The Context

In the wake of Goddard College’s announcement to shutter their campus for at least the following year, a group of stakeholders–including leadership from the faculty union, staff union, alumni, and student body–have joined forces to transform the college into a cooperatively run institution. Staff Union co-chair and constituent member of the Board of Trustees, Alisha Raby (aka Squish), is excited about the collaborative efforts, sharing that “initial conversations and organizing are deeply encouraging, reawakening and invigorating what feels to be the true soul of what it means to uphold transformative, progressive education.”

The decision to close the campus was not the sole impetus for the stakeholders to join forces as a collaborative, explained alumna Kailina Mills. “The root of the problem is the dissonance between the College’s pedagogy and its governance structure, which has created rifts in the community for decades. The school was founded on the principle of radical democracy, yet the institution has often been governed by a small handful of people who are neither versed in its radical traditions nor bother to seek counsel from the students, faculty, alumni, and staff that make up the college community.”

Goddard College, founded in Plainfield, Vermont in 1938 by Royce “Tim” Pitkin, is renowned for its trailblazing approach. Its students are full partners in planning and guiding their learning experience based on their passions, not passive receptors of prescribed learning. Its fiercely loyal alumni are noted in fields such as education, literature, performing arts, healthcare, counseling and civic service. Adam Myers, a current student in the undergraduate program told us about what attracted him to Goddard in the first place: “I went to two different colleges before Goddard. At these other colleges, I felt in many ways I was there because I was obligated to be...but Goddard's unique low-residency model and personalized learning…alleviated tremendous pressure. Through the Goddard culture--including the ways advisors support students in their chosen paths, the staff's hard work, and the way students treat each other--I was able to grow so much, make meaningful connections and have amazing conversations, feel welcome and cared for, and learn the things that interested me with the support I needed to succeed.”

After numerous administrative decisions were made without consulting community stakeholders, the decision to close the campus was the final straw. Alisha Raby–who is also an alumni–explained that “there is a great fatigue plaguing both Goddard College’s public image and its internal community. Stakeholders have had enough of holding out slivers of hope for significant, meaningful change to trickle down. We’ve decided it’s time to take action together.”

In recent years, there has been an alarming departure from the College’s values and mission. In opposition to these top down changes, the faculty union voted to authorize a strike during tense contract negotiations, the staff union went on strike for over a month, and the student council and the alumni association both separately voted no confidence in President Dan Hocoy and the Board of Trustees. However, H. Sharif Williams, PhD, chair of the Goddard College Faculty Council, shared that “this is not about the personalities or failings of the president or any specific board member. The issue is larger and more fundamental than that. If Goddard is going to be relevant in the 21st century, given the rise of fascism and white nationalism around the world, it has to have an organizational culture, governance structure, and decision making processes that are as liberatory, engaged, and values-based as the educational model we use. This is how we can best empower students to deal with the challenges of our world.”

In announcing their intention to revitalize the college, the coalition of students, alumni, faculty, and staff intend to broaden their partnerships with like-minded organizations, fundraise to transition the struggling but important institution to a cooperatively governed institution, and reinvigorate Goddard College’s radical pedagogy for the 21st century. 

This is an invitation for any interested individuals or organizations to get involved in organizing with us to transform Goddard College!