FLC has failed Aalands, alumni
Letter to the Editor
My name is Rabbi Jeffrey Lipschultz. I am the senior rabbi at Beth Judah Temple in Wildwood, N.J., and I am also an alumni of Fort Lewis College, a former varsity athlete, as well as Alumni Board member and donor to FLC. I have known the Aaland family for almost 25 years and have personally witnessed the commitment of Chris and Shelly Aaland to my beloved alma matter FLC. I remember the tireless hours Chris would put in editing the school paper, often editing my work as a columnist at FLC, as well as his commitment to the Athletic Department dating all the way back to his college days.

When most students would spend their weekends doing what college students famously do with free time, Chris would spend hours compiling statistics for the various athletic programs at the college. His intensity only grew after graduation as the SID at FLC and later the Alumni Director.

 

I could not believe the amount of commitment and love he had for my old college and the passion he had for Durango, putting in extra work to improve the Athletic Department and put out the good word of FLC.

When one of the teams played near San Diego, where I had a congregation at the time, he would call me up and demand I show support for the team and head up to Riverside, Calif., often taking his personal time to do extra work. I have always been impressed by Chris’s passion for FLC which only became greater after he met and later married Shelly. They had their wedding on the FLC campus, proud to share their love with each other on the campus they loved so dearly. It was only fitting that when their son Gus tragically passed away last year that he chose to have a memorial service on that same campus. The Aalands’ love of FLC was infectious, it spread to all around them, and I am devastated that this commitment and love would be so badly mistreated by the college I love as well.

The love and commitment that Chris and Shelly had toward FLC should have been used as an example to students to show that higher education and a good work ethic can lead to success in the field of their choice. Instead, FLC has just shown that anyone is expendable. Sadly the leadership of my beloved school has failed, and I am very disappointed.

– Rabbi Jeffrey Lipschultz, FLC Class of ’91

Face time with the commissioners
To the editor
Our county commissioners are offering us a convenient opportunity to engage them on county affairs on Thurs., April 18, from 6-7:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. The session, sponsored by the League of Women Voters of La Plata County, is open to the public, and we invite you to bring your questions about a broad range of issues.

Each commissioner will reflect on his or her first few months in office along with concerns, challenges and priorities. Following these introductory remarks, they will answer your written questions.

Please take advantage of this generous opportunity to understand in detail the serious issues facing our county and our part in helping to resolve them.

– Marilyn Brown, vice president, League of Women Voters of La Plata County

College owes us an explanation
To the editor,
I’ve just heard that Chris and Shelly Aaland have been discharged from my alma mater after decades of service. Given the unparalleled dedication of these people to Fort Lewis, I am still hoping that this is a late April’s Fools joke. If not, FLC owes us all an explanation. Forget about the devastating timing of this action given the personal tragedies and difficulties these good people have dealt with in the past few years. The fact is that they have been very, very good at their jobs under quite difficult circumstances.

In the meantime, I want to say thanks to Chris and Shelly for all they have done, to wish them well, and admit that my affection for FLC has taken a very serious hit. Fort Lewis changed my life. I was taken aback by what has happened here, and I am deeply saddened. I love FLC, and this hurts.

– Rob Willingham, Class of ‘92

Gratitude from Ampersand
To the editor,
Studio & would like to thank the Durango community and the many talented artists of our great town for your continued efforts and support. The events, classes, shows and exhibitions we have had over the last three years would not be possible without the hard work and passion of the artists involved, nor would we have the opportunity to continue these pursuits without the varied contributions and support of local businesses and our many loyal patrons. You know who you are, and we thank you immensely. We look forward to seeing you in Studio & soon. Here’s to our first three years, and many more to come.

Thanks, Durango.

– Sincerely, The Artists of Studio &: Tim Kapustka, Shay Lopez, Clint Reid, Elizabeth Kinahan and Scott Dye

Loss of Aaland a loss for FLC
To the editor,
There has been much speculation, bewilderment and rumor as to the reasoning behind Fort Lewis College’s recent firing of Chris and Shelly Aaland. I have only witnessed fortitude and perseverance from Shelly, so I join the ranks of the confused in regard to her dismissal.

Chris, on the other hand, I worked side by side with for an extended time when I was Annual Fund Manager for the FLC Foundation and he was Director of Alumni Relations. Our offices were next to each other’s, our communications were daily, and I know why he was fired. Hardly a day went by over the multiple years that I worked with Chris Aaland that he did not annoy, challenge and test me.

Chris Aaland annoyed me with his ever-present and always correct statistics on the history of Fort Lewis College Athletics. He annoyed me with his constant remembrance of campus history. To use a cliché, Chris was a walking encyclopedia of the Fort. When I wanted to ridicule an athletic team, he reminded me of seasons past and encouraged me to watch for up-and-coming players and coaches.  When I wanted to dive into a project with little planning or foresight, he reminded me who key players on campus would be to discuss my ideas with and referenced past examples of similar efforts in order to build upon them.  

Chris Aaland challenged me to be passionate in what I do. When he spoke in public, he brought adults to tears (he often joined them with real tears signifying his very real compassion). To describe the affection that Chris had (still has) for Fort Lewis College is like attempting to tell someone who has never cast a line what it’s like to pull a trout out of the Animas at sunset, or to tell someone who has never left their suburban home what it’s like to climb Silver Mountain and look out on the vastness of the Four Corners.

Chris Aaland tested me in regard to my affinity to Fort Lewis College. What was I doing as an FLC alum in my community, for my community?  How was I supporting the College with my time, my talent, and my treasure? Why wasn’t I attending any athletic events? In that vein, why were so few employees of Fort Lewis College attending athletic events?

There are two options in life when coming upon individuals who annoy, challenge and test you: learn from them, or distance yourself from them. I am a better person today because I chose to learn from Chris. Fort Lewis College has distanced themselves from Chris. This is no doubt the easier route than to learn from the annoyance, learn from the challenge and pass the test. I feel for the students, faculty and staff who will now not be able to learn from Chris, for such an individual is truly rare. He cannot be replaced.    

I’d like to close in sharing a specific lesson that I learned from Chris: student-athletes are champions in competition, as well as in the classroom and in the community. Many of the College’s best and brightest are excelling in regard to GPA while putting in unimaginable hours in practice, travel and in volunteer work. Attending games and cheering them on as a fan is to not only inspire the home team – it is a voice of thanks and admiration. As these lessons in life are passed down and shared from those around us, I’d be willing to bet that Chris and Shelly lived and learned these valuable traits together. What a loss for Fort Lewis College.

– David Smith, Class of 2000

Treasurer doesn’t give PERA credit
To the editor,
Contrary to what State Treasurer Walker Stapleton would have you believe, the Colorado PERA pension plan is a good deal for the taxpayer as well as the local and state economy. Absent from every plea to reform PERA is the recognition of significant and first-in-the-nation legislation to ensure PERA’s long-term sustainability, enacted in 2010.

Perhaps this fact would surprise you: just 3.21 percent of state and local spending in Colorado goes to pensions. PERA retirement distributions give much more to our local and state businesses. The 500,000 PERA members (about 10 percent of all Coloradoans) are also Colorado Taxpayers and your neighbors. These state and other public sector workers, while living with pay freezes, some for up to seven years, and with lower pay than private sector workers, will receive no Social Security unless they earned it outside of PERA. In many cases, even if a PERA retiree contributed to Social Security at some point in their working career, their Social Security benefit would be substantially reduced.

As of November 2011, according to the economists Pacey & McNulty, the PERA retirement distributions provide $10.4 million in local labor income and adds $20 million to the Southwest Mountain Region’s gross domestic product, sustaining 283 jobs and generating $2.6 million in state and local tax revenue. Statewide, PERA retirement payments sustain 23,399 jobs and produce $231.9 million in state and local tax revenue every year.

PERA provides an automatic stabilizing effect on the state and local economy, especially in economic downturns. Converting PERA to a 401k would cost the state billions of dollars more than what PERA currently costs. The billions of dollars will go to the financiers, Wall Street and mutual fund managers outside of Colorado. Careful consideration is required to understand pension information. Not only is most information not well researched, most information involves a well financed effort to force 401k plans as a way to “fix” public pension programs that don’t need fixing. Maybe our State Treasurer should do a little homework before he gives any more speeches.

– Cyndi Ortman, Durango

Aalands’ treatment was wrong
To the editor,
Too often, people in positions of influence in higher education stand on the sidelines when they see something “wrong.”  I’ve spoken about it at the NCAA Convention. It’s an every day thing in DC!  Why? Speaking up may be politically incorrect, and it comes with the fear of losing one’s position.

 

But, a statement made by a Skyhawk in response to the Aalands’ recent firings hit home. The reminder that alumni and students don’t work for presidents or athletic directors – they were right, in fact the athletic director and president work for you! Their job is to help you move your school down the road successfully, so you can feel pride as an alum. If leadership can’t do that, then we need to be considered for removal first, not the owners of the institution.

No one said the job was easy, but when you are passionate about the best interests of your people, their mission and their school, they will follow, even when difficult decisions are made. I’m deeply saddened by this action, and my heart bleeds for Chris, Shelly and all Skyhawks – but I am not surprised. I reminded another alum recently that while I may love FLC and Durango, alums and students are FLC and Durango!
I was lucky to be a visitor serving some extraordinary people while “visiting.” My hope was to make that visit permanent and become an adopted member of this amazing family. That hope was cut short similarly – but unlike me, Chris and Shelly are FLC. What they’ve given that institution since their arrival is amazing. What’s happened to them now is wrong. FLC’s owners should not tolerate it. Is this how you want others to think of FLC?

I urge Skyhawks to stand up and demand accountability. Stay involved – demand answers from your employees – demand leadership with transparency, integrity and a passion for the best interests of all members of the Skyhawk family. And if they can’t, ask them to leave.  FLC is your school – take it back and help Chris and Shelly in the process.  Leaders cannot lead when there are no followers!

– Kelly J Higgins, former FLC Athletic Director