A beloved cat named Max has been awarded an honorary degree from Vermont State University’s Castleton campus. Max, a tabby cat who lives near the university’s main entrance, has become a fixture on campus, known for his friendly demeanour and love of attention.

For several years, Max has been wandering the halls of the university, charming students and staff. The university recognised Max’s contributions to the campus community with the honorary title of “Doctor of Litter-ature.”

Max’s owner, Ashley Dow, says the curious feline started venturing onto campus years ago, seeking out interaction with the students. He enjoys being picked up, played with, and even participating in campus tours, somehow knowing when and where to meet the prospective students.

According to The New York Post, everybody knows Max, who laps up the attention he’s given, allowing himself to be picked up and played with, and even posing for selfies. The social creature also loves to join campus tours, designed to show prospective students the ropes, running across the street to the meeting point at the right time.

“With a resounding purr of approval from the faculty, the Board of Trustees of the Vermont State Colleges has bestowed upon Max Dow the prestigious title of Doctor of Litter-ature, complete with all the catnip perks, scratching post privileges, and litter box responsibilities that come with it. Congratulations, Dr Max Dow,” the university’s alumni wrote in a social media post.
 

University officials say Max won’t be able to walk across the stage at graduation, but they will deliver his honorary degree to him soon.

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A four-legged fixture on the campus of a New England knowledge factory has been awarded an honorary degree — for adorable service to the academic community.

Max, a friendly tabby living adjacent to Vermont State University’s main entrance in Castleton was named a “doctor of litter-ature” — after spending a string of semesters wandering the halls of the institution of higher learning, charming students and staff with his positive energy.

“Max the Cat has been an affectionate member of the Castleton family for years,” the school said in a Facebook post.

The curious kitty first wandered down the street in search of a social life roughly half a decade ago — and the rest was history 101.

“So he decided that he would go up on campus, and he just started hanging out with the college students, and they love him,” owner Ashley Dow told the Associated Press.

Everybody knows Max, who laps up the attention he’s given, allowing himself to be picked up and played with, and even posed for selfies.

The social creature also loves to join campus tours, designed to show prospective students the ropes, running across the street to the meeting point at the right time.

“I don’t even know how he knows to go, but he does,” Dow said. “And then he’ll follow them on their tour.”

Dow, known as “Max’s mom” around Castleton, said that she’s spoken to graduates who return to town and want to know how Max is doing.

The friendly feline won’t be seen walking on stage at the upcoming graduation ceremony, but the school has promised to deliver Max’s degree soon.

MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – One week after adjourning, Vermont lawmakers are reflecting on the whirlwind session, and strategizing on how to counter Governor Phil Scott’s expected vetoes in the coming days.

The marathon legislative session that ended last week was defined by education spending, property taxes, and ongoing flood recovery efforts. “Lots of tough issues to tackle. Usually, we have two or three. This was five or six,” said House Speaker Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington.

Lawmakers are sending a flurry of bills to the governor, including measures on flood safety and resiliency, Act 250 reform, and preventing the sale of Vermonters’ sensitive data online.

Senate Majority Leader Alison Clarkson, D-Windsor County, says despite challenges facing a citizen’s legislature getting bigger and more expensive, it was a productive session. “We only have four-and-a-half months to do our work. We got a lot done in four-and-a-half months,” she said.

Lawmakers are also advancing the biggest issue of the session — a bill setting the statewide average property tax rate at 13.8 percent. “Our bill really strikes a balance in ensuring we can do everything we can to have the strongest education system for our kids while also protecting property taxpayers,” Krowinski said.

Governor Scott has pledged to veto it. “They can dig in and whip votes and as they’ve shown us in the past. They don’t need us, they can override vetoes pretty handily,” he said. But he says there could also be room for compromise over the next month.

Meanwhile, Scott has telegraphed possible vetoes for about half a dozen bills including the Renewable Energy Standard; Act 250 reforms; data privacy; and safe injection sites. Lawmakers will return to the Statehouse on June 17th for their veto session

The end of the session has been marked by the retirement of key lawmakers and political announcements preceding the campaign season. In a surprise announcement Friday, Senator Jane Kitchel, D-Caledonia County, was the latest in a string of veteran lawmakers who announced she will be retiring.

Attention is also turning to the governor’s race. Former Gov. Howard Dean on Monday is expected to announce whether he will challenge Phil Scott.

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