PLAINFIELD, Vt. (WCAX) – The future of Goddard College’s campus is still uncertain after the purchase of the land fell through.
The Goddard College Board of Trustees said in a statement that they “…went back to all the interested parties and asked them to resubmit offers that would allow Goddard to meet its fiduciary obligations. The Board is optimistic that a timely and successful sale will allow Goddard to meet its financial responsibilities.”
This comes as cooperation Vermont, a group of alumni, faculty, and community members offered to buy the campus to transform it into affordable housing, communal workspaces, and other community-facing projects, but the group says Goddard has dodged their offers since March.
“Had they engaged with us in good faith, we would’ve already been able to long ago closed this, and have already started to do programming implementation, and it’s at a time that Plainfield desperately needs as much support as can be provided,” said Michelle Eddleman McCormick from Cooperation Vermont.
The Goddard Board wrote in a letter to beneficiaries, obtained by Cooperation Vermont, that the deal must close between August 1 to August 15.
The school will officially close at the end of the summer, and students have been fully online since January.