Dive Summary:
- An advisory group assembled by Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin suggested that changing the University of Vermont's board to include more members not appointed by politicians could help the school raise more money and create more partnerships with outside entities.
- The current board structure was established in the 1950s and 12 of its 25 positions are politically-appointed.
- Vermont's proposal argues that the state would make a better return on investment by putting money directly into programs it wants to see grow, while a report by the National Research Council said that the decrease in state support for public universities is a major threat to the country's research excellence.
From the article:
A group of influential Vermont leaders thinks $40 million shouldn't buy a majority stake on the University of Vermont's governing board. That's roughly how much the state appropriates to the university every year. But the group says that's not enough. These days, state appropriations make up less than 10 percent of the university's overall revenue, while tuition makes up about half. ...