Vermont Technical College Explained

Former Name:Randolph Normal School (1866-1910)
Vermont School of Agriculture (1910-1957)
Type:Public
Established:1866
Closed:July 2023
Country:United States
Free Label:Successor
Sporting Affiliations:Yankee Small College Conference (2011–2023)Sunrise Athletic Conference (2006–2011)
Sports Nickname:Knights

Vermont Technical College (Vermont Tech or VTC) was a public technical college in Vermont. Its main residential campuses were located in Randolph Center and Williston. In addition, there were regional campuses distance sites, and nursing campuses in locations throughout the state.[1]

Founded in 1866 as the Randolph Normal School, the mission of the school evolved through time, finally becoming a technical institute in 1957. On July 1, 2023, VTC merged with Northern Vermont University and Castleton University to become Vermont State University.[2] [3]

History

In 1806, the Vermont House of Representatives passed a law creating the Orange County Grammar School in Randolph.[4] The school provided education through the high school grades and by the 1850s its state mandate had expanded to include teacher training.[5] In 1866, Edward Conant, the principal of the Orange County Grammar School, expanded its course offerings to make it a full-fledged normal school for the education and training of teachers. Later that year, the Vermont General Assembly passed legislation making the change official, and the school became the Randolph Normal School.

In 1910, the Randolph Normal School was selected by the legislature as the location for the Vermont School of Agriculture.[6] [7] In 1957, technical courses were added to the curriculum, and the Vermont School of Agriculture was renamed the Vermont Agriculture and Technical Institute (VATI). In 1962, VATI was authorized by the state to award associate degrees and became Vermont Technical College (VTC). VTC began awarding bachelor's degrees in 1993 and master's degrees in 2015.

For many years, the Vermont public colleges have experienced financial stress and chronic underfunding.[8] Exacerbated by COVID-19, in April 2020, Vermont State Colleges system Chancellor Jeb Spaulding recommended closing the Vermont Technical College residential campus in Randolph as well as all operations/campuses of Northern Vermont University. Under the proposal, some of the Vermont Tech academic programs would be consolidated in Williston.[9] The proposal was abandoned after public opposition, with the Vermont State Colleges instead announcing it would merge its four-year schools as Vermont State University.[10]

Academics

VTC offered bachelor's, master's, and associate degrees.[11] Its five schools included: Agriculture, Plant, & Animal Sciences; Engineering & Computing; General Education; Nursing & Health Professions; and Professional Studies & Management.[11] The schools offered degrees in over 50 majors.[11]

Athletics

The Vermont Tech athletic teams are called the Knights. The college is a member of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA), primarily competing in the Yankee Small College Conference (YSCC) since the 2011–12 academic year.[12] The Knights previously competed in the Sunrise Athletic Conference of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 2006–07 to 2010–11.[13] [14]

The Vermont State University Randolph Knights continue to play as of 2023.[15]

Student life

Student radio station

WVTC, Vermont Tech's 300-watt fully licensed radio station, broadcasts online and locally at 90.7 FM.[16] The station is located at Morey Hall on VTC's Randolph Center campus. WVTC is operated and maintained by the students of VTC through the school's Radio Club, and is financially supported by VTC Student Council.

CubeSat lab

The Vermont Tech CubeSat Lab launched its first satellite, the Vermont Lunar CubeSat, a 1U CubeSat on November 19, 2013.[17] Intended to orbit for three to five years, the satellite was fully functional until reentry on November 21, 2015.[18] Vermont Tech's CubeSat was the first successful satellite launched by a New England college or university.[19] Vermont Tech subsequently aided in developing the flight software for the Lunar IceCube, a satellite intended for deployment as part of the NASA Space Launch System's first flight in 2022.[20]

Notable people

Alumni

Faculty and administrators

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Locations . 2023-08-19 . Vermont Technical College . en-US.
  2. Web site: D’Auria . Peter . 2023-06-30 . After a rocky few years, Vermont State University tries to find its footing . Valley News.
  3. Web site: Randolph Campus . 2023-08-10 . Vermont State University .
  4. Book: Thompson, Zadock . A Gazetteer of the State of Vermont . 1824 . E. P. Walton . Montpelier, VT . 225 . Zadock Thompson.
  5. Book: Harris, W. T. . Circular of Information of the Bureau of Education No. 4: History of Education in Vermont . 1900 . US Government Printing Office . Washington, DC . 204–205.
  6. Book: Praeger . American Universities and Colleges . 2010 . ABC-CLIO . 978-0-313-36611-6 . 2 . Santa Barbara, CA . 1370.
  7. News: September 29, 2016 . Time To Celebrate: VTC Turns 150 in November . . Randolph, VT .
  8. Web site: Lederman . Doug . 2022-08-23 . From 3 Struggling Public Colleges, a New University Emerges . 2023-08-19 . Inside Higher Ed . en.
  9. News: Jane Lindholm . Matthew F. Smith . Abagael Giles . April 20, 2020 . Chancellor Jeb Spaulding On His Proposal To Close Three State College Campuses . Vermont Public Radio .
  10. Web site: 2021-10-07 . 'Vt. State University' Moniker Lands in '23 - The White River Valley Herald . 2022-07-25 . The White River Valley Herald - Serving the Communities of Vermont's White River Valley Since 1874.
  11. Web site: Vermont Tech Programs . Catalog Table of Contents . Vermont Technical College . Randolph, VT . May 3, 2021.
  12. Web site: The Intercollegiate Varsity Athletic Program . Athletic Information . Vermont Technical College . Randolph, VT . May 3, 2021.
  13. News: Mahoney. Larry. Bangor Daily News. UMFK, UMPI, UMM leave NAIA for new association. June 17, 2011. July 2, 2011.
  14. Web site: Sunrise Conference - Members . January 5, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100411065649/http://www.sunriseconference.com/members.php . April 11, 2010 .
  15. Web site: Athletics at Vermont State . 2023-08-30 . Vermont State University . en-US.
  16. News: April 19, 2017 . WVTC Officially Over the Hill: The College Radio Station celebrates its 50th . News & Events . Vermont Technical College . Randolph, VT.
  17. News: November 19, 2013 . Vermont Tech Launches A Cube Satellite Into Space . Vermont Technical College News . Vermont Technical College . Randolph, VT.
  18. News: Vondrasek . Sandy . December 3, 2015 . Earth's Pull Ends Two-Year Orbit: But Work Begins On Lunar Model . . Randolph, VT.
  19. News: January 25, 2017 . Vermont Tech Student On A Mission to launch Lunar IceCube to the Moon . Vermont Technical College News . Vermont Technical College . Randolph, VT.
  20. Web site: CubeSat Laboratory, Software Components. CubeSat Laboratory. 17 October 2016. 9 March 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20160817122726/http://cubesatlab.org/IceCube-Software.jsp. 17 August 2016. dead.
  21. News: February 7, 1961 . Charles Adams, Retired State Supreme Court Justice, Dies . . Rutland, VT . 2 . Newspapers.com.
  22. News: February 29, 1956 . Berthold Coburn Dies; Governor Candidate In '46 . . Burlington, VT . 1 . Newspapers.com.
  23. Web site: Vermont State Archives . Biography, Harry H. Cooley . Secretary of State Harry H. Cooley Papers . Vermont Secretary of State . Montpelier, VT . 1 . 2017-02-01 . 2015-04-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150402140948/https://www.sec.state.vt.us/media/246643/A-255.pdf . dead .
  24. News: September 15, 1920 . Demise of Alexander Dunnett . . Montpelier, VT . . 4 . .
  25. Book: Weymouth . Caroline B. . 1885 . The Normal Register: A History of the First Vermont State Normal School Its Instructors and Alumni . Montpelier, VT . Argus & Patriot Steam Job Print. . 55 . Google Books.
  26. Book: Ellis, William Arba . 1911 . Norwich University 1819–1911: Her History, Her Graduates, Her Roll of Honor . 3 . Montpelier, VT . Capital City Press . 29–30 . Google Books.
  27. Web site: Biography, Senator Norm McAllister . 2015 . legislature.vermont.gov . Vermont General Assembly . Montpelier, VT.
  28. Web site: Biography, Senator Robert A. Starr. 2017 . legislature.vermont.gov . Vermont General Assembly . Montpelier, VT.
  29. News: Brown . Tom . July 1, 2013 . Randolph lawmaker Larry Townsend dies at 66 . VT Digger . Montpelier, VT.
  30. Book: Ullery, Jacob G. . 1894 . Men of Vermont: An Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters and Sons of Vermont . Brattleboro, VT . Transcript Publishing Company . 243–244.

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