BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) - More than 1,400 University of Vermont faculty, students, staff and community members signed a no confidence petition in the leadership of UVM president Suresh Garimella as of Monday afternoon over the administration’s plan to phase out roughly 30 academic programs and other factors, according to petition organizers.
The school announced a proposal in December to phase out 27 academic programs as it addresses a budget deficit of $8.6 million.
The Burlington City Council this month unanimously condemned the cuts, according to WCAX-TV.
A coalition of UVM faculty, students, service and maintenance workers, staff, and community members started the petition, saying Garimella’s administration has betrayed the mission of the University of Vermont and endangered its academic excellence.
University spokesperson Enrique Corredera said in a written statement that the school has been focused for the past 18 months on the transformational changes needed to ensure its continued success and stability. As part of that, it asked academic units to review program offerings to ensure they align with student demand and that resources are deployed to meet student interest and need.
“As a result of that review, last semester we began identifying for possible retirement programs that have consistently graduated fewer than five students a year,” he said. “The retirement or reconfiguration of such programs is necessary to ensure that UVM remains a robust and relevant university that truly meets the needs of 21st century students, and of our surrounding communities.”
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