Vermont State University reverses course on libraries, athletics

BY PETER D’AURIA VTDigger

Vermont State University is reversing course on changes to its libraries and athletics programs, putting an end — for now — to a controversial slate of decisions to transform member campuses.

The changes were announced Monday afternoon by Vermont State University interim president Mike Smith, who took over the institution after the surprise departure of embattled president Parwinder Grewal earlier this month.

The university will rescind layoff notices to library staff and will maintain athletics programs at two Vermont State University campuses for at least three years, Smith said during a meeting of the Vermont State Colleges board of trustees.

“I have not hidden the fact that I think these are distractions,” he said, adding, “This is a way to put these behind us.”

Amid rocky financial prospects, Vermont State University is engaged in an ambitious merger process to unite three public academic institutions — Castleton University, Northern Vermont University and Vermont Technical College — under one name. The university is scheduled to officially debut July 1.

But the upcoming launch has been overshadowed by controversial changes to libraries and athletics programs.

In February, the university announced plans to transition to an “all-digital” library system and downgrade sports programs. Library materials would be made available digitally, Grewal said, and most physical books would be donated. The library spaces themselves would be “repurposed.”

The plan would eliminate seven fulltime positions and three part-time ones in campus libraries, officials said.

Meanwhile, athletics programs on two campuses would be reshuffled: The system’s Johnson campus — currently, part of Northern Vermont University — would leave the National Collegiate Athletic Association for the smaller, less-competitive United States Collegiate Athletic Association.

Vermont State University’s Randolph location, currently a Vermont Tech campus, would leave the USCAA and offer only club sports.

Grewal pointed to long declines in the circulation of physical library books on campus, as well as struggles to field full athletic teams, as reasons for the decisions. But the announcement ignited a storm of controversy — one that university admin-