The University of Vermont Board of Trustees received updates from a wide array of campus constituents at its annual spring meeting Friday and Saturday at the Dudley H. Davis Center.

In addition to routine updates from university leadership, the Board heard a series of presentations from governance leaders and constituent groups on important strategic initiatives in their organizations including the Faculty Senate, Staff Council, Graduate Student Senate, Alumni Association, and UVM Foundation.

The Board also welcomed Katie Shepherd, dean of the College of Education and Social Services (CESS), for the first in a new rotating series of engagement and education for board members on work within UVM’s colleges and schools. Shepherd provided an overview of CESS’s primary strategic initiatives and goals, highlighted some of the college’s signature achievements, and invited trustees to an informal reception at which they met with students, faculty, and staff.

Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Joel Seligman provided the Board with an update on the university’s re-branding rollout. Seligman said UVM’s new positioning statement, “For People and Planet,” and updated logo, colors and other branding elements are being increasingly incorporated across campus, including on the newly redesigned website.

Associate Director of Planning, Design and Construction David Blatchly shared a routine update with the board on Catamount Run, the university’s new apartment complex in South Burlington, built in partnership with the Snyder Braverman Development Corporation. Blatchly shared an update on the significant progress at Catamount Run, the first phase of which opens for residents in August.

The board also received a summary from Blatchly and Director of Athletics Jeff Schulman of interior updates and renovations at the university’s athletic complex and planning for the approved expansion of individual fitness space at the campus’s Gucciardi Fitness and Recreation Center.

The Educational Policy and Institutional Resources (EPIR) Committee received a presentation on the newly formed Water Resources Institute from its director, Beverly Wemple of the department of Geography and Geosciences. The institute will harness UVM’s strength in water research, education, and outreach to advance a sustainable water future. The Board voted to approve the formation of the institute.

The EPIR Committee’s review of the Water Resources Institute began with an introduction from Kirk Dombrowski, Vice President for Research and Economic Development, highlighting the exciting role research institutes and centers are playing as part of the university’s significant expansion of research activity and funding.

The Budget, Finance and Investment (BFI) Committee heard a summary of budget premises for fiscal year 2025. A deadline extension for accepted students to confirm their intent to enroll driven by the federal government’s challenges rolling out an updated Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) caused the necessary postponement in setting the university’s FY25 general fund budget. The university plans a special Board meeting June 25 to present the FY25 budget for approval.

Carol Cartwright of the Association of Governing Boards presented a summary for the Board of UVM President Suresh Garimella’s comprehensive five-year presidential review. Board Chair Ron Lumbra acknowledged the review process and its conclusion and commended Garimella for his accomplishments as president over the past five years. An update to the campus community in the coming weeks will mark the formal conclusion of the process.

In other business during the meeting:

• The report of the Vice President for Finance and Administration to the BFI committee provided an update on the university’s progress meeting its goals for divesting from fossil fuels and included a complete list of the funds in which the university’s consolidated endowment is invested.
• The Board was informed that construction costs and permitting considerations have affected plans for the Catamount Woods project, causing the university and its partner to halt the project and consider alternatives.
• As part of a curricular affairs update, the Board approved the formation of graduate-level micro-certificates in various areas of study, including semiconductor engineering, scientific computing, and integrative health and wellness coaching.
• At the recommendation of Provost Patty Prelock, the Board approved a number of proposed revisions to the University Manual, developed through a consultative process with the Faculty Senate executive committee and other campus constituencies. The University Manual was last updated in 2016.
• The board approved revisions to the university’s Green Revolving Loan Fund, aimed at increasing energy efficiency, extending the internal loan’s payback period from 7 to 15 years with the goal of expanding the scope of sustainability initiatives that would qualify for funding.