Office of the President To the University of Vermont Community:

Office of the President
January 14, 2013
To the University of Vermont Community:
As we begin a new year and a new semester, I want to welcome back to campus all who
work so hard to make UVM such an exceptional academic community. My first six months as
President has been a time of engagement, discovery, and learning. Every day I become more
knowledgeable about this extraordinary University.
Financial access and affordability are our top priorities. I was gratified to learn over the
holidays that UVM once again has been recognized by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine
as one the top 100 best values among public colleges in the country. UVM was ranked 63rd and
67th for in-state and out-of-state students, respectively. The magazine narrows its list to the top
100 from a field of nearly 600 public colleges and universities. "The University of Vermont
placed in the top 100 thanks to its high four-year graduation rate, low average student debt at
graduation, abundant financial aid, a low sticker price and overall great value," the magazine
wrote.
Although we’re happy again to be ranked among the top values on quality and costs in
higher education, we must not rest on our laurels. I will continue to encourage all of us to work
to further enhance academic quality and affordability at UVM. An important part of our work
will be to keep students costs as low as possible. I am projecting a tuition increase of less that
3% for next year – the lowest in 36 years. There will be budgetary challenges accompanying our
efforts. I have been meeting with the Deans and Vice Presidents to begin work on overcoming
those challenges on a multi-year basis. I am very pleased that our new Interim Provost, Professor Robert B. Low, is playing a central role in these efforts.
It was a privilege to be present for Governor Shumlin’s Inaugural Speech last week, in which he
spoke exclusively about the value and importance of education to the future health of Vermont.
He clearly recognized the strong partnership between the state and the University of Vermont,
and his desire to strengthen the partnership further. The Governor’s preliminary budget proposals outlined in the speech will help us made further progress on the affordability issues outlined above, particularly for Vermont students.
I have every confidence that we will be successful in our efforts to strengthen our University if we work together and support each other. Welcome back! I wish you all a healthy and
productive semester, at the end of which we will celebrate Commencement and welcome to our
campus one of America’s premier musicians as our keynote speaker, Wynton Marsalis.
Thank you for all you do to make UVM such a unique and remarkable institution.
With every best wish,
Tom Sullivan
President