Senator Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement regarding the proposal to close three Vermont State College campuses:

“I appreciate the Board of Trustees’ decision to delay a vote on the proposal to close three Vermont State College campuses. Clearly, there is no easy answer to the challenges facing our state college system, but delaying the decision is an important step forward. We need the time to have a statewide discussion which includes all of the stakeholders. Unfortunately, that kind of discussion cannot take place in the middle of a pandemic and stay-at-home practices. 

“Our job in the immediate future will be to think creatively about how we can support higher education in Vermont and the communities where the state college campuses are located. And while Vermont is particularly hard hit, we are not alone in this crisis facing higher education. Colleges in states all over the country are suffering and the federal government is going to have to play a much more active role in supporting these vital institutions. As a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Education I intend to play an active role in that process.”