About VCC

Definitions

Why VCC and Higher Education

Compelling Reasons to Pursue the Goals of VCC

VCC Outcomes, Impact, And Accomplishments

Membership Funding

Snapshots

 

About Vermont Campus Compact

Our Vision

  • Healthy, dynamic, sustainable communities.
  • Compassionate, thoughtful, and skilled global citizens, leaders, problem solvers.
  • Relevant, collaborative, engaged institutions.

Who We Are

Vermont Campus Compact is a consortium of 22 college and university campuses aiming to catalyze the public missions of higher education. We seek to transform our campuses in ways that contribute to social, economic, and environmental sustainability while developing better informed, active citizen problem-solvers. We believe that our campuses must be vital agents and architects of a flourishing democracy.

VCC presidents believe that through sustained and creative student, faculty and institutional engagement with communities, higher education can help prepare tomorrow's civic and social leaders while strengthening communities and improving lives.

VCC is affiliated with National Campus Compact, formed in 1985, whose diverse membership now exceeds 1000 institutions. Last year, Campus Compact enabled one and a half million college student volunteers, or "service-learners," to complete over six million hours of service.

What We Do

Vermont Campus Compact facilitates individual, institutional, and community growth by connecting people and ideas and actions. VCC works with campus leaders, faculty, staff, students, and community partners from our member campuses to:

  • Improve the quality of education by developing academic and co-curricular policies and practices that cultivate in our students the skills and habits of thoughtful and compassionate leaders, citizens and problem-solvers;

  • Engage faculty in community-based teaching and scholarship that address social, economic, and environmental concerns;

  • Develop collaborative partnerships among campuses and communities;

  • Create diverse opportunities for students to engage in local and global communities, to promote an ethic of service, develop compassion and respect for diversity, and provide real-world experience;

  • Advance leadership throughout the state in addressing critical issues and strengthening democracy.

VCC provides myriad grants, training and resources; creates networks and convenes stakeholders; highlights outstanding accomplishments and exemplary practices; and responds to the unique requests of our diverse portfolio of higher education institutions as they aim to realize their civic and social mission. Some 2006-07 programming includes:

  • Grant programs to support campus initiatives and curricular reform;

  • Faculty training and resources;

  • Campus/Community partnership development;

  • An annual Student Conference, and other student training and statewide networking;

  • Training and support to lead public deliberation and dialogue;

  • Tuition scholarships for student leaders in service;

  • AmeriCorps*VISTA members to mobilize college resources to fight poverty in Vermont.

  • Annual Awards and Celebration at the Vermont State House.
The health of a democratic society may be measured by the quality of functions performed by private citizens. --Alexis de Tocqueville