University of Vermont The University of Vermont and State Agricultural College , more commonly known as the University of Vermont or UVM , is a public research university and , after 1862 , the U . S . state of Vermont ' s land - grant university . The University is commonly known as " UVM , " an abbreviation of its Latin name , " Universitas Viridis Montis " ( University of the Green Mountains ) . UVM is one of the original eight Public Ivies . Founded in 1791 , UVM is the 23rd college founded in the United States and was the fifth college established in New England . The university ' s campus is located in Burlington . Features of the UVM campus include the historic University Green , the Dudley H . Davis Center - the first student center in the nation to receive U . S . Green Building Council LEED Gold certification - the Fleming Museum of Art , and the Gutterson / Patrick athletic complex , home to UVM ' s Division I athletic teams . The largest hospital complex in Vermont , Fletcher Allen Health Care , has its primary facility adjacent to the UVM campus and is affiliated with the UVM College of Medicine . History . The University of Vermont was founded as a private university in 1791 , the same year Vermont became the 14th state in the union . In 1865 , the university merged with Vermont Agricultural College ( chartered November 22 , 1864 , after the passage of the Morrill Land - Grant Colleges Act ) , emerging as the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College . The University of Vermont draws 6 . 8 % of its annual budget of about $ 600 million from the state and Vermont residents make up 35 percent of enrollment ; 65 percent of students come from other states and countries . Much of the initial funding and planning for the university was undertaken by Ira Allen , who is honored as UVM ' s founder . Allen donated a parcel of land for the University ' s establishment . Most of this land has been maintained as the university ' s main green , upon which stands a statue of Allen . The citizens of Burlington helped fund the university ' s first edifice , and , when fire destroyed it in 1824 , also paid for its replacement . This building came to be known as " Old Mill " for its resemblance to New England mills of the time . The Marquis de Lafayette , a French general who became a commander in the American Revolution , toured all 24 US states in 1824 / 5 and while in Vermont laid the cornerstone of Old Mill , which stands on University Row , along with Ira Allen Chapel , Billings Center , Williams Hall , Royall Tyler Theatre and Morrill Hall . A statue of Lafayette stands at the north end of the main green . The University of Vermont was the first American college or university with a charter declaring that the " rules , regulations , and by - laws shall not tend to give preference to any religious sect or denomination whatsoever . " In 1871 , UVM defied custom and admitted two women as students . Four years later , it was the first American university to admit women to full membership into Phi Beta Kappa , the country ' s oldest collegiate academic honor society . Likewise , in 1877 , it initiated the first African - American into the society . Justin Smith Morrill , a Representative ( 1855 – 1867 ) and Senator ( 1867 – 1898 ) from Vermont , author of the Morrill Land - Grant Colleges Act that created federal funding for establishing the US Land - Grant colleges and universities , served as a trustee of the university from 1865 to 1898 . In 1924 , the first radio broadcast in Vermont occurred from the college station , WCAX , run by students then , now the call sign of a commercial television station . Prior to 1970 , UVM ' s winter carnival celebrations for many decades included a widely attended competition known as " Kakewalk " ( " Walkin ' fo ' de cake " ) . The event involved males wearing bright suits and blackface performing athletic dance routines in imitation of Black minstrel shows . Greater awareness of and sensitivity toward Black Americans promoted by the Civil Rights Movement led the University of Vermont to abolish Kakewalk in 1969 . Academics . The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools , an honors college , a graduate college , and a college of medicine . The Honors College does not offer its own degrees ; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university ' s seven undergraduate colleges or schools . Bachelors , masters , and doctoral programs are offered through the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences , the College of Arts and Sciences , the College of Education and Social Services , the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences , the College of Medicine , the College of Nursing and Health Sciences , the Graduate College , the School of Business Administration , and The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources . The university ' s Division of Continuing Education offers certificate programs , a post - bac pre - medical series , credit courses for both degree and non - degree seeking students , and specialized training programs for businesses . Courses are presented in classroom , online , and / or interactive television formats . College of Agriculture and Life Sciences . The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences ( CALS ) offers programs in animal science ( early admission to the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University is available ) ; biochemistry ; biological science ; community entrepreneurship ; community and international development ; dietetics , nutrition and food sciences ; ecological agriculture ; environmental science ; environmental studies ; microbiology ; molecular genetics ; plant biology ; public communication ; and sustainable landscape horticulture . The college is also home to the Center for Rural Studies . As a land grant college , UVM receives an annual grant under the Cooperative extension service to provide agricultural research services to the state of Vermont . College of Arts and Sciences . The College of Arts and Sciences offers 45 areas of study in the humanities , fine arts , social sciences , mathematics , natural and physical sciences . Undergraduate majors include Anthropology , Art History , Asian Studies , Biochemistry , Biology , Canadian Studies , Chemistry , Chinese , Classical Civilization , Computer Science , Economics , Engineering , English , Environmental Sciences , Environmental Studies , European Studies , Film and Television Studies , French , Geography , Geology , German , Global Studies , Greek , History , Italian Studies , Japanese , Latin , Latin American Studies , Linguistics , Materials Science , Mathematics and Statistics , Music , Neuroscience , Philosophy , Physics , Plant Biology , Political Science , Psychology , Religion , Russian , Russian / East European Studies , Sociology , Spanish , Studio Art , Theater , Women ' s and Gender Studies , and Zoology . School of Business Administration . UVM ' s School of Business Administration is accredited by the AACSB International and offers concentrations in accounting , entrepreneurship , finance , human resource management , international management , management and the environment , management information systems , marketing , and production and operations management . The School of Business Administration also offers graduate programs , including a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Accountancy . College of Education and Social Services . UVM ' s College of Education and Social Services offers teacher education , early childhood development and social work studies . The College comprises the Department of Integrated Professional Services , Department of Education , Department of Social Work , and the Center on Disability and Community Inclusion . Studies leading to a masters degree or doctorate are offered . College of Engineering and Mathematics . CEMS is home to one school , the School of Engineering , two academic departments , the Department of Computer Science and the Department of Mathematics and Statistics , and two research centers — the Complex Systems Center and the Vermont Advanced Computing Center . The College has about 750 undergraduate students , 150 graduate students and 85 faculty members . College of Medicine . In 1804 , John Pomeroy began teaching students in his house in Burlington , as the first medical department at a State College or University . In 1822 , the College of Medicine was established as the seventh medical college in the United States , founded by Pomeroy and the medical educator Nathan Smith . UVM enrolls approximately 100 medical students in each class ; there are approximately 400 medical students total . Fletcher Allen Health Care is the primary clinical site of clinical education . Additional training takes place at the affiliated Maine Medical Center in Portland , Maine . The UVM College of Medicine currently ranks 4th for overall quality in primary care training among the country ’ s top 125 medical schools according to U . S . News & World Report ’ s 2010 graduate school rankings . Charles A . Dana Medical Library . The largest medical library in Vermont , the Charles A . Dana Library is the Vermont Resource Library of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine and serves the information needs of the Academic Health Center at the University of Vermont . The Academic Health Center is composed of the faculty , staff and students at UVM ' s College of Medicine and the College of Nursing and Health Sciences , as well as the physicians and other health care provider s at Fletcher Allen Health Care . The Library also meets the health sciences information needs of the University of Vermont ’ s undergraduate and graduate programs and is open to the citizens of the state of Vermont with health sciences information questions . College of Nursing and Health Sciences . The College of Nursing and Health Sciences at UVM comprises four departments : Nursing , the Medical Laboratory and Radiation Sciences , Communication Sciences and Disorders , and Rehabilitation and Movement . Students in the college major in Athletic Training , Exercise and Movement Science , medical laboratory science , nuclear medicine technology , nursing , or radiation therapy , or they prepare to enter a doctorate of physical therapy program . Honors College . The Honors College sponsors opportunities for students to participate in co - curricular programs and extracurricular activities — special symposia , dinners with visiting scholars , trips to museums and theaters in Montreal and Boston . Faculty are selected from throughout the university to participate in the Honors College as lecturers in a first - year ethics course and advanced seminars , participants in reading groups , speakers at the Plenary Lecture Series , and mentors to honors students conducting research . Through a required ethics course , small seminars , informal gatherings , and special research projects , students work alongside scholars from a section of the university ' s academic disciplines in the humanities , the sciences , engineering , nursing , medicine , education , business and more . Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources . The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources seeks to cultivate an appreciation and understanding of ecological and social processes and values aimed at maintaining the integrity of natural systems and achieving a sustainable human community in harmony with the natural environment . In 2007 , the university won a $ 6 . 7 million grant to research the pollution problems of Lake Champlain . Financial . Undergraduate tuition for the 2011 - 12 academic year was set by the university ' s board of trustees at $ 14 , 784 for Vermont residents ; $ 34 , 424 for out - of - state residents , plus room and board ( average : $ 9 , 708 ) . The total operating budget for the University of Vermont is $ 601 million for 2012 . In 2012 , salaries for the highest paid department heads ranged from $ 151 , 246 to $ 195 , 000 annually . Athletics . The athletic teams at UVM are known as the Catamount s . The university offers 18 varsity sports . Women ' s teams include basketball , cross - country , field hockey , ice hockey , lacrosse , skiing , soccer , swimming and diving , and track and field ( indoor and outdoor ) . Men ' s teams include basketball , cross - country , ice hockey , lacrosse , skiing , soccer , and track and field ( indoor and outdoor ) . All teams compete at the NCAA Division I level . Most teams compete in the America East Conference . Men ' s and women ' s hockey teams compete in the Hockey East Association . The alpine and Nordic ski teams compete in the E . I . S . A . ( Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association ) . UVM ’ s athletic teams won seven straight America East Academic Cups ( 2005 , 2006 , 2007 , 2008 , 2009 , 2010 , and 2011 ) for the best overall combined GPA among its student - athletes . UVM is the first school in the America East Conference to win three straight years and four times overall . Highlights of recent varsity athletic seasons include the men ' s hockey teams trip to the Frozen Four in 2009 and women ' s and men ' s basketball teams advancement to the 2010 NCAA tournament following America East tournament championships , as well as men ' s basketball ' s advancement to the 2012 NCAA tournament following another America East championship , their 5th in 10 years ( defeating Stony Brook 51 - 43 ) . Also in 2012 , the ski team won the NCAA Title in Bozeman , MT . This was their first NCAA Title since 1994 . Thirty - six former UVM athletes have competed in 16 Olympic Games ( 13 winter , 3 summer ) and combined have won six Olympic medals . In the winter of 2009 , director of athletics Dr . Robert Corran announced that after the 2009 season , the UVM baseball and softball teams would be cut in order to bridge a severe budget gap the college was facing . Proposed budgets for 2009 - 2010 show much of the money from the cut programs has been re - allocated to Women ' s hockey , men ' s lacrosse , and women ' s lacrosse programs . Club sports . UVM sponsors many club sports teams . The UVM Sailing Team was competitively ranked 8th in the nation as of November 15 , 2009 . UVM crew competes in the Head of the Charles Regatta and Dad Vail Regatta . The Cycling Team competes against other collegiate varsity teams . Arts . UVM ' s Lane Performing Arts Series and Music Department sponsor instrumental and choral performances featuring national and international performers throughout the year . The Royall Tyler Theatre presents theater productions on its mainstage , often featuring Equity actors along with student talent . In addition to the Department of Theatre ' s three mainstage shows each year , a group of student - directed one acts , and " The Toys Take Over Christmas , " a holiday tradition in Burlington , are also performed . Past mainstage shows have included have been " Godspell " ( 2009 ) ; " Compleat Female Stage Beauty " ( 2008 ) ; " The Miss Firecracker Contest " , " Found a Peanut " , and " La Ronde " ( 2007 ) ; " Ring Round the Moon " , " The Underpants " , and " Macbeth " ( 2006 ) ; " A Midsummer Night ' s Dream " , " Beyond Therapy " , and " Hair " ( 2005 ) ; " The Art of Dining " , Anouilh ' s " Antigone " , and " Rumors " ( 2004 ) ; and " Remember the Children : Terezin " and " Metamorphoses " ( 2003 ) . The Robert Hull Fleming Museum is the university ' s museum . Its permanent collection includes a variety of works of art as well as anthropological and ethnographic artifacts . The Museum also features various visiting exhibits and special events . The Vermont Mozart Festival developed at UVM and its first festivals were held at UVM . The festival was incorporated as an independent non - profit organization in 1976 but retains ties to UVM . Student life . Student clubs and organizations , totaling more than 100 , span student interests and receive sponsorship from the Student Government Association . Clubs with longstanding history and the largest memberships include : Volunteers in Action , the UVM Outing Club , Ski & Snowboard Club . Hillel also has a strong presence on the UVM campus . UVM has a long history of student activism . There are many student organizations with focuses in social and environmental justice , attempting to make change both at UVM , as well as around the world . Sustainability . The University of Vermont has a long history toward operational environmental sustainability on its campus . In 1995 , the Environmental Council at UVM was established to fill a gap regarding a bridge between operations and academics on campus greening issues . The first Council project was to hear presentations from the various environmental programs on campus to provide a baseline scan of campus operation environmental impact . Greening UVM was published in 1998 by the Council to establish a baseline on the environmental impact of the campus ' operations . During the same year , a Recycled Paper Policy was created and was implemented in 1999 . As a community stakeholder in the Lab - XL project , the Environmental Council received an EPA grant to support the " Tracking UVM " project and publication to assess relative environmental impact and community interest in laboratory chemical waste . " Tracking UVM " , a follow - up to the Greening UVM report , was published in 2002 and reported on the environmental progress of the University from 1990 - 2000 . The University of Vermont ' s commitment to tracking its environmental performance was recognized in 2004 with Vermont ' s Governor ' s Award for Environmental Excellence for this 2002 environmental report card . Tracking UVM is one of the first report cards that track the environmental impact of campus operations in an institution of higher education . In 2005 , UVM ' s President Daniel M . Fogel signed the institution ' s Green Building Policy . The Recycled Paper Policy was updated in 2006 after two students pushed for the university to commit to purchasing 100 % post - consumer , chlorine - free paper for routine copying and printing . In 2007 , President Fogel signs on to the American College and University Presidents ’ Climate Commitment . The American College & University Presidents ’ Climate Commitment ( ACUPCC ) is a high - visibility effort to address global climate disruption undertaken by a network of colleges and universities that have made institutional commitments to eliminate net greenhouse gas emissions from specified campus operations , and to promote the research and educational efforts of higher education to equip society to re - stabilize the earth ’ s climate . Its mission is to accelerate progress towards climate neutrality and sustainability by empowering the higher education sector to educate students , create solutions , and provide leadership - by - example for the rest of society . In 2008 , UVM dissolved the Environmental Council and established the Office of Sustainability . The Office of Sustainability aims to foster sustainable development and promote environmental responsibility at the University of Vermont by strategically bridging the academic activities of teaching , research , and outreach with the operations of the University . The sustainability office reports jointly to the Provost and to the Vice President for Finance & Administration , who supervises the director . There are two full - time staff and four Graduate Fellows , plus an Academic Advisor and a team of supporters . In 2011 , UVM released its Climate Action Plan to the American College & University President ' s Climate Commitment . The climate action plan focuses on the direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions from the institution ' s operations . The target dates for UVM ' s climate action plan are 2015 for 100 % carbon neutral electricity ( Scope 1 ) and 2020 for carbon neutral heating , cooling , and fleet ( Scope 2 ) . UVM aims to target the net zero emissions from Scope 3 sources by 2025 . In 2012 , UVM became one of the first institutions nationwide to end the sale of bottled water on campus and mandate that one - third of drinks offered in vending machines be healthy options . During the same year , UVM ' s Board of Trustees passed a resolution to earmark $ 13 million for the fund , making it the largest challenge to date . Harvard ’ s $ 12 million green loan fund had been the largest . In March 2012 , UVM became 5th school in the nation to sign the Real Food Campus Commitment , pledging to purchase 20 % real food by 2020 . The Lawrence Debate Union . The university ' s debate team , which competes in both the American Policy Debate and British Parliamentary debate formats , is one of the oldest organizations on campus , and receives funding from a private grant . The Lawrence Debate Union has sent students abroad to promote cultural understanding . In 2007 , students traveled to Slovenia , Malaysia , and Thailand . The school has also sent students to the World University Debating Championship held in Ireland , Turkey , and Botswana , breaking into elimination rounds in the 2011 World University Debating Championship . Domestically , the LDU has also won the title for Northeast Universities Debating Sweepstakes champion for the past four years . The program is currently ranked seventh in the top schools for British Parliamentary debate in the world , and is the third ranked American university on the list , behind only Yale and Cornell . It encourages participation of all interested UVM students , and sponsors public debates at UVM and for the Burlington community . Concerts . The UVM Concerts Bureau ( formally known as S . A . Concerts ) is responsible for bringing live musical entertainment to the UVM community . SA Concerts features acts from across the country as well as local bands . The SGA funded club comprises an elected bureau of students who learn about the various aspects of the music industry by putting on shows and working with local sound and production professionals . Students are in charge of choosing and booking bands and are responsible for all production aspects on the day of show . UVM Concert Bureau was established in 1971 and has brought in artists such as R . E . M . , Phish ( whose members attended UVM in the 1980s ) , Red Hot Chili Peppers , Sting , Lou Reed , Primus , The String Cheese Incident , James Brown , Bob Dylan , the Allman Brothers Band , Death Cab for Cutie , Jurassic 5 , the Disco Biscuits , The Grateful Dead , Guster , and The Flaming Lips . Since 2001 , UVM Concerts Bureau , has organized an annual festival known as SpringFest , held in April . SpringFest headliners have included Vida Blue , The Roots , Cake , Keller Williams , Gov ' t Mule , co - headliners Robert Randolph & the Family Band and Ziggy Marley , and in 2008 , Talib Kweli . Other acts to perform at various SpringFests have included The Meditations , Toots & the Maytals , Soulive , Rjd2 , Apollo Sunshine , Ratatat in 2009 , MSTRKRFT in 2010 , and The Roots and Thievery Corporation in 2011 . Greek life . The University of Vermont Greek Community is one of the oldest in the nation with the first fraternal organization starting in 1836 . The 5 pillar values of the University of Vermont Greek community are citizenship , leadership , lifelong learning , friendship , and cornerstone value is social justice . The University of Vermont values its Greek Community for their strong commitment to collaboration and relationship building . Over 8 % of students at UVM join a Greek Life organizations . Fraternity and sorority members are very involved on campus in roles including Student Government ( SGA ) , Orientation Leaders , Advocat and Residence Assistants .