By Andre M. Fleche During an uncertain time for the Vermont State College System, the people of Vermont should have confidence that Castleton University remains well-positioned to continue to serve the social and economic good of the state. Each year, Castleton sends forth new nurses, teachers, social workers, journalists, entrepreneurs, and many other graduates who…

By Joe Kraus In the summer of 2012, a large and diverse group of citizens gathered to ask what could be done about the growing opioid crisis affecting our community. That group ultimately became known as Project VISION, a very eclectic collaborative of virtually every agency and organization dedicated to the welfare of the greater…

By Royal Barnard My friend, Fred Rinaldi, living in California, woke up my senses early in the “lockdown” period with a Facebook post noting that the smog had disappeared in Los Angeles. I immediately thought about the possibility that the earth was getting a much needed cleansing. A breath of fresh air, if you will.…

By John Downes and James Nagle Editor’s note: The following is an excerpt of testimony given by John Downes and James Nagle to the Vermont Senate Education Committee on April 21, 2020. John Downes is the director of The Tarrant Institute for Innovative Education in the College of Education and Social Services at the University…

Dear Editor, As our public health paradigm shifts with the emergence of Covid-19, many Vermonters are experiencing loss—of connection, of livelihood, of basic necessities, and some have lost loved ones. We are living with uncertainty. The road forward must be paved with time for grieving, resources for the vulnerable, and opportunities to restart Vermont’s economic…

Dear Editor, While waiting for a resolution to the Covid-19 crisis we need to be looking to the future of  health care in general. We have continued to struggle with unaffordable premiums, unaffordable deductibles, and unaffordable co-pays, forcing choices between health care and food, rent, mortgages, clothes, tuition,….add to that the millions of people who…

Dear Edtior, Like many organizations and programs, Southwestern Vermont Council on Aging (SVCOA) has faced its share of challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic, specifically around maintaining high levels of service to older Vermonters in our region amidst an unprecedented increase in service demand. Thankfully, SVCOA is backed by a compassionate, hardworking and committed volunteer roster,…

By Lee H. Hamilton We are living in a difficult time. Our country and its communities are deeply polarized; many Americans distrust one another as well as the government and other institutions. The novel coronavirus has deepened our problems in a way none of us imagined. The number of Americans who have contracted Covid-19 has…

By Nick Richardson, president and CEO of the Vermont Land Trust For some it may feel too soon to ask this question, as new cases of Covid-19 are reported every day and the economic impacts for our state and our country grow more severe. Yet it’s this question we must ask relentlessly over the days…

By Joyce Judy, president of Community College of Vermont The Vermont State Colleges System is weathering the roughest days of its 60-year history. The potential changes facing our sister institutions are painful and the challenges are real. While the Community College of Vermont (CCV) is not immune to these challenges, we are fundamentally unique, financially…

By Dr. Karen M. Scolforo, president of Castleton University You may have seen the recent news coverage regarding the challenges faced by the Vermont State Colleges System (VSCS), many of which were highlighted last summer in the VSCS white paper, Securing the Future of the Vermont State Colleges, and exacerbated by the novel coronavirus global…

Dear Editor, With many people isolating at home to benefit public safety, and uncertainty the only certainty these days, it’s been inspiring to see how Rutland County has responded to the Covid-19 pandemic. From hanging up lights and rainbows to making masks and putting out signs encouraging people to wash their hands, stay one cow…

Dear Editor, The League of Women Voters urges everyone to participate in the 2020 Census, now underway. The U.S. Constitution requires the federal government count everyone living in the country every 10 years. Every household should complete a Census form (either online, by mail, or by phone) by Oct. 31, 2020. Participating in the Census…

Dear Editor, Closing NVU-Lyndon, NVU-Johnson, and Vermont Technical College’s (VTC) Randolph campus would migrate Vermont’s higher educational engine to the Champlain Valley. The Burlington metropolitan area already exerts economic and political dominance over the rest of the state. Depriving Vermonters of access to educational and cultural resources in this manner would be unfair and inequitable. The Vermont State College (VSC)…

By Richard Slusky The coronavirus pandemic has brought to light the many fractures in the U.S. health care system, particularly the inadequate access that many low- and middle-income people have to health care services when they are most needed, and their dependence on employer-sponsored health care plans. Perhaps it’s time to reconsider the concept of universal…