Greetings VSC Community:
Welcome to the beginning of a new academic year!
There is something special about this time of year as we begin another academic cycle together. Whether you are returning or joining the Vermont State Colleges for the first time, I am glad to welcome you to the 2026–27 academic year.
A tremendous amount of work has taken place across the system over the past several months. I want to thank and congratulate everyone involved in the launch of the financial and human resources components of Workday. This was a significant and complex milestone for the VSC, and I am grateful to the many people across the system who made it possible. Work now continues as we prepare for implementation of the student module.
I have started to think of the fall as our “pre-season” for the legislative session. We are already preparing our strategy and meeting with members of the administration and legislature as we look to build on last year’s progress. That included receiving our full requested base appropriation, expanding the Freedom & Unity Grant to Vermont families earning up to $85,000 at Vermont State University, and securing $600,000 to explore new housing on the VTSU Johnson campus. At CCV, the 802 Opportunity Grant provides free tuition and fees for eligible Vermont families earning up to $100,000.
This year, we will continue making the case for investment in Vermont’s public higher education system, including expanding affordability for more Vermont families and strengthening the VSC’s role in meeting Vermont’s workforce needs. We will share more about our legislative priorities as they are developed this fall.
That work connects directly to our draft VSC Strategic Framework. The framework will guide our priorities and investments around four areas: workforce and economic engagement; student success and academic innovation; infrastructure modernization; and access and affordability. At its heart is a simple idea: the Vermont State Colleges exist not only to educate students, but also to help Vermont thrive.
We want your input. I encourage you to review the draft framework and share your feedback through the survey on the Strategic Framework webpage. The perspectives of our faculty and staff will help make it stronger.
I also want to share a longer-term change for the System Office. When our current lease at Stone Cutters Way ends, the System Office will transition to VSC-owned spaces. The move is not expected for several months, so there are no immediate changes for employees. As we strengthen how we operate as one system, it makes sense for the System Office to be located alongside our institutions. We will share more information as the transition gets closer.
Thank you for the work you do every day on behalf of our students and our state. We have accomplished a great deal together, and we have important work ahead.
Best wishes for a wonderful academic year.
Sincerely,
Beth
Dr. Elizabeth K. Mauch, Chancellor