This month we’re going to pepper you with some tidbits of information you should know as an alum of UVM.  The 5 things below are important because UVM is your place and you should know how it operates, inside and out.

1. President Tom Sullivan and the Board of Trustees are in charge.

They run this place, advocate for UVM locally and nationally, and make decisions big and small.

Find out more about President Sullivan here and here.  Also, his wife, Leslie Black Sullivan, is a UVM alum just like you (and, yes, they have a super-cute dog)

The Board of Trustees is almost evenly divided between State legislators and non-legislators (mostly alumni) and there are two student trustees as well.

Check out who serves on the Board of Trustees here and find out what they discussed at their most recent meeting in February here.

2. It’s easy to find out how UVM spends money.

OK, definitely not the most glamorous thing we’ve ever told you, but it’s important! UVM has a big budget and it’s important for you to know how it gets spent.

In fact, how UVM spends its money is one of the most common discussion topics we have with fellow alumni. Everyone has an opinion, but we’ve realized that not everyone has dug into the details.

Well, you can. Because UVM is a public institution, the all the budget information is available at the click of a button.

• UVM Sourcebook. A huge amount of data that will tell you everything about the student body, faculty and staff, revenue, expenses, budgets, on and on and on…
• Detailed Operating Budget. If you are training to be an accountant, this report is for you. It lists budget lines for nearly all departments on campus.
• UVM Fact Sheet. For the skimmer in all of us. This summarizes some of the key items from the first two and puts them into one page.

3. UVM makes a huge impact on Vermont (and vice versa)

You might not have realized it as a student, but UVM is a huge economic driver for the State of Vermont. Alumni like you contribute to every job sector in Vermont and the spending of UVM and its alumni represents a huge portion of our economy.

In fact, last year the direct and indirect economic impact of UVM on Vermont was over $1 billion dollars.

With more than 31,000 alumni live in Vermont, so it is also home for many of us. Vermont an amazing place to live and work and UVM wouldn’t be UVM without this spectacular state.

4. Your professors are rock stars.

In addition to being teachers and mentors, your faculty members are also rock-star researchers. They are tackling huge world problems, thinking through some of the toughest moral quandaries, and changing the world with their ideas.

Don’t believe us?  Check out these recent publications to see what a big impact faculty members are making every day.

• Discovery. Innovation. Impact. This report showcases research in science and medical fields.
• Humanities at UVM. Showcases research by humanities and social science professors.
• Service-learning Report. Research isn’t limited to books and articles. Professors are changing lives through action in the community as well.

5. Alumni have driven the future of UVM for more than 200 years.

Without engaged alumni, there would be no UVM. Every generation of alumni has contributed something different as this place has evolved.

Many have volunteered countless hours to serving on boards and committees. Many have mentored students and hired fellow alumni in all types of professions.

Many have come back as professors or staff members. Many have given gifts in support of programs, scholarships, and new buildings.

If you want to check out a list of some fellow alumni who have been honored for their achievements, check out Alumni Achievement Award winners here.

And that’s what makes this community special.