ASFLC Report: Name Change, Native American Tuition Waiver, SLC Update
by Aidan Multhauf
The Associated Students of Fort Lewis College met on Wednesday to discuss communication tactics.
The FLC Vice President for Institutional Advancement Mark Jastorff spoke to ASFLC and introduced the topic of a name change for Fort Lewis College.
Having university instead of college in our name would put FLC in higher standing in the marketplace, Jastorff said.
“The idea behind university is the next evolution clearly of the institution,” Jastorff said.
This week, FLC finalized with the consulting firm that helped Metro State change it’s name, Jastorff said.
An important aspect to consider is the price of changing the name of FLC, Jastorff said, stating that the name change may not even be financially possible.
The firm will be collecting data, which aims to be done by December, Jastorff said.
The campus will then look over the data and will determine what happens next, Jastorff said.
Native American Tuition Waiver
FLC Administrative Systems Developer Steve Miller also spoke to ASFLC about what the tuition waiver for Native American students entails.
Miller said the contract is between the federal government and the state of Colorado which dates back to 1911 and only includes tuition.
“It does not include fees, room, board, books, living expenses,” Miller said. “All it waives is tuition based on that individual's residency.”
The state reimburses roughly seventeen million dollars, Miller said.
President Dustin Fink asked Miller if the FLC students paid for this waiver beyond the state taxes that everyone pays. Miller said no.
“This a point of pride for Fort Lewis College,” Miller said about the waiver.
Student Life Center
Director of Health and Wellness, Jeff Dupont introduced information on the Student Life Center expansion.
“The bond will be paid off in 2019 so we looked at it as an opportunity to see what our future should look like,” Dupont said.
After talking to an architect, the FLC has developed four options. Each option is trying to optimize what we can do with a new student fee charge. Students will get to vote on one of four options:
- A $10 fee will allow some updates but each wing will stay roughly the same size.
- A $13 fee will grow the fitness area and Outdoor Pursuits while optimizing space.
- A $16 fee will grow the fitness area and Outdoor Pursuits while optimizing space and adding an indoor fieldhouse.
- No fee and no change.
Other News
The ASFLC also discussed the GI Promise Act which would out-of-state dependants of veterans to enroll at FLC with instate tuition covered by the GI Bill.
The ASFLC pushed the vote back until next week.