The University of Vermont grabbed headlines recently with a number: 27. The figure represents an eye-popping one-fifth of the College of Arts and Sciences' academic programs, which are on the chopping block as the economic fallout of the coronavirus ravages the institution's budget. It is not alone. Even though state flagships, such as the U of Vermont, are inherently more prepared to endure the crisis than many other types of institutions because of their wealth, they are proving to not be immune from its unprecedented effect on colleges' finances. "At the end of the day, the flagships are winners, but everyone is losing right now," said Rachel Fishman, deputy director for education policy research at left-leaning think tank New America. "It's not a pretty picture."
