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TO KEEP THESE CAMPUSES OPEN. NEW TONIGHT AT SIX. <I'M THRILLED. I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER > <IT'S DEFINITELY BEEN A ROLLERCOASTER BUT TODAY I'M FEELING REALLY, REALLY GOOD > STUDENTS... ACROSS THE VERMONT STATE COLLEGE SYSTEM ARE RELIEVED THEIR CAMPUSES WILL REMAIN OPEN...AT LEAST FOR NOW. <EVERYBODY'S WORKING TOGETHER FOR THIS, AND IT FEELS SO AMAZING> NVU LYNDON SOPHOMORE PATRICK WICKSTROM'S PETITION...TO SAVE THE STATE COLLEGE SYSTEM NOW HAS MORE THAN ááá40- THOUSAND SIGNATURES... INSPIRING A NUMBER OF PROTESTS OVER THE PAST WEEK... AND PROMPTING VERMONT STATE COLLEGE CHANCELLOR JEB SPAULDING TO REVOKE HIS PROPOSAL TO RECONFIGURE THE SYSTEM. WHICH WOULD HAVE CLOSED NORTHERN VERMONT UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES IN LYNDON AND JOHNSON, AND VERMONT TECH IN RANDOLPH, AS THE STATE COLLEGE SYSTEM FACES A NEARLY $10 MILLION DOLLAR DEFICIT. <WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR WAYS THAT WE CAN HAVE A PROCESS THAT LEADS TO A REDESIGN OF THE VERMONT STATE COLLEGES SYSTEM IN A MORE OPEN AND INVOLVED PROCESS> NBC5...BREAKING THE NEWS TO GOVERNOR PHIL SCOTT WEDNESDAY MORNING <THIS IS NEWS TO ME > SCOTT WORRIES HAVING THE LEGISLATURE PUMP MORE MONEY INTO THE SYSTEM...WILL MERELY SERVE AS A BAND-AID. INSTEAD, HE WANTS THE STATE TO WORK ON FINDING A LONG-TERM SOLUTION, TO KEEP THE STATE COLLEGE SYSTEM AFLOAT. <WE HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE ON HOW DO WE PRESERVE THE SYSTEM AFTER THE FACT? > AS THE STATE LOOKS FOR SOLUTIONS... STUDENTS SAY THIS SMALL VICTORY.... IS GIVING THEM HOPE. <IT'S A GOOD START, AND IT'S DEFINITELY GOOD NEWS > <IT'S SO GREAT TO SEE ALL OF OUR PROTESTING AND STUFF ACTUALLY WORK > <I'M ABSOLUTELY FEELING MORE OPTIMISTIC> OPTIMISTIC..

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Advertisement Proposal to close three Vermont state colleges off the table Vermont State Colleges Chancellor revoked proposal Wednesday Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Students across the Vermont State Colleges system are relieved their campuses will remain open, at least for now."I'm thrilled. I couldn't be happier," said Northern Vermont University Lyndon student Lauren Hyde. "It's definitely been a roller coaster (of emotions), but today I'm feeling really, really good," said Northern Vermont University Johnson student ReAnna Adams."Everybody's working together for this and it feels so amazing," said Northern Vermont University Lyndon sophomore Patrick Wickstrom.Wickstrom started a petition to save the state college system.The petition now has more than 40,000 signatures, inspiring a number of protests over the past week and prompting Vermont State Colleges Chancellor Jeb Spaulding to revoke his proposal to reconfigure the system.Spaulding's proposal would have closed Northern Vermont University campuses in Lyndon and Johnson as well as Vermont Technical College in Randolph, as the state college system faces a nearly $10 million deficit. "We'll be looking for ways that we can have a process that leads to a redesign of the Vermont State Colleges system in a more open and involved process," said Spaulding.NBC5 broke the news to Gov. Phil Scott at a news conference Wednesday."This is news to me," he told a room full of reporters, when asked about his reaction to Spaulding revoking his proposal.Scott said he worries that having the legislature pump more money into the state college system will merely serve as a band-aid. Instead, he wants the state to work on finding a long-term solution in order to keep the state college system afloat. "We have to keep an eye on how we preserve the system after the fact," said Scott.As the state looks for solutions, students said the small victory is giving them hope."It's a good start and it's definitely good news," said Wickstrom. "It's so great to see all of our protesting and stuff actually work," said Adams. "I'm definitely more optimistic," said Hyde.They're optimistic they'll be able to make more memories once they're back on campus.