Mike Palagonia, director of public safety at Vermont State University, has been named to the board of directors of the Northeast Colleges and Universities Security Association. Palagonia has been a member of NECUSA, the oldest campus law enforcement organization in the U.S., for nearly a decade.
“VTSU is incredibly lucky to have Mike Palagonia leading our public safety work,” shared VTSU President Dave Bergh. “We’re pleased to see him get this recognition and look forward to seeing his work spread beyond Vermont.”
Beyond his work with NECUSA, Palagonia spent the past 18 months organizing and leading a monthly meeting for campus safety leaders and emergency managers across Vermont and New Hampshire, which has grown to over 40 members. Due to its success, the group has recently expanded to include institutions in Rhode Island and Maine, with plans for further growth.
He’s also partnered with other colleges and universities in Vermont and law enforcement to share training opportunities and begin the development of a Vermont Higher Education Safety Consortium, in addition to exploring the future possibility of establishing a Vermont-based public safety officer academy.
