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University of Vermont (UVM)

Website:

uvm.edu
Type:

Public University
Formation:

1791
President:

Marlene Tromp
Budget (2025):

Revenue:                            $764,436,000

Expenses:                           $858,784,000

Net Assets:                         $950,119,000 3

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The University of Vermont (UVM), officially the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, is the flagship public university in the state of Vermont. The school has a history of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs which came under pressure during the second Trump administration.  In response to this pressure and the risk of losing federal research funding, the school rebranded various DEI programs to “intercultural excellence.” 1  2  3  4

UVM experienced allegations of antisemitism and a hostile campus environment for Jewish students prior to the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel by the Palestinian Islamist militant group Hamas. The school settled with the U.S. Department of Education‘s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) over these complaints in April 2023. In the wake of the Hamas attacks on Israel, the campus chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine conducted an unpermitted encampment protest organized beginning in April 2024. The group made various demands of the school administration, including the cancellation of the scheduled commencement speaker, to which the school acquiesced. 5  6  7  8  9

Founding and History

The University of Vermont was chartered as a private institution in 1791, the same year that Vermont became the 14th state in the Union. Instruction began in 1801. It became a public college when it was merged with Vermont Agricultural College in 1865, after which it was renamed the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College. In 2025 the school was designated an R1 research university by the Carnegie Foundation Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. 1  10

Financials

For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, the University of Vermont reported $764,436,000 in revenue, of which $405,623,000 came from net student fees, $278,785,000 from federal, state, and private grants and contracts, and $21,475,000 from student-loan interest and other operating revenues. It had $858,784,000 in expenses, of which $563,707,000 was spent on compensation and benefits, $245,350,000 for supplies and services, and $7,754,000 for scholarships and fellowships. 3

The school’s budgeting separates non-operating revenues and expenses from operating revenue and expenses. Even though the school’s operating expenses exceeded its revenue, thanks to other revenue, which included $56,274,000 in state funding, $11,879,000 in federal Pell Grants, and $97,044,000 in net investment income, the school’s net assets in 2025 increased by $62,756,000 and it ended the year with $950,119,000 in total net assets. 3

Ratings for Campus Climate

Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) evaluates university written speech policies and surveys students on campus speech climate. FIRE assigned the University of Vermont a “yellow light” speech code rating, indicating the university maintains at least one policy that could be used to suppress protected speech and is subject to administrative abuse. Four specific policies were flagged: a posting and solicitation policy requiring all informational materials to clearly identify their sponsor, a discrimination and harassment resources policy covering bias incidents involving speech or expressive conduct, an alcohol policy requiring that event advertising not be “demeaning” in a discriminatory fashion, and a discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct policy that FIRE considered overbroad. 11

Separately, FIRE conducts a survey to establish a College Free Speech Ranking that looks at student impressions of the speech climate on their campuses. The 2026 rating found UVM at 213 out of 257 surveyed schools and a grade of F. The school scored particularly low in administrative support, disruptive conduct, and political tolerance. 12

American Council of Trustees and Alumni

The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) evaluates universities in its annual “What Will They Learn?” report, rating institutions on their core curriculum requirements. As of March 2026, the University of Vermont was last evaluated in October 2025 and received an F grade, as it only required one of the seven core subject classes (mathematics), lacking composition, literature, foreign language, US government and history, economics, and science requirements. 13

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The University of Vermont maintains extensive diversity, inclusion, and equity bureaucracy and programs. The school previously had a vice provost for diversity, equity and inclusion, Amer F. Ahmed, who was also the chief executive of the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. However, in 2025, in contrast to 2024, Ahmed’s position was changed to vice provost for intercultural excellence. This change was due to the second Trump administration’s pressure on DEI programs in higher education that put UVM’s significant federal research funding at risk. 3  4  2  14

In 2022, UVM launched a university-wide comprehensive diversity, equity, and inclusion plan, described by the university as a data-driven plan that produced specific measurable goals from every academic and administrative unit in the school to be implemented across five years. 15

The university operates multiple identity-based centers, including the Mosaic Intercultural Center; the Women and Gender Equity Center, renamed the WAGE Center; the LGBT-focused Prism Center; and the Interfaith Center, which all operate under the Division of Intercultural Excellence, previously called the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. 16

In the curriculum, UVM imposes a diversity requirement on all undergraduate students. Under this policy, students must complete at least one three-credit course from “Diversity Category One,” which covers race and racism in the United States, and a second three-credit course from either Diversity Category One or “Diversity Category Two,” which covers other intersectional diversity issues. 17

Pro-Palestinian Protests and Antisemitism

The University of Vermont’s history of issues with allegations of antisemitism dates to before the Hamas terror group’s October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel. In 2021, a complaint was filed with the U.S. Department of Education‘s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) alleging that UVM had allowed a hostile environment for Jewish students to persist on campus, in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The complaint cited multiple incidents, including a teaching assistant who allegedly threatened to lower the grades of Jewish students, a student organization that excluded Zionists from participation, and vandalism of the campus Hillel building. In September 2022, then-president Suresh Garimella issued a public letter denying the allegations. The letter was widely condemned by Jewish organizations; over 20 national Jewish groups signed a letter expressing “grave alarm” at the administration’s denial, and the OCR itself later noted in its final findings that Garimella’s response might have contributed to the perceived hostile environment and discouraged students from participating in the investigation. 6   18

In April 2023, the OCR found that UVM’s affirmative action office had failed to investigate the antisemitism complaints as required, that the responsive steps the university did take were delayed and inadequate, and that the administration’s conduct may have discouraged students from reporting further. Under the resolution agreement, UVM was required to change various anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies and instruct students and staff about proper behavior. 6  7

Later in October 2023, within weeks of the Hamas attacks against Israel, UVM was once again embroiled in controversy over speaker Mohammed El-Kurd, a Palestinian journalist affiliated with The Nation as part of a social justice lecture series. The school’s safety department issued a letter to the organizers of the event stating that it would be unable to provide adequate security in light of unspecified recent events. While an open records request revealed that the school had not received any specific threats about the event, there was concern among school administrators that El-Kurd might “spout hate” given his previous comments that had been characterized as antisemitic and the Anti-Defamation League’s view that his criticism of Israel was slanderous. Students and alumni had also contacted the administration over concerns about El-Kurd’s alleged antisemitism. In the end, the event was moved from in person to online, where it had roughly 1,000 viewers. 19  20

Controversy emerged again in April 2024 in the closing weeks of the academic year when the school’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine established an unpermitted protest encampment on school grounds. The group issued five demands to the school: full financial disclosure of the university’s investments and endowment; divestment from weapons manufacturers, Israeli companies, and companies involved in Israeli military operations in the Palestinian territories; an academic boycott of Israeli institutions; cancellation of Biden administration U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield as the university’s planned commencement speaker; and amnesty for all students involved in protests. Over two weeks the encampment grew to over 50 tents. 8   9

On May 3, 2024, then-UVM president Garimella issued an email acquiescing to the protesters’ demand to cancel Thomas-Greenfield’s commencement address without explanation. The student protesters declared this to be a victory and within a few days disassembled the protest camp. 9  21

UVM then suspended the Students for Justice in Palestine chapter due to the unpermitted encampment. The chapter then sued the school in federal court alleging that its suspension was unconstitutional and the result of bias against pro-Palestinian speech. The lawsuit was dismissed in January 2025, and the chapter reinstated on a probationary basis for the rest of the semester. 22  23

In the wake of the encampment incident, Jewish students reported concern about how the issue was handled, and that canceling the commencement speaker amounted to appeasement and left them feeling unsupported. 21

Leadership

Marlene Tromp became the University of Vermont’s president in July 2025. Tromp was previously the president of Boise State University in Idaho and her tenure was marked by controversy regarding the state legislature’s clampdown on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies in the state’s schools. Tromp proactively closed the school’s DEI related centers before the state could order them to be closed. When asked about this experience after assuming her new position at UVM in light of the danger of losing federal funding, Tromp said that she wanted to support professors’ freedom of speech and also work with government agencies to restore as much lost funding as possible, but that it may be necessary to carefully consider funding sources in the future.  24  25  2

References

  1. “About the University.” University of Vermont Catalogue, 2025–26. Accessed March 17, 2026. https://catalogue.uvm.edu/undergraduate/aboutuniv/
  2. McDonald, Corey. “Q&A: New UVM President Marlene Tromp on In-State Enrollment, Staff Layoffs and the Future of DEI on Campus.” VTDigger, July 27, 2025. Accessed March 17, 2026. https://vtdigger.org/2025/07/27/qa-new-uvm-president-marlene-tromp-on-in-state-enrollment-staff-layoffs-and-the-future-of-dei-on-campus/
  3. University of Vermont and State Agricultural College. Annual Financial Report 2025. Burlington: University of Vermont, 2025. Accessed March 17, 2026. https://www.uvm.edu/d10-files/documents/2025-12/FY25_Fin_Rpt.pdf
  4. University of Vermont and State Agricultural College. Annual Financial Report 2024. Burlington: University of Vermont, 2024. Accessed March 17, 2026. https://www.uvm.edu/d10-files/documents/2024-11/FY24_Fin_Rpt.pdf
  5. Tress, Luke. “‘Victim Blaming’: University of Vermont Assailed for Denying Antisemitism Charges.” Times of Israel, September 18, 2022. Accessed March 17, 2026. https://www.timesofisrael.com/victim-blaming-university-of-vermont-assailed-for-denying-antisemitism-charges/
  6. Tress, Luke. “US Federal Probe Finds University of Vermont Mishandled Antisemitism Allegations.” Times of Israel, April 3, 2023. Accessed March 17, 2026. https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-federal-probe-finds-university-of-vermont-mishandled-antisemitism-allegations/
  7. Knott, Katherine. “U.S. Resolves U of Vermont Antisemitism Investigation.” Inside Higher Ed, April 4, 2023. Accessed March 17, 2026. https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2023/04/04/us-resolves-u-vermont-antisemitism-investigation
  8. Moore, Matt. “UVM Students Build Solidarity Encampment for Palestine.” The Rake Vermont, April 29, 2024. Accessed March 17, 2026. https://www.rakevt.org/2024/04/29/uvm-students-build-solidarity-encampment-for-palestine/
  9. Flanders, Colin. “UVM Cancels Commencement Speaker Amid Pro-Palestinian Protest.” Seven Days, May 3, 2024. Accessed March 17, 2026. https://www.sevendaysvt.com/news/uvm-cancels-commencement-speaker-amid-pro-palestinian-protest-40817119
  10. Gieger, Olivia. “University of Vermont Receives Highest Designation for a Research Institution.” VTDigger, February 13, 2025. Accessed March 17, 2026. https://vtdigger.org/2025/02/13/university-of-vermont-receives-highest-designation-for-a-research-institution/
  11. “University of Vermont.” Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. Last updated November 4, 2024. Accessed March 17, 2026. https://www.fire.org/colleges/university-vermont
  12. “University of Vermont: Free Speech Rankings.” Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. Accessed March 17, 2026. https://www.fire.org/colleges/university-vermont/free-speech-rankings
  13. “University of Vermont.” What Will They Learn? American Council of Trustees and Alumni. Last evaluated October 6, 2025. Accessed March 17, 2026. https://www.whatwilltheylearn.com/schools/2738
  14. Diedrich, Noah. “UVM Quietly Removes DEI Language from Websites, Office Names.” The Vermont Cynic, April 28, 2025. Accessed March 17, 2026. https://vtcynic.com/uncategorized/uvm-quietly-removes-dei-language-from-websites-office-names/
  15. “Inclusive Excellence Strategic Plan.” Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, University of Vermont. Archived July 8, 2024. Accessed March 17, 2026. https://web.archive.org/web/20240708202347/https://www.uvm.edu/diversity/inclusive-excellence-strategic-plan
  16. “Intercultural Centers.” Division of Intercultural Excellence, University of Vermont. Accessed March 17, 2026. https://www.uvm.edu/ie/intercultural-centers
  17. “CCC: Common Ground Values.” University of Vermont Catalogue, 2025–26. Accessed March 17, 2026. https://catalogue.uvm.edu/undergraduate/courses/ccc/cgv/
  18. Tress, Luke. “‘Victim blaming’: University of Vermont assailed for denying antisemitism charges” Times of Israel, September 18, 2022. Accessed March 17, 2026. https://www.timesofisrael.com/victim-blaming-university-of-vermont-assailed-for-denying-antisemitism-charges/
  19. Piro, Graham. “Records Obtained by FIRE Cast Doubt on University of Vermont’s Rationale for Forcing Pro-Palestinian Event Online.” Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, December 20, 2023. Accessed March 17, 2026. https://www.thefire.org/news/records-obtained-fire-cast-doubt-university-vermonts-rationale-forcing-pro-palestinian-event
  20. Hellman, Rachel. “Records Show UVM Professors Questioned Decision to Nix Palestinian Writer’s Appearance.” Seven Days, December 20, 2023. Accessed March 17, 2026. https://www.sevendaysvt.com/news/records-show-uvm-professors-questioned-decision-to-nix-palestinian-writers-appearance-39777348/
  21. Cullen, Kevin. “At the University of Vermont, Protest Ends Abruptly but Peacefully.” Boston Globe, May 10, 2024. Accessed March 17, 2026. https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/05/10/metro/university-vermont-protest-ends-abruptly-peacefully/
  22. D’Auria, Peter. “Pro-Palestinian Student Group Sues UVM over Suspension During Spring Protests.” VTDigger, September 10, 2024. Accessed March 17, 2026. https://vtdigger.org/2024/09/10/pro-palestinian-student-group-sues-uvm-over-suspension-during-spring-protests/
  23. McDonald, Corey. “Federal Judge Dismisses Pro-Palestinian Student Group’s Lawsuit Against UVM.” VTDigger, January 2, 2025. Accessed March 17, 2026. https://vtdigger.org/2025/01/02/federal-judge-dimisses-pro-palestinian-student-groups-lawsuit-against-uvm/
  24. Richert, Kevin. “Analysis: Tromp’s Turbulent Tenure Ends Where It Began.” Idaho Education News, March 27, 2025. Accessed March 17, 2026. https://www.idahoednews.org/top-news/analysis-tromps-turbulent-tenure-ends-where-it-began/
  25. Neuert, Ed. “‘In Gracious and Bountiful Hands’ — Marlene Tromp Is Officially Installed as UVM President.” UVM News, University of Vermont, September 30, 2025. Accessed March 17, 2026. https://www.uvm.edu/uvmnews/news/gracious-and-bountiful-hands-marlene-tromp-officially-installed-uvm-president
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