Vermont State University – New Name and Unification

21 Sep 2021

Dear students, alumni, faculty, staff, and communities of Vermont Tech,

As you know, The Vermont State Colleges – Castleton University, Northern Vermont University, Vermont Tech – will unify under a common name. That name recommendation was revealed today to the Board of Trustees: Vermont State University. This is the first step in the process and will be voted on September 29. Please read the full press release for additional details.

This is a strong name that capitalizes on our strengths and the Vermont brand while giving us great flexibility to reinforce commonalities in our branding, such as the commitment to advancement and innovation, and the importance of technical and liberal arts education.

I am heartened the research brought us to this conclusion and I appreciate the opportunities this presents. I am further pleased the research pulled out the prominence of the need for a name to reflect “technology” and “innovation” as core concepts.

We can brand this proposed name well. It does not lock us in to one stream of thinking. This is a palate from which we can paint many “pictures” spanning the liberal arts and advanced technology programs.

This is part of the picture with the rest to be “colored in” in the coming weeks. This is a start.

Please feel free to share your thoughts, ideas and feedback. We want you to participate and there are a number of ways to do so, specifically:

The VSCS is seeking public comment on the name in advance of the Board decision on Wednesday, September 29. Public comment may be made at this link and will be shared with the Board in advance of the meeting. The Board will also hold a listening session on Wednesday, September 29th at 6:30 p.m. during the Board meeting at www.vsc.edu/botzoom. To sign up to speak at the Board meeting, visit www.vsc.edu/signup.

There will also be transformation Town Hall sessions on all the campuses. For Vermont Tech specifically:

  • VTC-Randolph
    Monday, September 27, 1 pm
    Conant 102
  • VTC-Williston
    Tuesday, September 28, 1 pm
    Williston 401B

Please join in on the conversation.