[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 68 (Thursday, May 23, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S4829]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    EDWIN COLODNY: A VERMONT LEADER

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a 
distinguished Vermonter, and my friend, Edwin Colodny. Ed Colodny spent 
the early years of his life growing up in Burlington, VT. After 
graduating from Burlington High School, Ed Colodny entered public 
service as a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army serving with the Office 
of the Judge Advocate General. Ed's next career step brought him to the 
business world where he joined U.S. Airways. During his 35-year career 
with the company, Ed rose through the ranks to become President and 
Chief Executive Officer. U.S. Airways grew from a small regional 
carrier to a major national airline with $6.5 billion in revenues 
during his tenure--no doubt due in great part to his tremendous 
leadership.
  The University of Vermont is Vermont's largest public institution of 
higher education. The school is one of the oldest in our nation, 
founded by Ira Allen, the younger brother of the leader of the Green 
Mountain Boys, Ethan Allen. Throughout its more than 200-year history, 
UVM has played an important role in the lives of many Vermonters.
  Over the past decade, a number of different people have occupied the 
UVM President's Office. This leadership turnover has led to some 
challenges for the school. Last February, UVM faced a particularly 
difficult time when its sitting President resigned in the middle of the 
academic year. The school was in the midst of implementing major 
program reforms and budget cuts as part of a strategic plan that had 
been adopted by the Board of Trustees; the faculty were organizing a 
union; and, ongoing student housing issues created some tension between 
the University and the local Burlington community. The prospect of a 
leadership void at such a tumultuous time, while a lengthy search for a 
new President was underway, posed a daunting challenge for the school 
and its leaders.
  It was in that time of need that Ed Colodny agreed to give up his 
work in private legal practice and move back to Vermont with his wife 
Nancy to serve as UVM's Interim President. We are all extremely 
grateful to them for making that sacrifice. Ed has skillfully guided 
the University through a difficult time, while continuing to implement 
important policies and reforms that will provide a strong and valuable 
foundation for the incoming President. The Board of Trustees recently 
appointed Dr. Daniel Fogel to become UVM's new President and he will be 
formally taking over the post in July. Thanks to Ed's hard work and 
strong vision over the past year, as well as that of his entire 
leadership team, Dr. Fogel will be welcomed by a stable university that 
is prime for a promising future.
  In Ed's short time as President of UVM, he never lost focus of what 
UVM and all higher education institutions must be about--academic 
excellence. Last fall, to celebrate the University's 210th year, Ed 
revived the longstanding but dormant tradition of holding an Opening 
Convocation ceremony. This was a special opportunity for the UVM 
community to kick off a new academic year together, and to reaffirm its 
central mission of providing a high quality education to students in 
the Green Mountains of Vermont. Ed recognized people's desire to have 
an opportunity to come together and celebrate the pride they hold for 
their school and all that it has to offer.
  As Ed said when announcing the revival of this tradition, ``The 
convocation is an opportunity for us to come together as a university 
community and reaffirm our commitment to the academic ideals we 
treasure deeply.'' Those words symbolize so much of what Ed has offered 
UVM over the past year. He has reminded us of the potential power and 
success that the UVM community possesses when it comes together. He has 
reminded us of the need to be committed to academic ideals. And, 
through his leadership in a time of need, Ed has reminded us of the 
powerful role just one person can play in the lives of so many others.
  On behalf of myself, and all Vermonters, I thank my good friend Ed 
Colodny for his leadership, his commitment to higher education, and his 
service and dedication to UVM and the State of Vermont. Marcelle and I 
know we are all better off as a result of Ed and Nancy Colodny's time 
revisiting Burlington.

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