Faculty, staff and students asked President Daniel Mark Fogel about a wide array of pressing issues including administrative bonuses, layoffs and recent budget decisions at a forum on Feb. 26 in a near-capacity Ira Allen Chapel.

Fogel fielded about 20 questions at "The Future of UVM: A Campus Forum on the UVM Budget and the Student Experience" sponsored by the Student Government Association and United Academics that also included panelists Robyn Warhol-Down, president of Faculty Senate; Clint Jasperson, president of the Graduate Student Senate; Jay Taylor, president of the Student Government Association; Beth Walsh, president of Staff Council, David Shiman, president of United Academics; and Carmyn Stanko, president of United Electric.

Panelists gave an opening statement before moderator Alfred "Tuna" Snider, Lawrence Professor of Forensics, opened the floor to questions from the audience. Some of the more pointed questions focused on the bonuses received by UVM's top 21 administrators. Shiman said he considers bonuses to be associated more with Wall Street than higher education, adding that he believed the practice to be uncommon among other New England colleges and universities. Fogel said he shared the outrage of those upset at the recent show of corporate greed, but stated that there is a "world of difference between UVM's practices and those we have vilified, not just in scale, but also in nature and intent."

Fogel, who received $161,809 in extra pay and bonuses over the past four years, said some of the extra pay among administrators included car allowances and "extra pay for extra duties" and that the bonuses, not all of which were granted, were "pay for performance." Fogel, who asked the board not to grant him bonuses in the upcoming fiscal year, then used his own financial situation as an illustration.

"As for my total compensation, the biggest numbers circulated on that list of 21 people are mine," said Fogel, who pointed out that he ranks 93rd out of 151 among his peers at public research and doctoral universities. "Those numbers include a housing allowance and a car allowance. The Board sets my total compensation — looking to markets and competitiveness. That is the same thing we have tried to do for all faculty and staff: to provide total compensation that is equitable and sufficient for building a competitive national university for the benefit of everyone we serve."

Warhol-Down said that although she appreciates the advances faculty have made under Fogel, she questioned the "moral and academic justification" for layoffs and non-reappointments given the amount of spending for executive pay and expenses. "We need more transparency," she said. Walsh agreed, calling for more inclusion by staff in the decision-making process and questioning whether other alternatives to layoffs were seriously considered. "I hope that this is the beginning of a true cooperative and collaborative effort from all voices and all corners of UVM. We must all realize, whether staff, student or faculty, that only collectively are we the University of Vermont."

In response to questions about class size, Fogel said 80 percent of classes at UVM next fall, even with the new 16-1 student teacher ratio the university has put in place, will have 39 or fewer students, according to an analysis by the registrar. The university is likely to remain among the leaders in the nation in the number of small classes, Fogel said. Fogel said he was also proud of the recent contract reached between United Academics and the university that gives faculty a 5 percent pool raise for the next three years, which he said was ahead of most peer institutions.

Other questions focused on specific budget cuts and why the administration didn't consider other options, including the tapping of its roughly $225 million endowment. Fogel said that the university already spends 5 percent of its endowment each year and would be hard pressed to spend more, even it if wanted to, because nearly all of the funds are restricted or earmarked by the donor for specific uses like lecture series, buildings and endowed faculty chairs.

Senior baseball captain Ethan Paquette, dressed in his uniform, asked Fogel how the decision to cut baseball was determined. Fogel said the decision by athletic director Bob Corran to cut baseball and softball was part of a strategy to keep higher profile sports like basketball and hockey competitive and not weaken the overall level of success among existing programs. "I can't tell you how sorry I am for you guys. I'm sorry," he said.

Another student asked how UVM could claim to be the "social justice university" when it's laying off workers. Fogel said that every layoff is painful and regrettable, but to also keep in mind that the university has created 394 jobs since his arrival more than six years ago and that the university's net gain is still enormous.

Read Fogel's opening remarks from the forum on the president's website.