Moore dispels rumors at open forum

Professor of music business Beth Norris made an impassioned speech during an open forum for students, faculty, and administration this week.

"80-some percent of the support for Lyndon State College comes directly from your tuition dollars. You are the ones that are in charge of this. You are our bosses. You are the administration's bosses," she said to the roughly 30 students in attendance.

Norris went on to say that increasing class sizes to have a 35 to one ratio of students to faculty would lessen the educational value at Lyndon State College. President Carol Moore, who spoke at the forum to dispel false rumors and answer questions, said that ratio was incorrect.

"That is not data that we are headed toward," Moore said of the ratio Norris talked of. "We have been very clear with faculty that we are going to be increasing our class sizes on an average of two over the next three years."

Moore also addressed the most popular rumors that have been circulating around campus since possible faculty and staff cuts raised alarm. Moore said the music business and industry major would not be cut, and human services would not be as well. She also said maintenance would not be outsourced, and the other Vermont State Colleges are going through similar budget problems as well.

Both Moore and Dean of Institutional Advancement Bob Whittaker discussed the solutions students came up with since the sit-in earlier this month. These suggestions included charging parking fees, selling the property on McGoff Hill, and being more energy-efficient.

While she said the parking idea was a good one, Moore added that the extra money would not be enough to prevent employee cuts. She also pointed out that this would be an extra burden on students who already pay several fees to attend LSC.

The property on McGoff Hill was purchased after a gift from a donor to the college, and the money could only be used for that purchase.

Some students were disgruntled with the lack of information they said they received about potential faculty beforehand.

"The students were left in the dark," said electronic journalism arts major Justin Chenette. "The decisions were made behind closed doors and without our input, and I think that's just blatantly wrong."

This forum was created in an attempt to open up communication between students and administration, following this month's sit-in, an emergency Student Government Association meeting, and the bus trip to Montpelier to speak to legislators.