Dear UVM Community,

As I reflect upon my third year as UVM’s president, I continue to be impressed by our campus community’s ability not simply to endure difficult circumstances, but to thrive in our academic, scholarly, creative, and professional pursuits. I am grateful to all of you for your part in navigating the last year together. Even under the limitations placed upon us by the pandemic, the excellence of our university increased in countless ways. Stepping back to look at the last few years, everyone watching the University of Vermont will note that we are on a steep upward trajectory. Undeterred by a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, we continue our institution’s journey towards greatness.

For the first time since arriving in Burlington, I returned to the classroom as a teacher. Each time our group gathered, I was reminded of the importance of the university’s role in preparing citizens and future leaders of our democracy. The purpose of this undergraduate seminar—co-taught with Dean Jenemann—was to engage students in civil discourse on contemporary subjects that often spark un-civil interactions. The outcome of our experiment was rewarding. Our students rose to the occasion. They hungered for more opportunities to practice their new skills on other subjects. They learned from us, and we most definitely learned from them. As I think of the last year, my time spent in these lively discussions with undergraduates stands out among the high points. I look forward to similar opportunities in the future. What follows are many other high points of the 2021–22 academic year, about which we can all feel proud.

Celebrating Success

UVM students and faculty won numerous prestigious awards and scholarships, including three Fulbright Awards and a Truman Scholarship for our undergraduates, and six Fulbright Awards, five National Science Foundation CAREER Awards, and a Guggenheim Award for our faculty. These examples are but a handful of the successes garnered by our talented students and faculty.

Thanks to the strength of the Graduate College and the Larner College of Medicine, there is increasing recognition of UVM as a top choice for post-baccalaureate study. Nearly 3,100 students applied to master’s and doctoral programs and over 9,000 applied to the M.D. program. The Graduate College saw its largest growth among international students—up 60% from last year—who are bringing a world of experiences and cultures to our campus. The Larner College of Medicine continues to attract growing numbers of students from backgrounds underrepresented in the medical profession; they comprise nearly a quarter of this year’s incoming class, and happily, one in three is from Vermont. We are proud to count every one of our graduate and medical students among our bright and ambitious Catamount community.

Our student-athletes represented the best of our values on our playing field, in our classrooms, and on the global stage. Catamounts tallied the most conference championships and the most NCAA tournament appearances in UVM’s history. This year’s champs included men’s soccer, women’s soccer, men’s basketball, skiing, men’s lacrosse, and women’s lacrosse. We also watched and cheered for 13 current and former Catamounts who made it to the very top of non-professional athletic performance by competing in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, continuing an 18-year streak for UVM students and alumni. Showing even more talent in the classroom, Catamounts maintained their impressive place among the most academically successful college athletes, ranking among the top 15% of GPAs in Division I athletics programs.

Then there are the newest students joining us this semester. UVM attracted a record 30,368 undergraduate applications in 2022. The Class of 2026 brings superb academic credentials and diversity greater than any class before them. They achieved highest-ever average GPAs (3.8) and standardized test scores (1347 on the SAT; 31 on the ACT). The class includes 21% more students of color compared to last year, 13% more students from outside New England, and nearly 1 in 10 is a first-generation college student. It is humbling to imagine all that they will accomplish and discover in their years on campus. Welcome, Class of ’26 to UVM!

Maturing as a Premier Public Research University

In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, UVM once again set records for extramural research support, growing by nearly 50% over the last three years to reach one-quarter of a billion dollars. More than 40 individual awards exceeded $1 million and continued a trend in recent years of increasing interdisciplinary research funding across our institution. From health sciences to engineering to agriculture to the humanities, our faculty, graduate students and staff continue to raise UVM’s profile among the nation’s top research universities. In fact, the National Science Foundation boosted our latest research productivity ranking a whopping 16 spots, landing at number 85 among 415 public institutions in the U.S.

The largest grants tell much of the story of our distinctive research strengths, with $10 million awarded for sustainable agriculture, $4.6 million for cardiovascular and brain health, and $2.5 million for forest ecology. The Osher Foundation awarded $5.5 million to create an integrative health center, recognizing the pioneering work of CNHS, UVMMC and LCOM practitioners and faculty in this rapidly emerging field, making us one of only ten designated Osher Centers in the nation. Our grants and awards illustrate UVM’s commitment to healthy societies and a healthy environment—perhaps the most urgent and interdependent demands of our generation.

While most of our research activity is funded by federal agencies, UVM is also increasingly strengthening its corporate partnerships, including with Agilent Technologies, Medidata, Mass Mutual, Global Foundries, and Cabot Creamery among many others. Corporate partnerships offer direct financial support for research and also student internship placements that complement academic work and career ambitions. On the philanthropic front, UVM’s donors and friends have responded generously to SOLVE: The Campaign for Breakthrough Research at UVM and we look forward to meeting and exceeding the campaign’s goal.

Our Commitment to Vermont

The state budget approved by the legislature and Governor Scott raises UVM’s base appropriation by $10 million, a much-needed addition of nearly 25% and the first such increase in 14 years. The additional base funding enables UVM to confidently continue our unwavering commitment to affordability and accessibility in this period of rising inflation and increased labor costs. Keeping tuition frozen for a fourth year has challenged us to be more innovative, creative, and efficient in our operations and I know that our elected officials are aware and supportive. U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy recently noted our tuition freeze on national television. It has not been easy, but it is a foundational element of our commitment to our students and their families.

Our growing efforts in economic and workforce development throughout Vermont’s 14 counties are spearheaded by the Office of Engagement, the university's front door to Vermont's employers and entrepreneurs. Last year the engagement team, in collaboration with UVM Extension and many others across the campus, supported 76 Vermont businesses and 87 economic and workforce development providers. UVM also received $2.5 million from the state to lead a collaboration to design and execute a program to attract and retain highly talented workers to Vermont. Along with the more than 1000 UVM graduates who enter the state workforce each year, these accomplishments and ambitions are core parts of fulfilling our land grant mission and demonstrate increased connectivity with the state’s top economic priorities. UVM’s growing partnerships with and throughout the state underscore that investing in the state’s flagship university is investing in Vermont’s future.

Thank You for Helping UVM Thrive

Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of alumni and other donors, the UVM Foundation set a record with receipts of $128 million last year. The foundation’s ongoing efforts secured new gift commitments of $78 million from a total donor base of 19,000, including 4,000 who gave to UVM for the first time. The destinations of philanthropic dollars are as diverse as our academic and research offerings, touching nearly every part of UVM. Two continuing fundraising campaigns made significant progress, surpassing 50% of the $150 million goal for student success and 60% of the $200 million goal for research.

Behind the scenes, many members of our campus community have contributed to the ongoing work of upgrading and modernizing our facilities, planning construction for our future, keeping our networks and computers up to date, warming our winters, cooling our summers, communicating our successes, keeping us safe and healthy, and building strong relationships within the Burlington community, Montpelier, and Washington, D.C. Their efforts may not frequently make headlines, but they are among the many “quiet champions” who empower us all to do our best work.

The truth is that not one of the successes of the last year would be possible without the dedication of our devoted, talented staff who support the core mission of the university all day, every day. A few months ago, we arrived at a fair and equitable agreement with our newest union in record time. As a result, UVM is pleased to have extended parental leave benefits, established a fund for professional development, and raised base pay. These changes will have the biggest impact on the workers at the lower end of the pay scale—demonstrating the core values of our institution. Remaining competitive in the labor market is critical to our present and future and we are proud to be among the best workplaces in Vermont while also keeping tuition and fees affordable.

The last year—our second full year of the pandemic—tested our leadership team once again. I am proud of their individual and collective successes that made Vermont the envy of most other states. With the help of their teams across campus, they not only navigated the operational disruptions and rapid pivots of COVID-19 but simultaneously managed to direct UVM in such a way that our progress continued on many important initiatives outlined in this message and hundreds of other projects too numerous to mention. I am grateful they have chosen to serve UVM with dedication, integrity, and purpose.

Finally, I am pleased to recognize our Board of Trustees. Each of our volunteer trustees shares their wisdom and guidance throughout the year to support this institution’s wellbeing. Our students, faculty, staff, and all who care about this university are beneficiaries of their efforts.

I will close as I began, by thanking all of you for making UVM what it is today—one of the nation’s premier public research universities. Without you, our ascending position among our peers would not be possible. I hope you will find pride in reflecting upon your part in achieving our mission.

With pride and gratitude,

Suresh V. Garimella
President

Previous Messages:

2020-21: View from the President’s Office

2019-20: Our First Year Together

UVM Strategic Vision:
Amplifying Our Impact: Strategic Vision for UVM