Fort Lewis College to mark 100 years

Fort Lewis College heads into its 100th year next week. The college will commemorate the beginning of its centennial year as a public education institution with a kick-off birthday party on Tues., Jan. 25. The community is invited to the celebration, which begins at 4 p.m. in Whalen Gym and will include a little history, a few surprises and a giant birthday cake.

Jan. 25 is an important date in Fort Lewis history as it was on that day in 1911 that then-Gov. John Shafroth signed the bill creating an agricultural high school on the Old Fort Lewis property near Hesperus.

From that agricultural high school with its handful of students, Fort Lewis evolved into a junior college in 1927 and moved to Durango in 1956 (the school was then called Fort Lewis A&M College) before finally becoming the four-year liberal arts institution that it is today.

Fort Lewis continues to honor the agreement the State of Colorado made in 1911 to offer Native American students a tuition-free education, and more than 800 students are currently enrolled. FLC bestows more bachelor’s degrees on Native Americans than any other four-year institution in the country.

Another point of pride is the fact that five Fort Lewis professors have been named a Colorado Professor of the Year by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education since 1990. In Colorado, only the U.S. Air Force Academy has had more Colorado Professors of the Year come out of its teaching ranks.

On the eve of the centennial, Fort Lewis President Dene Kay Thomas offered up a message, stating, “As Fort Lewis College begins its second century as a public educational institution, I am amazed as I consider who we were, what we have become, and the opportunities that lay before us.”

Noting that the longstanding local college now faces new challenges courtesy of Colorado’s budget shortfall, she added, “In this century of change, what has remained constant is Fort Lewis’ commitment to students. Right now, what our students need most is assistance in financing their education.”

As a result, the college has launched the Centennial Scholarship Campaign, to help students pay for their education. Kaye also urged community members to include a donation for Fort Lewis scholarships in their 2011 giving plans.

Climate plan out for public review

Locals still have an opportunity to shape La Plata County’s energy future. The La Plata Climate and Energy Action Plan (CEAP) is heading into its final month for public review and two more community forums have been scheduled.

When they signed the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement in 2008, La Plata County, Durango and Ignacio resolved to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide – the largest contributor to global warming. In line with this resolution, the three started developing the CEAP and tasked the Four Corners Office for Resource Efficiency, or 4CORE, with coordinating the effort. The long-awaited CEAP was released last fall following two years of exhaustive work by hundreds of volunteers.

The first step to finding solutions was fully identifying the problem. Following several revisions and considerable controversy, it was discovered that La Plata County emitted upwards of 7.6 million metric tons of greenhouse gases in 2005, the study’s baseline year.

“We have a lot of work to do,” commented Aileen Tracy, executive director of 4CORE. “But this is not beyond us. The plan sets out very attainable goals.

The CEAP is a dynamic document that aims to decrease waste, pollution and energy inefficiencies, improve the local economy through job creation and work toward a more self-reliant and sustainable community. 4CORE will open the toolbox to local residents in coming weeks in a series of forums.

“The CEAP will allow La Plata County and the community of Durango to thrive through wise future energy use,” said Durango Mayor Michael Rendon, “The more community members get involved in shaping this collaborative plan, the better it will become.”

9-R switches up school calendar

Durango students and parents will see significant changes in their schedules in the 2011-12 school year. The 9-R Board of Education approved the new academic calendar on Tuesday, and it includes spring break in April and an additional week off in February.

“We are very excited about our new academic calendars,” said Victor Figueroa, assistant superintendent. “I can comfortably say that we have considered all options and think these academic calendars represent the best educational opportunities for our students.”

Next year, students will go back to school Aug. 22 and continue to get a week off for Thanksgiving and two weeks for Christmas. The main change to the calendar is the addition of a seven-day break during the week of Feb. 20 and moving Spring Break up to the second week of April. The last day of classes will be June 1, 2012.

The calendar committee conducted extensive research and discussions on the benefits and/or disadvantages of various calendars. They considered student achievement; reviewed calendars from school districts throughout Colorado; communicated with local partners; and conducted an on-line community survey. Based upon this information, the calendars were revised and resubmitted for approval.

“I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with all the wonderful people who came together to develop our new calendars,” said Figueroa.  “I think it’s a great change.”

– Will Sands