College Volunteers Face Monetary Crisis

Author: Caroline Stauffer

Middlebury's externally-funded community service programs face an uncertain future with a nationwide economic slump severely jeopardizing their financial situation.
Currently, the three service progams most threatened are the Page One Literacy Project, the Community Friends program and the position of AmeriCorps Volunteer in Service to America (VISTA) in the Service-Learning center. All three of these programs have been funded externally through grants and private donations, so continuing them is a matter of finding more outside funds or rearranging the budget, according to Ronald Liebowitz, executive vice president and provost of the College.
The Page One Literacy Project began during the College's Bicentennial campaign with an $180,000 grant. This grant will run dry on Dec. 31, 2002, ending the full-time Page One position.
Page One sponsors one-time events and ongoing programs in order to support literacy in Addison County. For example, on Nov. 3, Page One is sponsoring a 5-kilometer run through campus in celebration of National Family Literacy Day.
The Counseling Service of Addison County has run Community Friends since 1960. Ninety-Eight percent of the volunteers are Middlebury students. An estimated 2,000 Middlebury alumni have been involved with the program, which pairs college students with children and teenagers from area schools. Many volunteers have kept in touch with their young friends long after graduation, visiting them at Homecoming and even inviting them to weddings at Mead Chapel.
"During my three and a half years at Middlebury, I've had an amazing experience with my community friend," Katie Ziemba '03, Community Friends coordinator, said. "I really hate to think that future Midd-kids won't be able to enjoy a similar opportunity."
In winter 2001, serious funding issues arose in the Addison County Board, threatening to end funding for Community Friends.
"The Addison County board decided that to maintain emergency services, they could not support programs that weren't self sustaining," Tiffany Sargent said.
Middlebury College was interested in helping the program, but was wary of running a nonprofit program alone, according to Sargent.
The program will continue through June 2003 with financial heelp provided though private grants, the College and the Counseling Service's alliance with the United Way of Addison County.
"We were able to buy time, but not save the program," Sargent said.
An outside grant from the Vermont Campus Compact, an intercollegiate service organization, to hire a full-time AmeriCorps VISTA has also run dry. Kara Spangler, the college's third VISTA.
According to Spangler, her role includes working with both individual students and local residents to help meet their volunteering needs. Spangler has also been researching the staffing, program details and recent changes of volunteer programs in other colleges compared to those at Middlebury.
The Vermont Campus Compact can support a VISTA representative for a maximum of four years, and Spangler is in her third year at the College. To continue supporting a VISTA, the College will have to contribute $7,000, according to Sargent.
While Page One, Community Friends and the AmeriCorps VISTA are most directly threatened by a lack of funding, those involved in volunteer services at Middlebury stressed that all organizations will feel the affects of funding cuts.
The Office of Community Service estimates that 1,100 Middlebury students give 17,300 hours per year to community service.
"There are no shortages of good ideas coming from Middlebury students, only a shortage of funds to make them happen," Liebowitz said. "The survival of these programs depends on getting external funding or choosing not to do other things within the College."
The administration has asked Sargent to prepare proposals for solving the funding crisis by mid-November. She is also to stress that funding for these programs is only available through this year, so that the absence of funds will not be a last-minute surprise.
"Students and administration are working hard to explore a variety of solutions for this funding crisis, especially since it has such important implications for the larger issue of 'community service' [in all its varied forms] at Middlebury," said Brian Radley '03, Page One coordinator.
Student Government Association(SGA) President Ginny Hunt '03 and Finance Committee Executive Chair Marty Wesolowski '03 are also working closely with leaders of several volunteer organizations to find funding, according to Katherine Milgram ' 03, SGA press secretary.
"The Middlebury community is of great concern to the College community especially during this economic downturn, so SGA will be contributing to discussions regarding what steps should be taken to reach out and best offer support," Milgram said.
Possible solutions to save money have included having students take more control to minimize staffing needs. Cutting down the full-time Page One coordinator's hours hasn't ended the program and has freed some funds, according to Sargent. The situation is more complex, however, with Community Friends, as many cases need professional involvement.
"With a subcommittee of student service leaders, we are currently drafting a proposal of what we would like to see implemented for a support structure," Radley said. "As volunteer organization leaders, we are also exploring how we can collaborate with the Offices of Service Learning and Community Service to increase the visibility of, and to bolster student interest in, volunteerism at Middlebury."
"It's all about trying to find the best value with a price tag we can afford," Sargent said.
Sargent also pointed out that because she has been in charge of volunteer service learning for 18 years, "people know where to call and what to expect." She believes that there is less continuity when students are in charge, since most students graduate in four years and many go abroad their junior year.
"We feel it is essential for the office to have at least one community service coordinator to support student service initiatives and to act as a liaison between the College and the community," Radley said.
"Without someone to inform students of community service opportunities and to connect Middlebury community organizations with potential volunteers, the community service program at Middlebury could take several steps backward," Ziemba said.
Sargent remains optimistic about the future of volunteer programs at Middlebury despite the difficulties. "The administration has been very supportive of iniatives," she said. "Whether it's the College, students or outside grants, we'll be able to solve something."