YCQM - September 30, 2012 - WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-

YCQM - September 30, 2012

>> Announcer: FROM VERMONT'S MOST TRUSTED NEWS SOURCE, WCAX BRINGS YOU YOUR NEWSMAKERS, YOUR NEIGHBORS. THIS IS "YOU CAN QUOTE ME."

>>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. THANKS FOR JOINING US. I'M KRISTEN CARLSON. OUR NEWSMAKER THIS SUNDAY MORNING IS TOM SULLIVAN. HE IS THE NEW PRESIDENT OF UVM. MR. SULLIVAN, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

>> PLEASURE TO BE HERE. THANK YOU.

>> AND KEITH McGILVERY IS OUR EDUCATION REPORTER.

>> SO GREAT TO HAVE YOU REQUEST US THIS MORNING. BEFORE WE GET STARTED, WE HAVE A LOT TO ASK YOU ABOUT, BUT RECENTLY WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF YOUR FRIERTS AS PART OF OUR CAMPUS CONNECTIONS TOUR, SO WHY DON'T WE START WITH A LISTEN.

>> SURE.

>> SCHOOL'S BACK IN SESSION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT, AND THIS FALL, THERE'S A NEWMAN IN CHARGE.

>> I NEED TO LEARN A LOT ABOUT UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT AND ABOUT THE STATE OF VERMONT.

>> THOMAS SULLIVAN IS UVM'S NEW PRESIDENT AND SO FAR, HE LIKES WHAT HE SEES WITH THE UNIVERSITY'S MORE THAN 13,000 STUDENT.

>> THEY'RE BRIGHT, THEY'RE EAGER, THEY'RE OCCUR YU, AND THEY'RE WELL-BALANCED.

>> WHILE SULLIVAN IS PLEASED WITH HIS STUDENT BODY, HE ADMITS THERE'S ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT ON CAMPUS.

>> EVERYONE HAVE A CANDID, ROBUST, THOUGHTFUL, TRANSPARENT CONVERSATION ABOUT WHERE ARE OUR STRENGTHS, WHERE ARE OUR WEAKNESSES, WHAT ARE THE XATIVE ADVANTAGES THAT UVM HAS.

>> THE FORMER UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA VICE PRESIDENT IS IN THE PROCESS OF OUTLINING AND LAUNCHING HIS FIRST 1,000-DAY PLAN FOR UVM. SLOWING DOWN THE AVERAGE ANNUAL 4.8% TUITION INCREASE TOPS HIS LIST.

>> I WANT TO SEE IF WE CAN'T MODERATE THE GROWTH OF THAT TUITION AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A VERY SIGNIFICANT, ROBUST FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIP TO LIGHTEN THAT BURDEN ON OUR STUDENTS.

>> SULLIVAN SAYS THE UNIVERSITY MUST CAREFULLY PRIORITIZE ITS RESOURCES, STRESSING THAT STRONGER COMPENSATION FOR PROFESSORS WILL BE KEY TO PREVENTING A BRAIN DRAIN AND THAT AN ENHANCED FOCUS ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, JRNG, AND MATH IS ALSO IMPORTANT.

>> IT WILL MAKE SENSE FOR US TO LOOK VERY CAREFUL ABOUT NEW INVESTMENTS IN THOSE STEM FIELDS, NOT ONLY BECAUSE WE'RE VERY STRONG ACADEMICALLY AND RESEARCH, BUT BECAUSE THERE ARE JOB POTENTIALS FOR OUR STUDENTS.

>> THE ONE-TIME PROFESSOR SAYS THAT IMPROVED FACILITIES AT UVM GO HAND IN HAND WITH IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF WORK AND RESEARCH HAPPENING ON CAMPUS.

>> WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE TALENTED PEOPLE HAVE THE VERY BEST FACILITIES AND QUITE FRANKLY, IN SOME AREAS WE'RE BEHIND BECAUSE OF THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE.

>> SULLIVAN'S ALREADY MET WITH MEMBERS OF VERMONT'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION AND GOVERNOR SHUMLIN AND KNOWS THOSE RELATIONSHIPS COULD BE KEY TO FIGURING OUT HOW TO PAY FOR HIS PLANS. HE'S ALSO SHARING A KEY QUESTION WITH THE FOLKS RUNNING TO BE VERMONT'S NEXT GOVERNOR.

>> HOW CAN WE STRENGTHEN AND PROMOTE THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT TO THE CITIZENS OF VERMONT?

>> A BOND SULLIVAN KNOWS WILL BE KEY AS HE ENVISIONED UVM TEN YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.

>> IN THAT PERIOD OF TIME, I HOPE PEOPLE WILL SAY, BOY, THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT HAS REALLY ELEVATED THE QUALITY AND EXCELLENCE OF ITS UNIVERSITIES.

>> YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY ON CAMPUS. HOW IS IT GOING?

>> WE'VE HAD A TERRIFIC TWO-MONTH START ON THE CAMPUS. I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, AS I WANTED TO, TO REALLY TRY TO USE THE FIRST 100 DAYS FOR LISTENING AND LEARNING AND REALLY ABSORBING THE HISTORY AND THE CULTURE OF VERMONT, AND LISTENING TO ITS PEOPLE. AND WE'VE NOW, IN THE FIRST TWO MONTHS, TRAVELED OVER 1,000 MILES IN THE STATE OF VERMONT AND 12 OUT OF 14 COUNTIES WE'VE BEEN TO, AND I'VE MET PROBABLY CLOSE TO 1,000 PEOPLE OFF CAMPUS ALREADY. THE OTHER HALF THE TIME, I'VE BEEN ON CAMPUS ALSO TRYING TO MEET AND LISTEN AND LEARN.

>> SO WHEN YOU TALK TO YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY OUT OF STATE, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE VERMONTERS TO THEM? WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?

>> UVM IS A VERY SOLIDLY MANAGED UNIVERSITY WITH A TERRIFIC ACADEMIC REPUTATION, AND WHEN I SAY THAT, IT RESONATES WITH PEOPLE THAT I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH OUTSIDE OF THE STATE AND INSIDE OF THE STATE. I'VE BEEN ALL UP AND DOWN THE EASTERN SEABOARD ALREADY SEVERAL TIMES TO MEET OUR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS AND DONORS OF THE UNIVERSITY, AND THEY ALL ARE VERY LOYAL AND UPBEAT ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY, AND I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER BEING HERE, QUITE FRANKLY. THE UNIVERSITY IS WELL POSITIONED AND WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO LIFT THE EXPECTATIONS AND THE ASPIRATIONS OF THE UNIVERSITY, REALLY, TO MOVE IT FORWARD IN THE FRONT RANKS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

>> HOW DO YOU DO THAT?

>> I THINK WE DO THAT BY HAVING A VERY CANDID AND TRANSPARENT CONVERSATION WITH OUR COLLEAGUES ON THE CAMPUS AND THE CITIZENS OF VERMONT ABOUT WHERE OUR STRENGTHS ARE, WHERE OUR COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGES PRESENTLY ARE AND CAN BE AND HOW WE CAN FOCUS OUR PRIORITIES AND OUR RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ENHANCES WHERE THERE'S REAL QUALITY AND BEING AS EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE. AND ALSO PERHAPS DECIDING PLACES THAT WE REALLY CAN'T MAKE INVESTMENTS IN, WHERE OTHER PEOPLE MAY DO IT BETTER THAN WE DO, GIVEN THE CONSTRAINED BUDGETS THAT WE FACE.

>> YOU'RE IN THE PROCESS OF IRONING OUT WHAT APPEARS TO BE A PRETTY AMBITIOUS THOUSAND-DAY PLAN AT UVM, AND CORNERSTONE TO THAT IS TRYING TO CURB TUITION INCREASES, SLOW THAT DOWN. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM AS YOU SEE IT AT UVM WHEN IT COMES TO TUITION?

>> WELL, THE PROBLEM AS YOU ALL KNOW, ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AFFORDABILITY AND FINANCIAL ACCESS, WHETHER REAL OR PERCEIVED, IS A MAJOR ISSUE ON ALL OF OUR CAMPUSES. THIS IS NOT UNIQUE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS TO TRY TO MODERATE THAT GROWTH OF THE TUITION INCREASES. FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE LAST TEN YEARS, ACTUALLY UVM HAS DONE QUITE WELL. THE AVERAGE TUITION INCREASE IN THE LAST TEN YEARS IS 4.8% INCREASE. AT THE SAME TIME, FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIP PACKAGES HAVE GONE UP 5.4%, SO ACTUALLY, THE UNIVERSITY HAS DONE A BETTER JOB. BUT WE CAN DO BETTER AND WE NEED TO DO BETTER, AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO FIND THE RESOURCES BOTH FROM OUR POLITICAL LEADERSHIP, OUR STATE PARTNERS, AS WELL AS FROM OUR ALUMNI AND DONORS TO BE ABLE TO SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASE SCHOLARSHIPS AND FINANCIAL AID SO WE CAN REBALANCE THE GROWTH OF THAT TUITION WITH A MORE ROBUST SCHOLARSHIP/FINANCIAL AID PACKAGE.

>> I KNOW A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF VERMONT STUDENTS ARE GOING TO UVM FREE OF CHARGE, ABOUT 75% OF YOUR STUDENTS HAVE SOME KIND OF FINANCIAL AID. WHO'S MISSING OUT IN THIS PICTURE? WHO ARE WE UNABLE TO REACH?

>> WELL, YOUR QUESTION SUGGESTS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH OUR VIEWERS WHAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE. 45% OF VERMONT STUDENTS WHO ENROLL AT UVM GO TUITION-FREE. 45%. 75% OF THE VERMONT STUDENTS WHO GO TO UVM ARE ON FINANCIAL AID, AND OF THAT FINANCIAL AID, FULLY 35% LEAVE WITH NO DEBT. AND THE BALANCE THAT HAVE TAKEN OUT LOANS ACTUALLY HAVE A LOAN OR A DEBT COMMITMENT THAT'S SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE PER PUBLIC RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES. OUR LOAN DEBT IS UNDER $20,000 FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO HAVE LOANS, AND THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IS ABOUT $28,000.

>> SOME FOLKS AT HOME ARE GOING TO SAY THAT PICTURE LOOKS PRETTY GOOD. WHO IS MISSING OUT? WHO DO YOU NEED TO REACH?

>> WELL, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THAT NO VERMONT STUDENT IS DENIED AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENROLL BECAUSE OF A FINANCIAL BARRIER. QUITE FRANKLY, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE ASPIRATIONAL GOAL THAT A VERMONT STUDENT CAN ATTEND UVM DEBT-FREE. NOW, WE'RE NOT QUITE THERE YET, BUTT -- BUT THAT'S MY GOAL, AND AS YOU SAID IN AN EARLIER COMMENT, KEITH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN AMBITIOUS FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN, PRIVATE FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN THAT WE'RE GOING TO LAUNCH AND I HOPE OUR TOP PRIORITY IN THAT CAMPAIGN WILL BE AFFORD YABLT AND FINANCIAL ACCESS, TO MAKE THAT DREAM A REALITY, THAT VERMONT STUDENTS COULD GO TO THIS GREAT UNIVERSITY DEBT-FREE. WE'RE NOT THERE YET, BUT THAT'S OUR PLAN.

>> WHEN AND HOW DO YOU THINK YOU GET THERE?

>> WE HAVE TO HAVE A CAREFUL AND BOLD AND CREATIVE, COMPREHENSIVE CAMPAIGN. THOSE ARE NORMALLY FIVE TO SEVEN-YEAR PLANS. I'M GOING TO BE, WHEN THE LEGISLATURE COMES BACK IN SESSION IN JANUARY, WORKING WITH THE GOVERNOR AND THE POLITICAL LEADERSHIP TO SEE IF WE CAN FIND MORE RESOURCES FOR SCHOLARSHIPS AND FINANCIAL AID FOR VERMONT STUDENTS. I THINK TOGETHER, WORKING TOGETHER WITH OUR POLITICAL LEADERSHIP AND OUR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF THE UNIVERSITY, WE CAN ACTUALLY ACHIEVE THIS. SO I WOULD HOPE THAT WITHIN A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD AS WE PLANNED, THAT ASPIRATIONAL GOAL WILL BE REALIZED.

>> SO THIS IS FOR NO -- IT'S NOT A MEANS TEST. IT COULD BE ANY VERMONTER?

>> WELL, I THINK INITIALLY YOU WOULD WANT IT MEANS TESTED AS YOU TRY TO INCREASE THE PROGRAM. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE VERMONT RESIDENTS WHO DON'T HAVE THE FINANCIAL MEANS, DON'T HAVE THE FINANCIAL BURDEN. SO WE WANT TO START WITH THEM FOR SURE. WE HAVE PRESENTLY, AND I THINK IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE, WE'LL HAVE BOTH MERIT AND NEEDS SCHOLARSHIPS AND FINANCIAL AID.

>> WHAT'S CURRENT SPLIT OF UVM OF IN-STATE STUDENTS AND OUT-OF-STATE STUDENTS?

>> THE PRESENT ENROLLMENT IS 35% OF OUR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS ARE VERMONT STUDENTS. TYPICALLY AN ENTERING FRESHMAN CLASS IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 23 AND 25%. THE NEW CLASS THAT JUST STARTED A COUPLE WEEKS AGO IS 23% AND THE BALANCE IS MADE UP OF, OF COURSE, OF VERMONT TRANSFER STUDENT.

>> SO YOU'RE NOT ENVISIONS MAJOR CHANGES THERE, YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT BALANCE?

>> I'M COMFORTABLE BECAUSE, ONE, IT'S HISTORICALLY ABOUT WHERE IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN. A THIRD VERMONT. AND ALSO BECAUSE THAT'S THE MARKET THAT WE FACE. VERMONT IS IN A GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION WHERE IT HAS A FAIRLY SHARP DECLINE, AS YOU KNOW, IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS COMING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL. THERE IS ALSO ANOTHER ISSUE IN VERMONT WHERE ONLY 41% OF OUR VERMONT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS GO ON TO COLLEGE. THAT'S, I THINK -- I'VE BEEN TOLD THE SECOND LOWEST IN THE UNITED STATES, SO THERE'S A PIPELINE ISSUE THERE, AND IF YOU PUT THOSE TWO TOGETHER, THAT'S THE MARKET WE FACE IN TERMS OF WANTING TO RECRUIT MORE VERMONT STUDENTS.

>> YOUR THOUSAND-DAY PLAN HAS OTHER IMPORTANT PRONGS TO IT. WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT FACILITIES. WHAT IS THE NEED AT NUSM THAT REGARD?

>> WELL, AS YOU KNOW, THE UNIVERSITY IN THE LAST TEN YEARS OR SO HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN A VERY SUBSTANTIAL BUILDING PLAN. THAT'S GONE VERY WELL. THE CAMPUS IS A VERY HANDSOME CAMPUS, AS WE KNOW. I THINK WE NEED TO FOCUS AT THIS TIME AND OUR PRIORITIES SHOULD BE IN RESTORING SOME OF THE LOVELY OLD BUILDINGS THAT WE HAVE WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN REPAIRS NOT MADE BECAUSE OF THE SO-CALLED DEFERRED MAINTENANCE PROBLEM. I WANT TO FOCUS OUR ATTENTION ON THAT ISSUE, AND SPECIFICALLY, WE HAVE ENGINEERING LABS, WE HAVE SCIENCE LABS, AND WE HAVE MEDICAL SCHOOL LABS THAT REALLY NEED TO BE COMPETITIVE AND FIRST-RATE TO BE THE TALENT MAGNET THAT THE UNIVERSITY HAS TO BE AND IS, AND SO THAT'S WHERE I WOULD PUT THE PRIORITIES NOW.

>> SO WHAT -- I'M SORRY.

>> WE SAW SOME VIDEO OF THAT AT THE START OF THE SHOW TODAY. THEY'RE LACKING.

>> I BELIEVE IN CERTAIN RESPECTS THAT THEY'RE NOT WHERE THEY SHOULD BE AND I'VE SAID THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE OF OURS TO PRIORITIES TO GET AT FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE. THE UNIVERSITY IS, IN FACT, A TALENT MAGNET, WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STUDENTS OR FACULTY RECRUITING AND RETAINING. WE SIMPLY HAVE TO HAVE COMPETITIVE, FIRST-RATE FACILITIES TO CONTINUE TO BE THAT TALENT MAGNET FOR VERMONT AND BEYOND, AND PARTICULARLY, AS I SAID, THOSE ENGINEERING, SCIENCE, AND MEDICAL SCHOOL LABS NEED REPAIR AND UPGRADES NOW.

>> WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE STATUS OF THE NEW ATHLETIC ARENA THAT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR SO LONG?

>> THERE HAVE BEEN PLANS AND DISCUSSIONS, AS YOU SUGGEST, ABOUT A NEW EVENT CENTER. IT WILL BE SUBSTANTIALLY BROADER, AS I UNDERSTAND THE PLANNING THAT'S GONE ON, THAN JUST ATHLETICS. IT WILL BE A VERY EFFECTIVE, MULTIPURPOSE BUILDING WHERE THERE WILL BE ATHLETICS AND SOCIAL AND CULTURAL EVENTS AND ACADEMIC PROGRAM IN THE BUILDING, BUT QUITE FRANKLY, AS IMPORTANT AS WE NEED THAT, THAT IS GOING TO TAKE A SUBSTANTIAL PRIVATE DONOR TO HELP US. OUR BEST ESTIMATE AT THIS TIME IS THAT THAT FACILITY WILL BE ABOUT $65 MILLION. SO THAT'S GOING TO BE PART AND PARCEL OF THE COMPREHENSIVE CAMPAIGN, BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE A MAJOR DONOR EFFORT TO HAVE THAT BECOME REAL, QUITE FRANKLY.

>> TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT GOING TO THE LEGISLATURE TO WORK WITH THE GOVERNOR AND LAWMAKERS ABOUT GETTING MORE MONEY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS FOR VERMONTERS TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE CAN ATTEND THE UNIVERSITY. I'M CURIOUS, THOUGH, AS YOU NOTICE, THE STATE IS FACING A 50 TO $70 MILLION BUDGET SHORTFALL AND THERE'S BEEN A TENSION FOR YEARS BETWEEN THE STATE'S COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND STATE FUNDING. WHAT MESSAGE WILL YOU BRING THAT YOU THINK WILL BE DIFFERENT THAT WILL GIVE A BOOST TO UVM?

>> WELL, I WILL TELL YOU THAT ALL MY CONVERSATIONS IN MY TRIPS THROUGH VERMONT, AS I MENTIONED, SOME THOUSAND MILES AND 12 OF THE 14 COUNTIES, WITH LEGISLATORS, WITH OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND PEOPLE IN THE GREAT COMMUNITIES AND TOWNS IN VERMONT, EVERYBODY I'VE TALKED TO WANTS THE STATE TO BE ABLE TO DO MORE FOR UVM FINANCIALLY. I HAVEN'T HEARD ONE PERSON SAY OTHERWISE. WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT THAT THE STATE GIVES THIS UNIVERSITY. ABOUT $41 MILLION A YEAR, THAT'S BETWEEN 5 AND 7% OF OUR BUDGET, SO IT'S RELATIVELY MODEST. THIS WEEK, A NEW REPORT CAME OUT THAT SAID THAT THE STATE OF VERMONT SUPPORTS THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT AT A PER-STUDENT BASIS OF $3,028. THAT'S THE LOWEST IN THE UNITED STATES, THE LOWEST STATE SUPPORT PER STUDENT IN THE UNITED STATES. WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THAT, BUT I'M GOING TO WORK VERY HARD WITH THE GOVERNOR AND THE POLITICAL LEADERSHIP BECAUSE I THINK THAT GOOD WILL IS HERE. I THINK EVERYBODY WANTS TO HELP OUT MORE, AND SEE HOW WE CAN ACHIEVE THAT GOAL AND I'M GOING TO BE VERY CANDID WITH THEM AND SAY, IF YOU WILL HELP US, I'M GOING TO PUT IT TO FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIPS, AS WE SAID. THAT'S OUR TOP PRIORITY FOR OUR STUDENTS. FIRST AND FOREMOST, TO RECRUIT VERMONT STUDENTS, AND SECONDLY, FOR THESE FACILITIES AND FINANCIAL -- AND INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS THAT I MENTIONED, BECAUSE WE SIMPLY HAVE TO HAVE COMPETITIVE FACILITIES TO BE ABLE TO ATTRACT FACULTY AND STUDENTS. THOSE WILL BE MY PRIORITIES. EARLY CONVERSATIONS WITH POLITICAL LEADERSHIP AND THE GOVERNOR SUGGEST THEY FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT AND THEY WANT TO BE SUPPORTIVE.

>> WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A BRIEF BREAK AND CONTINUE OUR DISCUSSION WITH TOM SULLIVAN, THE NEW PRESIDENT

>>> WELCOME BACK. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TOM SULLIVAN, THE NEW PRESIDENT AT UVM.

>> TOM, WE LEFT OFF TALKING ABOUT STATE FUNDING FOR UVM AT 5 TO 7% OF OR OVERALL BUDGET. WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THAT? WHAT'S REALISTIC IN THAT PICTURE AND HOW DO YOU GET THERE?

>> WELL, I DON'T HAVE AT THIS POINT -- IT'S A LITTLE EARLY ON IN MY INTRODUCTION TO THE STATE, TO HAVE A SPECIFIC DOLLAR AMOUNT?

>> DOUBLE?

>> I WOULD RATHER BE AT VERY SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED FOR THE POLITICAL LEADERSHIP TO HELP US. FOR EXAMPLE, I WOULD LIKE TO GO WITH A NUMBER THAT WILL HELP US WITH FINANCIAL AID FOR VERMONT STUDENTS, SO THEY HAVE AN EXACT NUMBER AS OPPOSED TO A TARGET, AND THEY WILL KNOW THAT THE MONEY GOES EXACTLY INTO THAT FUND AND ONLY FOR THAT FUND, OR, AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER, A SPECIFIC AMOUNT TO HELP JUMPSTART THESE FACILITY NEEDS THAT ARE SO COMPELLING AND NEEDED RIGHT NOW. SO THAT I WOULD MAKE A COMMITMENT, IF YOU WERE TO HELP US WITH FINANCIAL AID OR THESE INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEMS, THAT MONEY WILL GO DIRECTLY THERE AND NOT SPENT ELSEWHERE. QUITE FRANKLY, I THINK THE UNIVERSITY HAS DONE A VERY GOOD JOB OF WHERE IT HAS SPENT THE STATE MONEY. HISTORICALLY AND PRESENTLY, 25% OF THE $41 MILLION GOES TO SUPPORT AGRICULTURE, EDUCATION AND RESEARCH AT THE UNIVERSITY. 25% GOES FOR THE MEDICAL SCHOOL AND ITS SUPPORT, AND THE BALANCE OF 50%, OR $20 MILLION, AS I SAID EARLIER, GOES TO SUPPORT FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIPS FOR VERMONT STUDENTS. SO THE DIVISION, I THINK, IS ONE THAT PEOPLE ARE VERY SATISFIED WITH AND MY ROLE, MY RESPONSIBILITY WILL BE TO TRY TO BE A PARTNER WITH THE POLITICAL LEADERSHIP TO MAKE THE CASE HOW WE CAN HELP VERMONT STUDENTS ALONG THE WAY BETTER.

>> THERE HAVE BEEN SOME EYEBROWS RAISED, AS YOU KNOW, INCLUDING CONCERNS FROM THE GOVERNOR, ABOUT SOME RECENT SALARIES, PARTICULARLY ONE OF THE DEANS OF THE BUSINESS SCHOOL, THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE RAISE AND THE RATE OF THAT SALARY. DO YOU SHARE THOSE CONCERNS? DO YOU THINK THAT PAY LEVELS AT THE UNIVERSITY RIGHT NOW ARE FAIR?

>> I START WITH THE NOTION THAT WE ARE IN A VERY COMPETITIVE MARKET. HIGHER EDUCATION ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WE COMPETE WITH FOR STUDENTS AND CERTAINLY FOR FACULTY AND IN SOME CASES FOR STAFF. SO WE HAVE A MARKET THAT WE HAVE TO COMPETE WITH, WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, QUITE FRANKLY. AND WHEN WE GO OUT AND HIRE PEOPLE FROM OTHER UNIVERSITIES TO COME IN TO OURS, WE HAVE TO MEET MARKET RATES OR WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO RECRUIT. THIS IS ABOUT BEING A TALENT MAGNET, AND HOW WE CAN COMPETE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR UNIVERSITY IS FIRST-RATE FOR VERMONT STUDENTS AND ALL THE REST OF OUR STUDENTS. SO THE REALITY IS, IS THAT WE'RE IN A VERY COMPETITIVE HIGHER EDUCATION MARKET.

>> SO WHEN THE GOVERNOR RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT SALARIES, HE WASN'T UNDERSTANDING THE MARKET?

>> I WAS NOT HERE WHEN THE GOVERNOR MAY HAVE RAISED THOSE, AND HE AND I HAVE NOT HAD THOSE QUESTIONS AND HE'S NOT RAISED THAT WITH ME.

>> EVERY SALARY AND HOW THINGS STAND, YOU FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE AND THAT'S JUST THE MARKET, THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO PAY?

>> I'VE NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW EVERY SALARY, OF COURSE, BUT I KNOW THE REALITY IS THAT AS A PREMIER RESEARCH UNIVERSITY, WE HAVE TO COMPETE IN A MARKETPLACE WHERE THE PRICE FOR SALARIES IS LARGELY SET AND IF WE'RE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN BEING THAT TALENT MAGNET, WE HAVE TO BE IN THAT MARKET. THAT'S THE REALITY.

>> UVM HAS MADE SOME NATIONAL HEADLINES OVER THE LAST YEAR. ONE OF THOSE INCIDENTS INVOLVING A CAMPUS FRATERNITY OVER A QUESTION INVOLVING RAPE. A 10-MONTH INVESTIGATION HAS WRAPPED UP THERE WITH YOUR TEAM FINDING THAT ONE INDIVIDUAL AND NOT THE ENTIRE FRAT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT. UVM NOT REVEALING WHO THAT INDIVIDUAL IS, BUT ALSO NOT TALKING ABOUT HOW THAT INDIVIDUAL IS BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE. CAN YOU SHED ANY LIGHT ON HOW THAT INDIVIDUAL IS BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE WITHOUT SHARING WHO HE OR SHE IS?

>> KEITH, AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT AROSE NEARLY A YEAR AGO, AND SO I'M RECEIVING THE INFORMATION AS I ARRIVE. I DON'T KNOW IT FIRST-HAND, BUT WHAT I CAN SHARE WITH YOU IS THAT THERE WAS AN INCIDENT IN DECEMBER BY ONE STUDENT. THE OFFICE OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY INVESTIGATED THAT MATTER. THAT OFFICE IS LED BY AN EXPERIENCED LAWYER, AND THEIR CONCLUSION WAS THAT THE INDIVIDUAL FRATERNITY, AS A FRATERNITY, WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE, THAT THIS WAS AN INCIDENT BY AN INDIVIDUAL, AND THE UNIVERSITY HAS TAKEN, BASED UPON THAT REPORT, ACTION AGAINST THAT INDIVIDUAL. AS YOU ALSO MAY KNOW, WE ARE PROHIBITED BY FEDERAL LAW, THE BUCKLEY AMENDMENT, FROM DISCLOSING DETAILS BECAUSE OF THE PRIVACY OF THE PEOPLE INVOLVED. SO I CAN'T SHARE THE INFORMATION ANY FURTHER THAN THAT PART OF THE INVESTIGATION HAS NOW BEEN COMPLETED, ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN AGAINST THAT PARTICULAR STUDENT. THE FRATERNITY IS NO LONGER ON THE CAMPUS. IT IS NO LONGER SANCTIONED FRATERNITY, AND, IN FACT, THEY HAVE RELINQUISHED THEIR HOUSE AND LEASED TO CHAMPLAIN COLLEGE.

>> I MET WITH SOME YOUNG WOMEN RECENTLY ON CAMPUS THAT SAY THEY'RE CONCERNED, QUITE FRANKLY, ON A CAMPUS, PART OF THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY WITH AN INDIVIDUAL WHO'S STILL THERE, WONDERING HOW IF AT ALL THEY HAVE BEEN HELD ACCOUNTABLE. SHOULD YOUNG WOMEN FEEL CONCERNED OR UNEASY ABOUT THAT?

>> FROM WHAT I KNOW OF THE INVESTIGATION, I THINK OUR STUDENTS SHOULD FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE. I HAVE REVIEWED THE REPORT CONDUCTED BY THE OFFICE THAT I MENTIONED. I THINK THAT INVESTIGATION WAS VERY THOROUGH AND I THINK BALANCED AND ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN AGAINST THAT PARTICULAR STUDENT.

>> WITH THE FRATERNITIES AND SORORITIES THAT REMAIN, DO YOU THINK THERE'S A CULTURE PROBLEM THERE?

>> I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU MEAN BY A CULTURE PROBLEM.

>> WELL, A PROBLEM -- LET ME BE MORE SPECIFIC THEN. DO YOU THINK THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH FRATERNITIES AND SORORITIES WITH, YOU KNOW, YOU HEAR THINGS THAT HAPPEN AT OTHER SCHOOLS OF HAZING, YOU HEAR THINGS -- THIS WAS A MEMBER OF A FRATERNITY WHO DID THIS, THE FRATERNITY WAS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH IT AT ALL, BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE FRATERNITY AND SORORITY CULTURE ON CAMPUS, THE CLUB CULTURE?

>> OTHER THAN THIS INCIDENT, THE REPORT THAT I JUST READ IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, I HAVE NOT HEARD OF ANY PARTICULAR OR UNIQUE CONCERNS OR SITUATIONS DIFFERENT HERE THAN AT EVERY OTHER CAMPUS. WE HAVE ON CAMPUS THIS WEEK AN EXTERNAL GROUP LOOKING AT ALL OF OUR FRATERNITIES AND SORORITIES IN A KIND OF A NORMAL PEER REVIEW MANNER, SOMETHING THAT WE INVITED, I UNDERSTAND, AND WE'LL BE GETTING IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS THAT REPORT THAT MAY GO TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT WHAT IS THE CULTURE ON OUR CAMPUS.

>> AND IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WAS BEING DONE BEFORE YOU CAME ON?

>> YES, I THINK SO, YEAH. IT'S A ROUTINE -- COLLEGES HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE EXTERNAL PEER REVIEW OF THE GREEK SYSTEM AND THE FOLKS AT THE UNIVERSITY HAD THIS SCHEDULED AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY ON CAMPUS THIS WEEK.

>> DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS TO WORK WITH THE OTHER STATE COLLEGES?

>> OH, YES. I'M VERY EAGER TO DO THAT. IN FACT, YESTERDAY MORNING, I MET WITH LEADERSHIP THROUGHOUT THE STATE. I'VE ALSO MET EARLIER WITH THE PRESIDENTS OF BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES. I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT UVM HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AND HOPEFULLY PLAY A LEADERSHIP ROLE BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS. AS YOU KNOW, WE ALREADY HAVE VERY SPECIFIC SO-CALLED ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS WITH THE STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEMS AND THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES FOR A CLEAR AND DEFINABLE PATHWAY FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE STARTED AT ONE INSTITUTION, TO HAVE THAT CREDIT ACCEPTED BY UVM AND CONTINUE ON THEIR JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEARS. SO THAT'S WELL-ESTABLISHED. I THINK IT'S GOING WELL. THE PRESIDENTS HAVE COMMITTED BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE TO WORK CLOSELY TOGETHER, NOT ONLY ON COURSE SHARING AND STUDENT TRANSFER POLICIES, BUT ALSO ON THE EFFICIENCY OF ADMINISTRATION SO THAT IF ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES HAVE A REAL EXPERTISE IN SOMETHING, PERHAPS WE CAN USE THAT AND VICE VERSA SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE ALL TO ENGAGE IN DUPLICATION. SO I'M VERY EAGER AND MY COLLEAGUES ARE AS WELL TO BEGIN TO SHARE SUBSTANTIALLY THE INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL AS CURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES.

>> I KNOW A LOT WAS TALKED ABOUT TODAY WILL TAKE MONEY. YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT YOUR COMPREHENSIVE CAMPAIGN. WHEN CAN WE EXPECT THAT TO GET OFF THE GROUND, AND WE'RE HEARING AS MUCH AS $500 MILLION. WOULD THAT BE AN ACCURATE ASSESS NMENT.

>> THE COMPREHENSIVE CAMPAIGN WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, THE PLANNING OF THAT STARTED BEFORE I WAS NAMED AS PRESIDENT AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE VERY CAREFUL PLANNING. THAT WILL PROBABLY TAKE ANOTHER YEAR OR SO IN THE PLANNING STAGE BEFORE THERE'S ANY PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT. AS YOU BOTH KNOW, VERY TYPICALLY AND VERY TRADITIONALLY, 40 TO 50% OF THE TOTAL GOAL TENDS TO BE RAISED OR AT LEAST COMMITTED IN PLEDGES BEFORE THERE'S A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT AND I THINK WE'LL FOLLOW THAT SAME PATTERN. AND THESE CAMPAIGNS TEND TO RUN THEIR NORMAL COURSE OF FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS.

>> WHEN PEOPLE THINK OF UVM, WHAT DO YOU WANT THEM TO THINK OF?

>> THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT, AS I HAVE LEARNED AND COME TO UNDERSTAND IT IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS, IS A PUBLIC IVY THAT IS VERY STRONG ACADEMICALLY, PARTICULARLY IN THE LIBERAL ARTS, IN THE SCIENCES, AND IN THE ENVIRONMENT, WITH A TERRIFIC MEDICAL SCHOOL. AND IT'S MADE UP OF A GOOD NUMBER OF INDEPENDENT, PASSIONATE INDIVIDUAL SS, INDEPENDENT LIKE VERMONT IS IN TERMS OF THINKING, PASSIONATE ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY AND THIS BEAUTIFUL STATE. AND THEY'RE A VERY WELL BALANCED GROUP OF STUDENTS. THEY'RE VERY BRIGHT AS WE KNOW FROM THE ACADEMIC PROFILE. THE UNIVERSITY HAS JUST ADMITTED ITS STRONGEST CLASS EVER IN IT'S 221-YEAR HISTORY IN TERMS OF THE ACADEMIC PROFILE. I THINK THEY'RE VERY WELL-BALANCED STUDENTS. THEY COLLECT UVM BECAUSE OF ITS ACADEMIC REPUTATION, BECAUSE OF ITS GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION IN NEW ENGLAND, AND BECAUSE OF THE SPECIAL PLACE. BURLINGTON, THE CAMPUS, THE GREAT LAKE AND THE MOUNTAINS. IT'S A VERY SPECIAL UNIVERSITY.

>> WELL, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE. A SPECIAL UNIVERSITY AND, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE. PUBLIC EYE HAVE I.

>> THANK YOU FOR BEING ABOUT US AND WE HOPE YOU WILL COME BACK.

>> THANK YOU