SUI DOLOREM UPSUM QUIA
NEWS - The Latest Updates
Since the announcement of the current President and Trustees intent to close Goddard College, various groups of concerned alumni have begun to organize to counteract this decision. Goddard College alumni are diverse, creative, and passionate. There are likely as many opinions on the path forward for Goddard College, as there are alumni.
This effort, “Save Goddard College” has a mission to preserve, maintain, and continue as much of the recent scope of the mission of the College. We have submitted a proposal to the Trustees, here.
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Update, September 18, 2024
The following was recently posted by Lucinda Garthwaite on the Goddard College Alumni group. I am sharing this information with you. I personally am in full support of saving the campus for all of the activity zones outlined. It is a very Goddard plan. Hopefully, they will also consider having a reconstituted Goddard College on the saved campus. They need our support! Let's keep the Goddard College campus alive for future generations. I hope that you will work with Save Goddard College to support a revitalized campus and reconstituted college.
Save Goddard College will be meeting soon to discuss our support to save the campus and Save Goddard College (academics, pedagogy, and programs).
Mary Ellen McGuire-Schwartz
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Lucinda J. Garthwaite
·Hi all - Here’s the promised update about the effort to purchase the Goddard Campus. Thanks for your patience while we sort things out.
A quick note at the start: The College can’t give us the alumni list, because of its long-time promise not to sell it or give it away. But once we have a closing date, they’ll work with us to send an email to let everyone in the alumni data base know what’s happening.
For now, we have this page – and any way you have to share this update. Thanks in advance.
Just as a recap, eight people came together early this summer to make an offer to buy the Goddard campus for 3.4 million dollars. Our bid was accepted, and we began the usual work associated with big transactions like this. Four of the eight of are associated with the fiscal sponsor of this project, a VT 501c3 non profit organization called Collective Well. Four are Goddard people: former CFO Leesa Stewart, and former faculty member and board member Chris Pratt, and the two of us.
From the start our shared goal has been to secure the property for housing, economic and community development, culture and learning, and historic preservation.
That hasn’t changed. Our vision is for a bustling, busy campus again - filled with day-to-day living, work, creativity, learning and play that honors the legacy of the property as a college and a farm, its critical role in the central VT community, and its transformative impact on thousands and thousands of lives.
Our vision includes preserving the woods for wildlife, recreation and carbon sequestration, and wherever possible renovating and reusing, rather than tearing down and rebuilding, campus buildings. For Goddard alumni, that means at the very least the historic part of Greatwood, the woods and paths, are there for us to return to - even to gather to learn or just be together. It means the campus can remain a place to learn.
Sustaining and renovating the campus would be supported by leases and rentals for vision-aligned projects and organization, and supplemented by grant funding.
We can’t start building that revenue until the property changes hands, but we’ve fielded interest from the likes of woodworkers and timber framers, workforce development, an outdoor program for young adults, a music studio, archives, artists, childcare, nonprofits and small businesses who need office space. Current current tenants include WGDR, a school for herbal medicine led by an alum, and a small local children’s school.
We have a solid vision and an operating plan to make it happen. The facilities staff who been stewarding the property want to continue to do that as Greatwood Project employees. Once we have a closing date, we'll put in place the organizational structures to implement our plans.
And things changed some this summer in ways we want you to know about.
First, as many of you know, Plainfield village was hit with a devastating flood in July. Every bridge and culvert in town was washed out. Some may remember “Heartbreak Hotel” apartments: half of it, and the back of the older half, was washed away.
That’s 8 homes – gone. Two houses on Brook Road also fell into the brook. More became immediately uninhabitable, and still more won’t survive another storm, so they’ll come down soon. In total, the town has or will lose 30+ buildings, and far more households, to this flood. Fortunately, no people were injured or killed, but many lost their pets and everything they owned. Suddenly and understandably, all attention shifted to climate resiliency for the town, and to housing on higher ground. We jumped at the chance to help, and have connected with local, state and federal officials eager to support renovations and sustainable building to create housing in the part of the campus that’s variously called “Greatwood dorms,” “Village for Learning” or the old sheep meadow. (or just the "little dorms")
Funding has shifted too, as original funders encountered personal challenges and weren’t able to help as much as they thought. But we’re working with other funders aligned with the vision. Many of you have offered to help, and if we’re successful in acquiring the property, we re going to take you up on that! We'll need grant writers and organizers. We'll need tenants, if you’re nearby and need a place to work. We'll need one-time gifts and ongoing support to bring the campus back and keep it in good shape. As soon as there’s closing date, we’ll put out that call.
And we need to hear from you now if you’ve got substantial financial capacity to strengthen our funding in the lead up to closing on the property in October.
We’re in the final push to put together the 3.4 million purchase price, and start-up funds for the first year of operation ( it costs 50,000+ each month just to keep the buildings and grounds going!) If you’re able to help us build a strong foundation for acquisition with a friendly loan or substantial gift of 250 thousand or more, please email greatwoodprojectinfo@gmail.org. Kris or Lucinda will see that email and get back to you right away.
If you know someone who might like to help, but who’s not on this page, please reach out to them, or introduce us.
It's a big ask, and most of us aren’t able to help at that level, but maybe some people can, and if you can or know someone who can, we thought you’d like to know there’s still time to help with buying the property and getting us ready for year one.
The College transformed many of our lives – we have a chance to keep it ready for more transformation to happen there. Those of us who learned and worked at the Plainfield campus know its magic. There are thousands of us... let’s see if we can help pull this off.
Thanks again for your support and help.
Thank you:
· Kris Gruen, (BA RUP, 1997; MFAIA , 2015) and former WDGR Station Manager (2010-2021)
· Lucinda Garthwaite, (MFAW 1996) and former IBA faculty and co-director, Dean of Community Life, Academic Dean, and Board member (2002-2019)
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Here is information about the Greatwood Project. Although Save Goddard College goal is committed to saving the College (academics, pedagogy and programs), I am in full support of the mission of the Greatwood Project to save the campus. I hope that you will join in this effort to save the campus as well as the College.
Here is a plan that was recently shared by the Greatwood Project:
Greatwood Multi-Stakeholder Plan
Preserving the beauty of the historic buildings and landscape elements, Greatwood Project proposes to define activity zones aligned with the campus features and new stakeholders.
Specifically, we propose seven (7) activity zones as follows:
1. Martin Manor, ideally a holistic blended retreat setting, with lectures, small ensemble concerts, and arts series with catering, perhaps with residences, all to make use of the peaceful wood-paneled meeting rooms overlooking the fountain and gardens;
2. Greatwood Center, featuring community resources like the Clockhouse, Haybarn Theater, restaurant / culinary institute and catering, and cottages aligned for stakeholder events, storefront for craftspeople, workshops, and 2nd floor offices for community groups;
3. Greatwood Supportive Living Center, the serene wooded views and retreat-like feel of the campus will integrate with stakeholders in support-focused activities including retreats, adult supporting living, neurodivergent support, senior care, and substance rehabilitation initially scheduled with on-line counseling services delivered from private offices in the Greatwood Center;
4. Greatwood Village, featuring community residences in the classic Village of Learning and potential shops and businesses from Plainfield expressing an interest to relocate to higher ground;
5. Eliot Pratt Center, ideally reborn as an art museum or gallery;
6. Craft Center, established adjacent to repurposed design build Design Center; and
7. Open Sash Center, relocated from Montpelier to an existing maintenance building, with green work-force training programs under development.
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Update, August 17, 2024
Save Goddard College is committed to saving the College. At this point, we do not have the funds or interest in purchasing the campus. We never intended to purchase the campus. We were asked to submit a plan to keep the College from closure. We submitted a plan but our pledges to date did not suffice to save the College and campus. However, we are committed to saving the College for the students who have been given a raw deal by the Teach Out. We want to raise funds to establish an online program. We are asking the Board to work with us. We continue to work to save the College, NECHE accreditation, and viable programs. We need additional pledges to do that. We hope that you will support us in saving the College. Please make a pledge.
https://www.sevendaysvt.com/news/goddard-college-announces-campus-sold-to-local-nonprofit-41509717
Update July 15, 2024
Save Goddard College Submits proposal Trustees - Is Declined.
Cover Letter to the Goddard College Trustees
Proposal to the Goddard College Trustees
Update, July 1, 2024
Update, June 23, 2024
Priority Fundraising Efforts:
Media Reports and Updates
Sale price for Goddard College’s campus is $3.4 million; buyer remains unnamed
A new community group filed for temporary injunction Wednesday morning, asking a court to halt the sale of the school. Meanwhile, some students have struggled to resume their education.
By Juan Vega de Soto
Community pushes back on Goddard College campus buyer
https://www.wcax.com/2024/05/29/community-argues-over-future-goddard-college-campus/
Back from the brink, Hampshire College is nearing financial viability
In the past five years, the college recommitted to its mission, raised funds and revamped its curriculum. Experts say others can learn from its playbook.
https://www.highereddive.com/news/hampshire-college-turnaround-closure-finances/710520
Plainfield officials willing to seek state assistance in pausing sale of Goddard College campus
Rumored Goddard Sale Sparks Community Protest
History and Background
Goddard College Announces Closure
The small, progressive Vermont college will close at the end of the spring semester. It’s another blow to a state that has lost a number of higher ed institutions in recent years.
Goddard College is closing. Why should we care?
https://vtdigger.org/2024/04/17/laura-r-walker-goddard-college-is-closing-why-should-we-care/
'Higher ed has lost something that's critical': Reflecting on Goddard College's closure
Colleges are now closing at a pace of one a week. What happens to the students?