VSC Chancellor Tim Donovan to step down at year’s end

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Kayla Friedrich

VSC Chancellor Tim Donovan

At a May 22 meeting at Castleton State College, the Vermont State Colleges board of trustees reluctantly accepted the request of VSC Chancellor Tim Donovan to step down Dec. 31, 2014, six months earlier than his current contract stipulated.  Donovan cited personal reasons.

Responding to the chancellor’s request, longtime board chair Gary Moore said, “Tim has served the VSC very well and has been an excellent chancellor as well as college president during his long VSC career. We respect the reasons and the timing of his departure…As board chair, I knew there was some chance of this. Last June, the board offered Tim a two-year extension of his contract. In July, he discussed with Vice Chair Jerman and me that he felt uncomfortable making a two-year commitment that he may not be able to fulfill given circumstances in his personal life. We urged him to sign the contract and continue as Chancellor for as long as possible.”

Tim Jerman, board vice-president, expressed similar sentiments, citing Donovan’s long dedication to the VSC system and its mission to transform lives. “This is a sad announcement,” Jerman said. “I’ve known Tim Donovan for over 30 years; he has dedicated his professional life to the betterment of the Vermont State Colleges. He believes deeply in the values of universal access to higher education. There is now a generation of Vermonters who have benefitted from Tim’s leadership. Tim’s communication skills and easy manner allowed him to work effectively with students, parents, faculty, business leaders, and legislators.”

Writing to the board, Donovan noted, “I care deeply for Vermont. I am fervent in my belief in the importance and transformative power of higher education. I care deeply for these colleges. These are very good colleges – better than Vermont should expect given its meager investment. With inspired stewardship from strong and effective Presidents, Chancellor, and Board, along with the commitment of so many dedicated faculty and staff at the colleges, they will continue to serve Vermont well.”

Donovan has been a frequent and increasingly public critic of the weak level of public funding for the Vermont State Colleges system, which ranks 49th in the nation in the level of fiscal support it receives from the Legislature. It is one of the most tuition-dependent higher education systems in the nation.

Shortly after the board meeting, Donovan emailed the VSC community, announcing his pending retirement from the VSC. “Circumstances in my personal life demand that I scale back at the very time my position demands full focus and attention,” he wrote. “Over the past year, I have seen that those two ‘curves’ will soon cross with neither getting what it deserves.  From either perspective, I won’t let that happen.  Consequently, I have decided to bring my 38-year VSC career to a close December 31. One of the great gifts of my career has been to work with all of you and your colleges.  Thank you for all you do for your students, your college, and Vermont.”

Donovan has served as chancellor for the past five years after an eight-year stint as president of CCV. He serves on a number of boards, including the Vermont Business Roundtable, Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce; the New England Secondary School Consortium and the New England Board of Higher Education.