Graduate Students United

Governance & administration

How UVM is governed.

The Board of Trustees holds ultimate legal authority. The President reports to the Board; everyone else reports to the President or, for academic affairs, to the Provost. Shared-governance bodies (Faculty Senate, Staff Council, SGA, GSS) advise the President and sit non-voting on the Board's Executive Committee.

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Show everyone Faculty / staff: speak to admin Undergrads: email admin Undergrads: bring it to student gov Email the Board of Trustees

Trustees set policy and the budget. A short letter from many people lands harder than one long letter from one. Either fire off an individual email to a trustee, or use the group blast (BCC) to reach every trustee whose address we have on file.

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Send an email — template included

Each button opens your email client with a pre-filled draft. If that doesn't fire, expand Show text to copy on the card and paste the subject and body into a fresh email.

Group BCC blast
Email all Trustees with public addresses (12)
BCC blast · addressed to “Dear Trustee”
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Bcc
CBARNHAR@MIT.EDU, contact@devost.net, sdodge@draftkings.com, kristina.m.pisanelli@medtronic.com, jbartholomew@leg.state.vt.us, sbeck@leg.state.vt.us, COde@leg.state.vt.us, mpriestley@leg.state.vt.us, ssmith@dinse.com, frank@vermont.org, mckenzie.hart@uvm.edu, Shahriar.Akhavan-Tafti@uvm.edu
Subject
Graduate worker compensation — for Board consideration
Body
Dear Trustee, I'm writing to ask the Board to take up graduate-worker compensation as a budget priority. UVM's published 2026-27 minimum stipends are $25,781 for a 9-month appointment and $34,375 for a 12-month appointment. The union compensation report sets a Vermont livable wage for 2026 at $21.06/hr — about $30,366.64 for 9 months and $40,435.20 for 12 months. That is a 17.78% increase over the current minimums, and it is grounded in basic-needs costs published by the VT Joint Fiscal Office under 2 V.S.A. § 526. I'm asking the Board to: - Acknowledge the cost-of-living gap facing graduate workers - Direct the administration to bring a stipend floor that meets the VT JFO basic-needs figure to the bargaining table - Track whether stipend adjustments keep pace with the published livable wage Thank you for your time, [Your name] [Your affiliation]
Personalised
Email Cynthia Barnhart (Chair)
CBARNHAR@MIT.EDU
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To
CBARNHAR@MIT.EDU
Subject
Graduate worker compensation — for Board consideration
Body
Dear Trustee Barnhart, I'm writing to ask you, as a member of the UVM Board, to take up graduate-worker compensation as a budget priority. UVM's published 2026-27 minimum stipends are $25,781 for a 9-month appointment and $34,375 for a 12-month appointment. The union compensation report sets a Vermont livable wage for 2026 at $21.06/hr — about $30,366.64 for 9 months and $40,435.20 for 12 months. That is a 17.78% increase over the current minimums, and it is grounded in basic-needs costs published by the VT Joint Fiscal Office under 2 V.S.A. § 526. I'm asking the Board to: - Acknowledge the cost-of-living gap facing graduate workers - Direct the administration to bring a stipend floor that meets the VT JFO basic-needs figure to the bargaining table - Track whether stipend adjustments keep pace with the published livable wage Thank you for your time, [Your name] [Your affiliation]
Personalised
Email Matthew G. Devost
contact@devost.net
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To
contact@devost.net
Subject
Graduate worker compensation — for Board consideration
Body
Dear Trustee Devost, I'm writing to ask you, as a member of the UVM Board, to take up graduate-worker compensation as a budget priority. UVM's published 2026-27 minimum stipends are $25,781 for a 9-month appointment and $34,375 for a 12-month appointment. The union compensation report sets a Vermont livable wage for 2026 at $21.06/hr — about $30,366.64 for 9 months and $40,435.20 for 12 months. That is a 17.78% increase over the current minimums, and it is grounded in basic-needs costs published by the VT Joint Fiscal Office under 2 V.S.A. § 526. I'm asking the Board to: - Acknowledge the cost-of-living gap facing graduate workers - Direct the administration to bring a stipend floor that meets the VT JFO basic-needs figure to the bargaining table - Track whether stipend adjustments keep pace with the published livable wage Thank you for your time, [Your name] [Your affiliation]
Personalised
Email R. Stanton Dodge
sdodge@draftkings.com
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To
sdodge@draftkings.com
Subject
Graduate worker compensation — for Board consideration
Body
Dear Trustee Dodge, I'm writing to ask you, as a member of the UVM Board, to take up graduate-worker compensation as a budget priority. UVM's published 2026-27 minimum stipends are $25,781 for a 9-month appointment and $34,375 for a 12-month appointment. The union compensation report sets a Vermont livable wage for 2026 at $21.06/hr — about $30,366.64 for 9 months and $40,435.20 for 12 months. That is a 17.78% increase over the current minimums, and it is grounded in basic-needs costs published by the VT Joint Fiscal Office under 2 V.S.A. § 526. I'm asking the Board to: - Acknowledge the cost-of-living gap facing graduate workers - Direct the administration to bring a stipend floor that meets the VT JFO basic-needs figure to the bargaining table - Track whether stipend adjustments keep pace with the published livable wage Thank you for your time, [Your name] [Your affiliation]
Personalised
Email Kristina M. Pisanelli
kristina.m.pisanelli@medtronic.com
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To
kristina.m.pisanelli@medtronic.com
Subject
Graduate worker compensation — for Board consideration
Body
Dear Trustee Pisanelli, I'm writing to ask you, as a member of the UVM Board, to take up graduate-worker compensation as a budget priority. UVM's published 2026-27 minimum stipends are $25,781 for a 9-month appointment and $34,375 for a 12-month appointment. The union compensation report sets a Vermont livable wage for 2026 at $21.06/hr — about $30,366.64 for 9 months and $40,435.20 for 12 months. That is a 17.78% increase over the current minimums, and it is grounded in basic-needs costs published by the VT Joint Fiscal Office under 2 V.S.A. § 526. I'm asking the Board to: - Acknowledge the cost-of-living gap facing graduate workers - Direct the administration to bring a stipend floor that meets the VT JFO basic-needs figure to the bargaining table - Track whether stipend adjustments keep pace with the published livable wage Thank you for your time, [Your name] [Your affiliation]
Personalised
Email John L. Bartholomew
jbartholomew@leg.state.vt.us
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To
jbartholomew@leg.state.vt.us
Subject
Graduate worker compensation — for Board consideration
Body
Dear Trustee Bartholomew, I'm writing to ask you, as a member of the UVM Board, to take up graduate-worker compensation as a budget priority. UVM's published 2026-27 minimum stipends are $25,781 for a 9-month appointment and $34,375 for a 12-month appointment. The union compensation report sets a Vermont livable wage for 2026 at $21.06/hr — about $30,366.64 for 9 months and $40,435.20 for 12 months. That is a 17.78% increase over the current minimums, and it is grounded in basic-needs costs published by the VT Joint Fiscal Office under 2 V.S.A. § 526. I'm asking the Board to: - Acknowledge the cost-of-living gap facing graduate workers - Direct the administration to bring a stipend floor that meets the VT JFO basic-needs figure to the bargaining table - Track whether stipend adjustments keep pace with the published livable wage Thank you for your time, [Your name] [Your affiliation]
Personalised
Email Scott L. Beck
sbeck@leg.state.vt.us
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To
sbeck@leg.state.vt.us
Subject
Graduate worker compensation — for Board consideration
Body
Dear Trustee Beck, I'm writing to ask you, as a member of the UVM Board, to take up graduate-worker compensation as a budget priority. UVM's published 2026-27 minimum stipends are $25,781 for a 9-month appointment and $34,375 for a 12-month appointment. The union compensation report sets a Vermont livable wage for 2026 at $21.06/hr — about $30,366.64 for 9 months and $40,435.20 for 12 months. That is a 17.78% increase over the current minimums, and it is grounded in basic-needs costs published by the VT Joint Fiscal Office under 2 V.S.A. § 526. I'm asking the Board to: - Acknowledge the cost-of-living gap facing graduate workers - Direct the administration to bring a stipend floor that meets the VT JFO basic-needs figure to the bargaining table - Track whether stipend adjustments keep pace with the published livable wage Thank you for your time, [Your name] [Your affiliation]
Personalised
Email Carol Bua Ode
COde@leg.state.vt.us
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To
COde@leg.state.vt.us
Subject
Graduate worker compensation — for Board consideration
Body
Dear Trustee Ode, I'm writing to ask you, as a member of the UVM Board, to take up graduate-worker compensation as a budget priority. UVM's published 2026-27 minimum stipends are $25,781 for a 9-month appointment and $34,375 for a 12-month appointment. The union compensation report sets a Vermont livable wage for 2026 at $21.06/hr — about $30,366.64 for 9 months and $40,435.20 for 12 months. That is a 17.78% increase over the current minimums, and it is grounded in basic-needs costs published by the VT Joint Fiscal Office under 2 V.S.A. § 526. I'm asking the Board to: - Acknowledge the cost-of-living gap facing graduate workers - Direct the administration to bring a stipend floor that meets the VT JFO basic-needs figure to the bargaining table - Track whether stipend adjustments keep pace with the published livable wage Thank you for your time, [Your name] [Your affiliation]
Personalised
Email Monique E. Priestley
mpriestley@leg.state.vt.us
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To
mpriestley@leg.state.vt.us
Subject
Graduate worker compensation — for Board consideration
Body
Dear Trustee Priestley, I'm writing to ask you, as a member of the UVM Board, to take up graduate-worker compensation as a budget priority. UVM's published 2026-27 minimum stipends are $25,781 for a 9-month appointment and $34,375 for a 12-month appointment. The union compensation report sets a Vermont livable wage for 2026 at $21.06/hr — about $30,366.64 for 9 months and $40,435.20 for 12 months. That is a 17.78% increase over the current minimums, and it is grounded in basic-needs costs published by the VT Joint Fiscal Office under 2 V.S.A. § 526. I'm asking the Board to: - Acknowledge the cost-of-living gap facing graduate workers - Direct the administration to bring a stipend floor that meets the VT JFO basic-needs figure to the bargaining table - Track whether stipend adjustments keep pace with the published livable wage Thank you for your time, [Your name] [Your affiliation]
Personalised
Email Shapleigh Smith Jr.
ssmith@dinse.com
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To
ssmith@dinse.com
Subject
Graduate worker compensation — for Board consideration
Body
Dear Trustee Jr., I'm writing to ask you, as a member of the UVM Board, to take up graduate-worker compensation as a budget priority. UVM's published 2026-27 minimum stipends are $25,781 for a 9-month appointment and $34,375 for a 12-month appointment. The union compensation report sets a Vermont livable wage for 2026 at $21.06/hr — about $30,366.64 for 9 months and $40,435.20 for 12 months. That is a 17.78% increase over the current minimums, and it is grounded in basic-needs costs published by the VT Joint Fiscal Office under 2 V.S.A. § 526. I'm asking the Board to: - Acknowledge the cost-of-living gap facing graduate workers - Direct the administration to bring a stipend floor that meets the VT JFO basic-needs figure to the bargaining table - Track whether stipend adjustments keep pace with the published livable wage Thank you for your time, [Your name] [Your affiliation]
Personalised
Email Frank J. Cioffi
frank@vermont.org
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To
frank@vermont.org
Subject
Graduate worker compensation — for Board consideration
Body
Dear Trustee Cioffi, I'm writing to ask you, as a member of the UVM Board, to take up graduate-worker compensation as a budget priority. UVM's published 2026-27 minimum stipends are $25,781 for a 9-month appointment and $34,375 for a 12-month appointment. The union compensation report sets a Vermont livable wage for 2026 at $21.06/hr — about $30,366.64 for 9 months and $40,435.20 for 12 months. That is a 17.78% increase over the current minimums, and it is grounded in basic-needs costs published by the VT Joint Fiscal Office under 2 V.S.A. § 526. I'm asking the Board to: - Acknowledge the cost-of-living gap facing graduate workers - Direct the administration to bring a stipend floor that meets the VT JFO basic-needs figure to the bargaining table - Track whether stipend adjustments keep pace with the published livable wage Thank you for your time, [Your name] [Your affiliation]
Personalised
Email McKenzie E. Hart
mckenzie.hart@uvm.edu
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To
mckenzie.hart@uvm.edu
Subject
Graduate worker compensation — for Board consideration
Body
Dear Trustee Hart, I'm writing to ask you, as a member of the UVM Board, to take up graduate-worker compensation as a budget priority. UVM's published 2026-27 minimum stipends are $25,781 for a 9-month appointment and $34,375 for a 12-month appointment. The union compensation report sets a Vermont livable wage for 2026 at $21.06/hr — about $30,366.64 for 9 months and $40,435.20 for 12 months. That is a 17.78% increase over the current minimums, and it is grounded in basic-needs costs published by the VT Joint Fiscal Office under 2 V.S.A. § 526. I'm asking the Board to: - Acknowledge the cost-of-living gap facing graduate workers - Direct the administration to bring a stipend floor that meets the VT JFO basic-needs figure to the bargaining table - Track whether stipend adjustments keep pace with the published livable wage Thank you for your time, [Your name] [Your affiliation]
Personalised
Email Shahriar A. Tafti
Shahriar.Akhavan-Tafti@uvm.edu
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To
Shahriar.Akhavan-Tafti@uvm.edu
Subject
Graduate worker compensation — for Board consideration
Body
Dear Trustee Tafti, I'm writing to ask you, as a member of the UVM Board, to take up graduate-worker compensation as a budget priority. UVM's published 2026-27 minimum stipends are $25,781 for a 9-month appointment and $34,375 for a 12-month appointment. The union compensation report sets a Vermont livable wage for 2026 at $21.06/hr — about $30,366.64 for 9 months and $40,435.20 for 12 months. That is a 17.78% increase over the current minimums, and it is grounded in basic-needs costs published by the VT Joint Fiscal Office under 2 V.S.A. § 526. I'm asking the Board to: - Acknowledge the cost-of-living gap facing graduate workers - Direct the administration to bring a stipend floor that meets the VT JFO basic-needs figure to the bargaining table - Track whether stipend adjustments keep pace with the published livable wage Thank you for your time, [Your name] [Your affiliation]

Level 0

Board of Trustees

Sets policy, budget, and the strategic plan; appoints the President. 25 members.

Contact: trustees@uvm.edu

25 members · 6 standing committees

Chair

Cynthia Barnhart

Self-perpetuating; reelected chair March 2026.

Vice Chair

Donald H. McCree

Self-perpetuating.

Secretary

Catherine "Kitty" Toll

Legislative trustee.

Self-Perpetuating Trustees · 9

Cynthia Barnhart(Chair)CBARNHAR@MIT.EDU
Donald H. McCree(Vice Chair)
No public email; LinkedIn profile only.
Theresa Alberghini DiPalma
Listed public address bounces; no working email known.
Susan M. Brengle
No public email; LinkedIn profile only.
Shannon Deegan
No public email; LinkedIn profile only.
Matthew G. Devostcontact@devost.net
R. Stanton Dodgesdodge@draftkings.com
Jodi H. Goldstein
Listed public address bounces; no working email known.
Kristina M. Pisanellikristina.m.pisanelli@medtronic.com

Legislative Trustees · 9

Catherine "Kitty" Toll(Secretary)
No public email known.
John L. Bartholomewjbartholomew@leg.state.vt.us
Scott L. Becksbeck@leg.state.vt.us
Stephanie Jerome
Listed public address bounces; no working email known.
Carol Bua OdeCOde@leg.state.vt.us
Monique E. Priestleympriestley@leg.state.vt.us
Lucy E. Rogers
Listed public address bounces; no working email known.
Shapleigh Smith Jr.ssmith@dinse.com
Tristan D. Toleno
Listed public address bounces; no working email known.

Gubernatorial Trustees · 3

Frank J. Cioffifrank@vermont.org
Jason D. Maulucci
No public email; LinkedIn profile only.
Ed Pagano
Listed public address bounces; no working email known.

Student Trustees · 2

McKenzie E. Hartmckenzie.hart@uvm.edu
Shahriar A. TaftiShahriar.Akhavan-Tafti@uvm.edu

Ex-Officio · 2

Phil Scott
Governor of Vermont — contact through governor.vermont.gov.
Marlene Tromppresident@uvm.edu
President of UVM — same address as president@uvm.edu above.

Standing committees: Executive · Audit · Budget, Finance & Investment · Committee on Board Governance · Educational Policy & Institutional Resources · Committee of the Whole

Faculty Senate, Staff Council, SGA, GSS, and the UVM Foundation Presidents sit as non-voting representatives on the Executive Committee — this is the formal link between shared-governance bodies and the Board.

Level 1

President

Reports to the Board; is a voting member of the Board by right of office.

President & Professor of English

Marlene Tromp

president@uvm.edu

Chief of Staff to the President

Jonathan D'Amore

Jonathan.DAmore@uvm.edu

Level 2

Senior leadership reporting to the President

The Provost is the chief academic officer and the #2 overall. The other Vice Presidents and Chief Officers are peers, each reporting directly to the President.

Chief academic officer

Interim Provost & Senior Vice President (chief academic officer)

Linda S. Schadler

Linda.Schadler@uvm.edu

VPs & Chief Officers (peers of the Provost)

VP for Finance, Administration & Human Resources

Alicia Shier Estey

alicia.estey@uvm.edu

VP for Legal Affairs & General Counsel; Senior Advisor to the President

Sharon Reich Paulsen

sharon.reich.paulsen@uvm.edu

VP for Research & Economic Development

Kirk Dombrowski

Kirk.Dombrowski@uvm.edu

VP for Enrollment Management

Jay (Jason) Jacobs

jason.jacobs@uvm.edu

Chief Information Officer

Kellie Campbell

uvmcio@uvm.edu

Chief Officer, Professional & Continuing Education

Bettyjo Bouchey

Bettyjo.Bouchey@uvm.edu

Chief Safety & Compliance Officer

Michael E. Schirling

Michael.Schirling@uvm.edu

Chief Communications & Marketing Officer

Lauren Griswold

lauren.griswold@uvm.edu

Now permanent; org chart still showed interim Alessandro Bertoni.

Executive Director, Government Relations

Wendy L. Koenig

Wendy.Koenig@uvm.edu

Director of Athletics

Jeff Schulman

athletic.office@uvm.edu

Chief Internal Auditor

Sara Timmerman

Sara.Timmerman@uvm.edu

Reports to the Board's Audit Committee, not the President. Listed here for org-chart context.

Affiliated (dotted line — separate corporate entity)

UVM Foundation, Interim President & CEO

Kathleen Kelleher

Kathleen.Kelleher@uvm.edu

Separate corporate entity, dotted line. Foundation Board Chair: Robert Brennan.

Level 3a

Under the Provost — Vice Provosts

The vice provosts run the academic functions of the university: academic affairs, faculty affairs, intercultural excellence, student affairs, graduate studies, institutional research, and international partnerships.

VP for Academic Affairs & Student Success

Jennifer Dickinson

jennifer.dickinson@uvm.edu

VP for Faculty Affairs

Jane E. Okech

Jane.Okech@uvm.edu

VP for Intercultural Excellence

Amer F. Ahmed

InterculturalExcellence@uvm.edu

VP for Student Affairs & Dean of Students

Erica Caloiero

Erica.Caloiero@uvm.edu

VP for Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (also Dean, Graduate College)

Holger Hoock

hhoock@uvm.edu

Single most relevant administrator for graduate-worker compensation policy.

Assistant Provost & Chief of Staff

Kerry Castano

Kerry.Castano@uvm.edu

Executive Director, Institutional Research & Assessment

Jason Garvey

jcgarvey@uvm.edu

Executive Director, International Partnerships & Programs

Jamie McGowan

Jamie.McGowan@uvm.edu

Level 3b

Under the Provost — Deans

The deans run the colleges and schools. For department-level advocacy, start with the dean of your TA's home college; for school-wide policy, the Graduate College dean is the most relevant.

Dean, College of Arts & Sciences

William Falls

wfalls@uvm.edu

Dean, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences

Linda Prokopy

Linda.prokopy@uvm.edu

Dean, College of Education & Social Services

Katharine Shepherd

Katharine.Shepherd@uvm.edu

Interim Dean, College of Engineering & Mathematical Sciences

Mandar Dewoolkar

mdewoolk@uvm.edu

Dean, Larner College of Medicine; Chief Medical Affairs Officer

Richard L. Page

Richard.Page@med.uvm.edu

Dean, College of Nursing & Health Sciences

Noma Anderson

Noma.Anderson@uvm.edu

Dean, Grossman School of Business

Sanjay Sharma

Sanjay.sharma@uvm.edu

Dean, Rubenstein School of Environment & Natural Resources

Peter Newman

peter.newman@uvm.edu

Dean, Patrick Leahy Honors College

David Jenemann

David.Jenemann@uvm.edu

Dean, Graduate College

Holger Hoock

hhoock@uvm.edu

Same person as the VP for Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies above.

Dean of Libraries

Bryn Geffert

bryn.geffert@uvm.edu

Parallel branch

Shared-governance bodies

Not below the administration in a command sense — these bodies advise the President and hold non-voting representation on the Board's Executive Committee.

Faculty Senate

Academic-affairs authority delegated by the Board. Below: Executive Council and 8 standing committees (Curricular Affairs, Professional Standards, Student Affairs, Research/Scholarship/Creative Arts, Financial & Physical Planning, Educational & Research Technologies, Catamount Core Curriculum, Faculty Affairs).

President (term to June 2027)
Abigail McGowan
Professor of History.
Vice President
Amy Trubek
Professor of Nutrition & Food Sciences.
Immediate Past-President
Thomas Borchert
Professor of Religion.

Faculty Senate office: Faculty.Senate@uvm.edu

Staff Council

Staff voice (est. 1971).

President (term July 2025–June 2027)
Jennifer Jorgenson
Vice President
Samantha Dickey

Staff Council office: staff.council@uvm.edu

Student Government Association (SGA)

Undergraduate students. Below: SGA Senate (~34 seats) + standing committees. Treasurer and Speaker of the Senate seats exist but names are not public.

President (reelected for 2026–27)
Kennedy Connors
Vice President (2025–26)
Merrick Modun
Vice President (2026–27, takes office this term)
Rubi Espejo

SGA office: uvmsga@uvm.edu

Graduate Student Senate (GSS)

Graduate students.

President
Seide Saba Rafiei
Seide-saba.rafiei@uvm.edu
Vice President
Parmida Amngostar
Parmida.Amngostar@uvm.edu
Treasurer
Muyiwa Davis
oayodele@uvm.edu
Secretary
Zane Zupan
zane.zupan@uvm.edu
Communications Director
Sevda Alvirdizadeh
salvirdi@uvm.edu

GSS office: gss@uvm.edu

Speaking up matters.

Identify your most useful contact, pull the verified figures from /stipend, and send the email. The /departments page has a template you can adapt.

Open the department directory See the verified data