Vermont
On anniversary of controversial merger, VTSU officials say they’ve turned the page
RANDOLPH CENTER, Vt. (WCAX) – It’s been one year since the Vermont State Colleges campuses merged to form Vermont State University to address millions in debt and declining enrollment. Faculty and university leaders say while it has been a bumpy year, they feel like they’ve turned the page and are looking forward to year two.
Engineering department head John Kidder and his peers have been on the front lines of the merger of Castleton University, Northern Vermont University, and Vermont Technical College.
“It’s been somewhat tumultuous going through that,” Kidder acknowledged. “The faculty, while we had a common catalog and a lot of common ground and common practices, they were still very different institutions, and so there’s been some work to pull that all together. I would say the faculty has done a great job at pulling it all together.”
Kidder says some of that tumultuousness is connected to leadership changes, including two new interim presidents after previous former president Parwinder Grewal stepped down suddenly in April 2023 after less than a year in office. “I think that at times it’s felt like we haven’t had the leadership we need, and the vision we need,” Kidder said.
Interim president David Bergh joined VTSU at a time when leaders faced backlash for ongoing cuts to programming. The state invested $200 million into the merger with the promise that the university would cut spending by $5 million a year.
Bergh says they met that goal. “Financially, as we’re working to reduce our expenses and our budget, we’re on track and we’ve made progress there,” he said. The cuts came from letting go of many faculty members as part of the university’s plan to reach financial stability. “It takes time to work through that as an institution, and you know, those are some of the hard choices and decisions we had to make to be on track to reach our fiscal goals and to meet our responsibility to the state.”
The system also struggled with declining enrollment over the past decade, but vice president of enrollment Maurice Ouimet says numbers are trending upwards again. “We’re excited to report that we’re seeing positive growth trends in our new student enrollment at this point. We’ve been trending from three to as much as six percent ahead and we’re currently hovering around five percent increase for new students for the fall,” he said. Ouimet says he thinks many students needed a year to see how the merger would work out and now he’s hopeful the numbers keep trending up.
Kidder says now that the first year is over, he’s excited about what’s ahead. “I think it was wise for us to go into that direction, because higher education is really in flux right now. So, it’s an exciting place to be and I think we stepped out and were proactive about it,” he said.
Copyright 2024 WCAX. All rights reserved.
The votes have been tallied and the girls winner of the Vermont Varsity Insider Athlete of the Week powered by Delta Dental is … Callie Spaulding of Windsor basketball.
Spaulding collected 51.55% of the 43,310 total votes cast in the girls contest. The junior was nominated after helping Windsor advance to the Division III semifinals for the 10th consecutive year with double-digit outings in a pair of playoff contests. Spaulding chipped in 10 points and three assists during the playdowns and was one of four Yellow Jackets to score double digits (11 points) in their quarterfinal victory over Enosburg.
The online voting at burlingtonfreepress.com began Monday, March 2, and closed at 9 p.m. on Thursday, March 5.
Check burlingtonfreepress.com for the next ballot, which will be published on Monday, March 9.
Delta Dental Girls Athlete of the Week winners in 2025-26 school year
Winter season
Feb. 23-March 1: Callie Spaulding, Windsor basketball
Feb. 16-22: Lydia Ruggles, St. Johnsbury gymnastics
Feb. 9-15: Mae Oakley, Burr and Burton, Alpine skiing
Feb. 2-8: Chloe Moodie, Peoples basketball
Jan. 26-Feb. 1: Marlie Bushey, Milton basketball
Jan. 19-25: Brinley Gandin, Rutland basketball
Jan. 12-18: Grace Bourn, Rivendell basketball
Jan. 5-11: Patricia Stabach, Stowe indoor track and field
Dec. 29-Jan. 4: Hannah Drury, U-32 hockey
Dec. 22-28: Brooke Osgood, Oxbow basketball
Dec. 15-21: Kayla Cisse, South Burlington basketball
Dec. 12-14: Harlow Hier, Colchester basketball
Fall season
Oct. 27-Nov. 2: Eme Silverman, Poultney soccer
Oct. 20-26: Veronica Moore, Bellows Falls field hockey
Oct. 13-19: Ava Francis, Vergennes soccer
Oct. 6-12: Savannah Monahan, Milton soccer
Sept. 29-Oct. 5: Rachel Scherer, North Country soccer
Sept. 22-28: Trista Favreau-Ward, Missisquoi field hockey
Sept. 15-21: Reese Gregory, Essex volleyball
Sept. 8-14: Isabelle Gouin, Hazen soccer
Aug. 29-Sept. 7: Avery Hansen, Lake Region soccer
Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter: @aabrami5.
Contact Judith Altneu at JAltneu@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter: @Judith_Altneu.
NEWPORT, Vt. (WCAX) – Friends and family of a Vermont veteran charged with domestic terrorism rallied in Newport Thursday, saying the charges stem from a mental health crisis and are unwarranted.
Vermont State Police say Joseph “J.J.” Millett, 38, of Newport, called a veterans crisis line in February, making suicidal statements and threatening a mass-casualty event.
Court records say Millett had guns and wrote what investigators call a manifesto. He turned himself in, and state police say they disarmed him at the barracks. He pleaded not guilty and was never formally arrested or placed in jail. He is currently in a treatment facility.
Supporters say the threats were the result of new medication and a mental health crisis. “But all the way to domestic terrorism for a man that fought overseas — he wasn’t a terrorist. He’s been fighting terrorists half his life,” said Chad Abbott, a friend who served with Millett overseas.
Abbott said he believes the charges could have unintended consequences for veterans seeking help. “These hotlines that they put out for us is to kind of get us the help we need. And now, none of us are going to want to call that,” he said.
Millett’s sister, Courtney Morin, said her brother served in the Vermont Guard for nearly 10 years and has struggled with mental health since returning home. “He suffers from depression, anxiety — he has PTSD. So, he’s actually been seeking help for his mental health for probably as long as he’s been home,” Morin said.
Orleans County State’s Attorney Farzana Leyva said the charge is warranted and that Millett was not calling for help when he contacted the crisis line. “He called the crisis helpline to make the threats. I think we have to be very clear about that. Those were threats. He did not call the crisis helpline for help. He called anonymously,” Leyva said.
She said the evidence — including repeated threats — Millett’s access to guns, and a manifesto justifies the charge and protects the public. “My priority is public safety, which is the highest priority that I have right now,” Leyva said.
Morin said she believes her brother was trying to get help. “I think he was seeking help. I mean, it’s all a trail of him seeking help, being on different meds. You know, we’re not in his head. We don’t know what he’s dealing with. And especially if you’re dealing with it alone,” Morin said.
Millett continues to receive treatment and is due back in court later this month.
Copyright 2026 WCAX. All rights reserved.
The 2025-2026 Vermont high school winter season has begun. See below for scores, schedules and game details (statistical leaders, game notes) from basketball, hockey, gymnastics, wrestling, Nordic/Alpine skiing and other winter sports.
TO REPORT SCORES
Coaches or team representatives are asked to report results ASAP after games by emailing sports@burlingtonfreepress.com. Please submit with a name/contact number.
▶ Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter: @aabrami5.
▶ Contact Judith Altneu at JAltneu@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter: @Judith_Altneu.
THURSDAY’S H.S. PLAYOFF GAMES
D-III GIRLS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS
At Barre Auditorium
No. 5 Vergennes (17-4) vs. No. 1 Hazen (18-2), 5:30 p.m.
No. 3 Oxbow (16-6) vs. No. 2 Windsor (16-6), 7:30 p.m.
Watch Vermont high school sports on NFHS Network
D-I BOYS BASKETBALL QUARTERFINALS
Games at 7 p.m. unless noted
No. 8 Mount Mansfield (10-11) at No. 1 Rice Memorial (17-3)
No. 12 Essex (5-16) at No. 4 Rutland (15-6)
No. 7 Burr and Burton (13-8) at No. 2 South Burlington (15-5), 6 p.m.
No. 6 BFA-St. Albans (13-8) vs. No. 3 Burlington (15-5) at Colchester, 7:30 p.m.
D-II GIRLS HOCKEY QUARTERFINALS
No. 8 Stowe (5-16) vs. No. 1 U-32 (13-6-1) at Kreitzberg Arena, 5 p.m.
(Subject to change)
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