“What is the state of the university? Vermont!”
President Marlene Tromp kicked off UVM’s first “State of UVM” event on August 25 by delivering remarks to 700 attendees.
Regarding financial aid, beginning in fall 2027, the UVM Promise program threshold is expanding, allowing for increased aid access.
UVM Promise was started in fall 2024 for in-state students whose parents’ adjusted gross income was below $75,000. The program’s goal is to help cover tuition costs and application fees, according to the UVM Financial Services website.
In fall 2025, this threshold was increased to $100,000 and in fall 2027, the number will increase to $125,000, said Tromp.
In discussing the University’s primary challenges, Tromp cited “the demographic cliff,” referring to the projected decline in college attendees due to falling birthrates during the Great Recession.
“We know that it’s going to change the way that all of us recruit. It’s going to change the kind of students we can reach out to. It’s going to increase the competition, and the cliff moves in short stops for the first few years and then it’s a really significant decline,” said Tromp.
The demographic cliff is anticipated to hit Vermont particularly hard as the state has the second highest median age in the U.S, said Tromp.
“Our demographic is upside down, and that means we have fewer young people within our state to come to our land grant university,” said Tromp.
Tromp also highlighted the new developments UVM will see, including this year’s research funding received by UVM.
Extramural research funding has received $222 million for the 2026 fiscal year, which is a $15 million increase from the previous year, stated Communications Head Basil Waugh in an email to media attending the event.
Additionally, the National Science Foundation has awarded UVM $3.3 million for snow research and connections between winter weather and Vermont’s outdoor recreation economy, stated Waugh.
New major and minor programs are also coming to UVM, said Tromp.
Starting in January 2026, a new co-major in Statistics has been offered. The thirty credit co-major acts as an additional focus to students’ major rather than a separate degree as in a double major. Common pairings are economics, social sciences, biology and natural resources, according to the 2026 Faculty Senate Resolution.
Additionally, new graduate programs in Autonomy and Robotics, Agroecology and Exercise Science and a doctorate in Public Health will be offered.
Vermont Listens was also announced as a new UVM project. The initiative will hold public forum-style events in Burlington and Bennington, stated Waugh.
“Vermont Listens is a new statewide initiative from UVM that brings people together across backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to share what they value and why,” stated Waugh.
UVM is also launching Ask UVM during the fall 2026 semester after a smaller pilot implementation last spring, according to a statement from Interim Provost and Senior Vice President Linda Schadler.
The resource is run by UVM professionals and student CAT guides, states the Ask UVM page.
“It’s a one-stop shop for our students to ask questions, so they can get the help and support they need without moving from office to office,” said Tromp.
Ask UVM is intended to work as a help desk for students to get advice or to be connected to the right department.
The administration is also building an enrollment and retention plan to help students succeed in collaboration with Student Affairs, the Provost Office and other units, said Tromp.
For current UVM students looking to see what changes they can expect, the administration is focusing on support for students, said Tromp.
“What we’re trying to do is make it easier for students to get access to support. We’re trying to really think about what kinds of programs will make a difference for them, and we’ve worked with students to understand what they need,” said Tromp.
