The Vermont State Colleges (VSC) is the U.S. state of Vermont's system of public colleges. It functions as a governance organization, and was created by act of the Vermont General Assembly in 1961. There are presently five colleges in the VSC consortium, they are: Castleton State College, Community College of Vermont, Johnson State College, Lyndon State College, and the Vermont Technical College. Together, more than 13,000 students are enrolled in the colleges of the VSC.
While VSC, the state colleges' governing organization, was created in the mid-20th century, most of the component colleges are older. The state legislature first chartered Castleton State College as a grammar school in 1787. Johnson State College was founded in 1828. The Vermont Technical College was founded in 1866. Lyndon State College was founded in 1911. Only Community College of Vermont, founded in 1970, was founded after the creation of the VSC.
The VSC was headquartered at the Chancellors Office in Waterbury, Vermont until August 2011 when Tropical Storm Irene forced it to relocate temporarily. After one year of temporary location at the Vermont Tech Enterprise Center in Randolph, VT, the Chancellor's Office found a new, permanent home in Montpelier.
The Chancellors office is a directorate performing day to day financial and policy operations. It is headed by the chancellor, and three vice presidents. Each of the state colleges has its own president and deans. A Council of Presidents, made up of the constituent colleges' presidents, VSC chancellor, and VSC vice presidents serves as an executive leadership team. The Council of Presidents works with the fifteen member Board of Trustees, to set policies and procedures. The Governor of Vermont serves as an ex officio member of the board.
Almost sixty percent of VSC students come from the state of Vermont. Approximately forty percent come from over forty other U.S. states, and more than forty-five countries. Class size is small, the average faculty to student ratio across the five colleges is 1:16. Nearly ninety percent of the faculty hold a Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate level terminal degree in their field of instruction.
Read more about Vermont State Colleges: Chancellors
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