Fort Lewis College

Student Forum on Fort Lewis College Tuition Waiver Legislation

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Alray Nelson, (970) 403-6953

September 17, 2010 Student Body President

STUDENT FORUM ON FEDERAL LEGISLATION AFFECTING THE REIMBURSEMENT TO FORT LEWIS COLLEGE FORTHE NATIVE AMERICAN TUITION WAIVER

DURANGO, CO– Fort Lewis College students and other stakeholders are invited to a student-led forum at the Fort Lewis College Native American Center on Thursday, October 7, 2010 from 3:30 to 5:00 pm.

“Is it not our responsibility, regardless of the academic field in which we have been trained, to make every effort to produce a more decent and educated electorate, a more humble and sincere political leadership, a morally alert and concerned citizenry?” – Robert A. Corrigan, Past Chair of the Association of American Colleges and Universities

Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss and make recommendations on the federal legislation pending in both the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate concerning Native American Tuition Waiver funding for out-of-state Native students at Fort Lewis College. The general public is encouraged to attend.

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Fort Lewis College Tuition Funding Bill

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

H.R. 5974.

Purpose:

    It is the purpose of this Act to ensure that Federal funding is provided to support and sustain the longstanding Federal mandate requiring Fort Lewis College in the State of Colorado to waive tuition charges for each Indian student it admits to an undergraduate program, including the waiver of tuition charges for Indian students who are not residents of the State of Colorado.

Fort Lewis College Buffalo Council Press Release re: Indian Tuition Waiver

Matthew L.M. Fletcher6 Comments

June 22, 2010
Contact: Pat Kincaid, Buffalo Council Spokesperson, (970) 903-6333

Fort Lewis College Buffalo Council Protects the Tuition Waiver by requesting Accountability of Trust Assets and promoting an Indian education agenda

Fort Lewis College (FLC) was created by a 1910 Congressional Act with the intent of “fulfilling treaty obligations with the various Tribes.” The state of Colorado received the surface rights to a 6300 acre parcel of land with two conditions (subsequent): 1) the land must be used as an institution of learning, and 2) Native Americans attending the school will receive a tuition waiver.

Currently the land is in violation of condition one and condition two has been attacked as recently as January when Colorado Representative Karen Middleton proposed a bill to kill the tuition waiver at FLC. Just as disturbing, is that the Native American students, who are the beneficiaries of the trust assets on these 6300 acres, are being blamed for budget issues.

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Colorado Legislator “Sorry” about Proposing End of Tuition Waiver at Fort Lewis College

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here.

Colorado Legislature Threatening Cuts to Fort Lewis College’s Indian Students

Matthew L.M. Fletcher5 Comments

From the Durango Herald News:

DENVER – Legislators are targeting Fort Lewis College’s free tuition for Native Americans for a $1.8 million cut.

It comes on top of the nearly $4 million in cuts Gov. Bill Ritter has proposed for the college by 2011 – the deepest percentage cut in the state. Together, the two cuts will have a “devastating, crippling impact” on Fort Lewis, said Steve Schwartz, FLC’s vice president for finance and administration.

“I’ve never seen anything where I’ve felt so singled out by the state,” Schwartz said.

The college hasn’t figured out what it would do if the Legislature OKs both cuts, which could take $6 million out of its $41 million annual budget. But it would “absolutely” have to lay off employees, Schwartz said.

College officials and their allies at the Legislature are fighting the cuts, and their first priority is to kill House Bill 1067, which targets the Native American tuition program.

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