Vermont State College Chancellor announces retirement plans

1/31/08

By Catherine Story
Critic Staff

Recently the Vermont State College Chancellor, Robert Clarke, declared that he would be retiring at the end of the 2008-09 school year.

During his tenure Clarke has been liked and disliked by faculty members.

“We always got along,” said James Bozeman mathematics chairperson, “although I did not always agree on contractual issues.”

Bozeman said that in previous years Clarke had supported a contract change for faculty of Vermont State colleges removing their early retirement option.

“It took a few years of fighting to get the early retirement back,” Bozeman said.

Bozeman still disagrees with the outcome of the fight but is happy that the faculty who were tenured at the time are still able to choose an early retirement.

“He has done some good,” said Bozeman, “ In recent years he has become more student and faculty oriented.”

Recently a group of faculty went before the Vermont legislature in an attempt to get an 8% increase in funding. Clarke supported these faculty members.

The Governor is only offering a 2.5% increase in funding which may not be enough to keep up with inflation.

Richard Moye, professor of English, had a different opinion of Robert Clarke.

“Retiring now is one of the slimier moves of Robert Clarke,” Moye said.

Robert Clarke will be taking advantage of the early retirement option that he attempted to remove from faculty contracts.

“Professors in Vermont state colleges don’t get paid very well,” Moye said.

When LSC was looking for a full time Philosophy professor they had an applicant who had a PhD in his field, was fluent in six languages and conversant in twelve. The school could only offer him a $27,000 salary.

“We used the early retirement option to help rope people in,” Moye said, “It’s not easy to get people to move here.”

After a professor earns their PhD they’re usually getting a little older. It’s rare for them to retire at fifty-five.

Many of the faculty that were hired with this early retirement option in their contracts do not have it. Only faculty who were tenured at the time will receive the early retirement option.

“Untenured faculty ought to be upset,” said Moye, “They were hired with that bait.”

“I don’t think Clarke has done anything to improve Vermont,” Moye said.

Moye said that Clarke has hurt Vermont more than he has helped.

“Alienating faculty who are the heart and soul of an educational institution,” is how Moye describes Robert Clarke.