Vermont State University President David Bergh announced Thursday that he plans to retire after the 2025-26 academic year when his current contract ends.

Bergh was tapped in November 2023 to be the university’s second interim president while the Vermont State Colleges board of trustees sought a permanent replacement for former president Parwinder Grewal, who resigned in April of the same year.

Bergh became the full-time president of the five consolidated state college campuses after the board of trustees extended his contract through 2026. His retirement coincides with the conclusion of the university’s multiyear effort to stabilize the institution during its transition from five distinct colleges to one unified system.

“It has been an incredible honor to serve as president of VTSU, which has in many ways been a full circle professional opportunity,” Bergh said in a Thursday news release from the university system.

Trustees Chair Lynn Dickinson previously told VtDigger the board extended his contract because of his calm, steady leadership amid the changes the university faced during its launching phase.

Faculty members expressed appreciation for Bergh’s leadership, which came at a tumultuous time. Meghan Meacham, a professor and the state university’s program coordinator, said in the release that she credited Bergh with alleviating some of “the growing pains of unification.”

Under Bergh’s leadership, the university enrolled more than 1,700 new students in the 2024-25 academic year –– a 14% increase from the year prior. Out-of-state enrollment also rose by 13%, with steady growth projected for the upcoming academic year, according to the release. 

The Vermont State Colleges System plans to conduct a national search for Bergh’s successor in the coming months, according to a university spokesperson. 

“Looking ahead, VTSU remains focused on expanding access to public higher education in Vermont and preparing students to lead in a rapidly changing world,” Greta Hasler, the university’s communications director, wrote in an email. “We are committed to building on the strong foundation Dr. Bergh has helped establish.”

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