Endowment Guide

In 1791, when New York's opposition was all that stood in the way of statehood for Vermont, New Yorkers demanded and received the princely sum of $30,000 to end their opposition.

Was that payment a case of extortion? Or reasonable compensation for dropping New York's claim? Its debatable and Nov. 2-3, in two benefit events, Center for Research on Vermont affiliates will do exactly that and the stakes are high. In today's figures, New York could owe Vermont "somewhere between $584,000 and $1.32 billion," says UVM economist Art Woolf.

The two "What New York Owes Vermont" debates, one at UVM and one at the Burr & Burton academy in Manchester, feature an all-star cast: speaking for Vermont will be Vermont Supreme Court Justice John Dooley and UVM political science Professor Frank Bryan. Defending New York's interests will be the renowned constitutional historian Professor John Kaminski of the University of Wisconsin and UVM Professor Emeritus Neil Stout.

The Manchester debate will take place at Burr & Burtons Riley Center on Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. The UVM event is at the Billings Campus Center Theater on Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m. Both events suggest a donation of $10. The money will benefit the Center for Research on Vermonts endowment.

The Center for Research on Vermont encourages and supports research into all areas related to Vermont. It provides channels through which the work of scholars can be made available to the general public and to each other and strives to expand public awareness of the importance of research on Vermont. The center also fosters support and collaboration among UVM faculty engaged in teaching Vermont-related themes and materials, and supervises a Vermont Studies minor for UVM undergraduates.

[ Comment, Edit or Article Submission ]