over Lyndon’s possible closure; we would be devastated.
The meeting concluded at 10:07 pm. A special meeting is being held Wednesday, April 22 at 8:00 pm over Zoom with both NVU Student Governments, NVU President Elaine Collins, and NVU Dean of Students Jonathan Davis.
By the time this report is published, it’s likely that the Board of Trustees will be on their way to a conclusion on what to do with the VSC system. No matter what that decision is, I want to say that I love each and every one of you, and that we’re not just Lyndon; we’re VSC.
-Becca Fauteux, SGA Representative, The Critic