The CCV Union Supports More Funding for CCV and More Support for Our Students

Our Union is focusing on legislation that would increase the funding for CCV and other Vermont State Colleges. We are also pushing for more aid and more support for our students. This legislation session is seeing a lot of activity both in the Senate and the House on spending bills funding the VSC so the ​time is now to get involved​! Any action you take now can have a significant impact on funding and the lives of our students and the stability of CCV.

Why an increase in State support to CCV and free/reduced tuition is important:

  1. ​Vermont currently ranks 50 out of 50 states for state support for higher education.
  2. ​Support for VSC has drastically decreased​. Currently, the state appropriations cover only 20% of the cost of VSC. In 1980 the state covered 51% if the costs of VSC! What happened?
  3. ​CCV teaches Vermont students​. 83% of the students in VSC are Vermonters (a higher percentage of CCV students are from Vermont).
  4. ​In-state tuition in Vermont is among the highest in the country. ​It is sometimes cheaper for our students to pay out of state tuition in another state than it is to attend Vermont State Colleges.
  5. Although Vermont has one of the highest high school graduate rates, we have some of the ​lowest college enrollment rates​. Paying for college is out of reach for many of our young people.
  6. Many of our students are really ​struggling to pay for college ​and the debt is overwhelming.
  7. ​Having an educated workforce benefits all Vermonters!

Ways to get more involved and make a difference.

  1. ​Talk about getting involved with your students. Start a dialogue about how the State funds our college and encourage them to get involved. Just a little bit of their time can save them a lot of money and legislators love to hear from our students.
  2. ​Know your legislators.We are lucky in Vermont where our voices really make a difference. Some legislatures have said that hearing from just a few people in their district has a significant impact on how they vote. You can find your legislature at ​https://legislature.vermont.gov/people/, including the name, phone number and email address, and you can read a brief biography about your legislators — and see how they voted in past legislation.
  3. ​Stop by “Breakfast with your representative”. Many Legislators have a weekly or biweekly time where they are available to meet with their constituents. Often it is at a café and it is a more casual way to meet your legislators and have a one-on-one conversation.
  4. ​Get involved locally​. Talk about the importance of State funding for CCV and the Vermont State Colleges with you family, friends and neighbors and at Town Meeting; inform your community.
  5. ​Support the Chancellor’s request for an increase in support for the VSC to be on par with other New England State Colleges.
  6. Support the Governor’s budget to increase funding for Vermont State Colleges.
  7. ​Check back at our website for more up to date information and be active! ​It is an exciting time! There is a lot of activity both in the Senate and the House on spending bills funding the VSC so the ​time is now to get involved​! Any action you take can have a significant impact on funding and the lives of our students.
  8. ​Contact ​us and let us know your concerns​.

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