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THE
COLLEGE
Fort Lewis College is
a four-year, state-assisted undergraduate institution that offers
quality baccalaureate degree programs in the arts and sciences and
in the professional areas of education and business.
Fort Lewis has an enduring
commitment to develop and maintain its programs at a level equal
to those of other outstanding undergraduate institutions in the
nation.
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MISSION
The following mission
statement has been adopted by the State Board of Agriculture, the
governing body of Fort Lewis College.
The mission of Fort Lewis
College is to open minds and kindle thought and action by instilling
in students knowledge, a desire to acquire knowledge, the tools
for doing so, and an understanding of how knowledge can be put to
use for a common good.
The experiences students
have here should help them learn to live wisely and should make
a significant difference in their futures by enabling them to pursue
their own educational goals throughout their lives. They should
be able to demonstrate thoughtful scholarship in pursuing and weighing
knowledge. They should be able to communicate and cooperate with
others.
The College should also
play an active role in the community and the region as a multifaceted
learning resource. Fort Lewis College has chosen to pursue its mission
via its historic role as an undergraduate, public, four-year liberal
arts college. Because of the liberal arts focus, we require common
general education courses, which include the fine arts, humanities,
social sciences, mathematics, and the natural sciences in addition
to more specialized junior and senior courses offered through the
various majors.
Our curriculum is designed
both to ensure that students understand the values and assumptions
implicit in their major fields of study and to prepare them for
a rapidly changing world.
The College's first obligation
is to create a personalized learning environment in which faculty
and staff are accessible to all students. Therefore excellence in
classroom teaching is our first priority. We are committed to hiring
experienced faculty and professional staff dedicated to teaching
and to working directly with students.
The College also supports
and encourages research, scholarly inquiry, and creative performance
by its faculty in order to enhance their work with students and
the students' own work. We will continue to acquire the resources
necessary to fulfill our primary mission.
It is essential to Fort
Lewis College's mission that we contribute to the cultural diversity
and economic development of the Four Corners region. To play an
active role in the community, state, and region, we must ensure
that our programs fulfill the needs of our student population and
the residents of our area.
Our ethnic and regional
heritage must be reflected in the make-up of our student body, in
our special programs, and in our curriculum. Because of terms established
in the original charter of the College, we have an honored tradition
of providing tuition-free education for American Indian students.
The College will continue
to enhance educational opportunities for other minority groups,
especially those originating in the Southwest. While a large percentage
of our students should continue to come from Colorado, the College
will encourage enrollment of students from other regions and from
abroad in order to provide a diversified student body.
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FORT
LEWIS COLLEGE EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES
Fort Lewis College offers
a unique educational experience in which academic programs link
knowledge and practice. Situated at a historical and cultural confluence
in the American Southwest, the College is dedicated to undergraduate
education that integrates the traditionally separate disciplines
of the liberal arts and professional schools.
The academic program
is designed to help students develop an informed and critical capacity
to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world. Because individuals
define themselves through what they do, the course of study encourages
students to cultivate a sense of self through the knowledge, abilities,
and values they will carry to a lifetime of meaningful work. The
curriculum consists of three essential components: general education,
the major, and free electives.
Through general education,
students confront issues about life and work in a complex global
and technical culture. General education emphasizes:
1. an understanding and
appreciation of diverse legacies of culture and expression;
2. a recognition of how
individuals and institutions function within broader political,
economic, and sociocultural systems;
3. the development of
skills and critical capacities to make informed use of the technologies
that permeate our lives and society; and
4. an understanding of
the natural environment and of the responsibility to sustain a balance
between natural resources and human needs.
General education complements
the academic major, which provides in-depth mastery of a field of
study and continued development of higher order literacies including
research, writing, speaking, problem solving, and ethical decision-making.
Free electives encourage exploration of academic areas outside the
major. The College accomplishes these educational purposes through
its traditions of teaching excellence and commitment to close student-faculty
and student-student interaction. The College promotes life-long
learning for faculty and students alike.
In this context, the
College recognizes the primary importance of, and provides wide
opportunities for, preparation for a career-whether it be in the
arts, in business, in education, in the sciences, or in any of the
many ways a student may desire to serve mankind and self.
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ENROLLMENT
Fort Lewis College commitment
to providing students with a quality undergraduate education has
been acknowledged through the College's steady growth during the
past 39 years. In 1962, about 720 students were enrolled at the
College. In 2001-02, enrollment was 4,441.
The College continues
to maintain the personal, quality education experience that only
a small undergraduate school like Fort Lewis College can provide.
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HISTORY
Fort Lewis College is
named for Fort Lewis, a U.S. Army Post established in 1878 at Pagosa
Springs, Colorado. Two years later, the military post moved to Hesperus,
Colorado, a location more central to Indian settlements and pioneer
communities. The U.S. government abandoned the site as a military
post in 1891, and in its stead, established Fort Lewis as a school
offering free education to Native American students.
By 1911, Congress had
deeded the Hesperus site to the State of Colorado, which then established
a high school of agriculture under the supervision of the State
Board of Agriculture. The school began to offer some college-level
courses in 1925, and in 1933, Fort Lewis began to offer college
courses exclusively. In 1948, Fort Lewis was officially designated
a junior college with its own president.
Fort Lewis College moved
to the Durango campus in 1956. The first baccalaureate degrees were
granted in 1964. In 1986, Fort Lewis College joined the Colorado
State University System under the governance of the State Board
of Agriculture. Colorado State University in Fort Collins and the
University of Southern Colorado in Pueblo are sister institutions
in the system.
Fort Lewis College continues
to honor its historic commitment to Native Americans by offering
tuition scholarships to all qualified American Indians who meet
admission requirements. It is the only college in Colorado to do
so, as it has for more than 100 years.
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LOCATION
Fort Lewis College sits
on a mesa-like terrace overlooking Durango and the 13,000-foot peaks
of the La Plata Mountains. With a population of 13,275, Durango
is the largest community in Southwest Colorado and serves as a hub
of commercial activity for a regional population of more than 60,000.
Durango's elevation is 6,500 feet; it is surrounded by the Rocky
Mountains, yet it is only 50 miles away from the deserts of the
Southwest. Durango is about 350 miles from Denver, 200 miles from
Albuquerque, and 450 miles from Phoenix.
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THE
CAMPUS
The distinctive architecture
of custom stonework found on the Fort Lewis College campus reflects
the heritage of Southwest Colorado's Anasazi Indians, whose ancient
pueblo ruins can be found throughout the region. The architecture
is set off by the backdrop of the rugged San Juan Mountains, creating
a learning environment of incomparable natural beauty.
Academic activities are
centered in the Chemistry Hall, Education and Business Hall, Center
for Southwest Studies, Sage Hall, John F. Reed Library, Theatre
Building, Noble Hall, and the academic wing of Berndt Hall.
The College Union Building
houses a cafeteria, snack bar, post office, bookstore, lounge and
meeting rooms, as well as Student Government offices, the student
newspaper, public radio station, and Student Activities.
The on-campus Housing
Office, Financial Aid Office, Records Office, Native American Center,
and Health Center are in Miller Student Center.
About 1, 580 students
live on campus in one of several residence halls and three apartment
complexes.
Physical education and
recreation facilities include the Student Life Center, Outdoor Pursuits,
a large gymnasium, indoor swimming pool, football stadium, tennis
courts, softball fields, track, nature trails, and, nearby, cross-country
ski tracks in winter and golf course in summer.
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TRIMESTER
CALENDAR
Fort Lewis College operates
on a modified trimester plan. The fall and winter trimesters are
each approximately 15 weeks long. The third trimester also is 15
weeks long, but it is divided into three five-week sessions.
The fall trimester generally
begins in late August or early September and ends in mid-December;
the winter trimester begins in early January and ends in late April.
The three five-week summer sessions extend from about the first
of May through early August.
Students who choose
to attend all three trimesters can graduate in as few as two and
two-thirds calendar years. Those who attend only during the winter
and fall trimesters graduate in the traditional four years and often
find the long summer a valuable time for employment as well as for
a pleasant vacation period.
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THE
FACULTY
Fort Lewis College recruits
its faculty from the best colleges and universities in the country.
Of the 169 full-time, tenure-track faculty members on campus during
2000-01, 90 percent held the highest degree attainable (doctorates,
masters of fine arts) in their disciplines. Many of the Fort Lewis
College faculty have developed national reputations for excellence
in teaching, research, and curriculum development. Because Fort
Lewis offers only undergraduate programs, faculty members have the
time to concentrate on their teaching and to give their students
one-on-one attention when needed.
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SCHOLASTIC
HONOR SOCIETIES
Scholastic honor societies
maintain chapters at Fort Lewis College to recognize outstanding
academic achievement by its students.
Among them are the following:
Beta Alpha Psi - Beta
Alpha Psi is a national honor society and a scholastic, professional,
and accounting fraternity. The objectives of Beta Alpha Psi include
the recognition of outstanding academic achievements in the field
of accounting; the promotion of association among members and practicing
accountants; the provision of opportunities for self-development;
and the encouragement of a sense of ethical, social, and public
responsibilities.
Beta Beta Beta
- The Tri-Beta Biological Honor Society was established in 1922
with the goal of encouraging scholarly activity in undergraduate
biology education. The Fort Lewis College Chapter, Epsilon Upsilon,
is among the many chapters that are established nationwide. Membership
in the society offers students opportunities to conduct undergraduate
research, present findings at local and national meetings, and publish
in the Tri-Beta scholarly journal. Tri-Beta activities include trips
to scientific laboratories and natural field sites, as well as volunteer
work in conservation biology.
Beta Gamma Sigma
- The National Honor Society in Business and Management was founded
in 1913. Beta Gamma Sigma encourages and rewards scholarship, promotes
advancement of education in business, and fosters integrity in the
conduct of business operations.
Kappa Mu Epsilon
- The Mathematics Honors Society Kappa Mu Epsilon was founded in
1931 to further the interests of mathematics in schools that place
their primary interests in undergraduate programs; to educate the
undergraduate on the importance mathematics has played in western
civilization; to develop an appreciation for mathematics' demand
for logical and rigorous thought; to recognize outstanding achievement
in mathematics; and to educate members on advances made in the field.
Native American Honor
Society - The Fort Lewis College Native American Honor Society
was established in 1982 to promote and recognize outstanding scholarship
among Native American students on campus. All activities are directed
toward public service. Membership is open to junior and senior Native
American students with cumulative grade point averages of 3.0 or
better.
Phi Alpha Theta
- Phi Alpha Theta is the national honor society that recognizes
outstanding scholarship among history students. The Fort Lewis College
chapter was established in 1964-65 and is the College's oldest,
continuously active honor society.
Phi Epsilon Kappa
- Phi Epsilon Kappa is a national honor society that recognizes
outstanding students in Exercise Science. The society is committed
to community service as well as providing educational activities
for its members. Membership is open to Exercise Science students
with a minimum grade point average of a 3.0 within the Exercise
Science major.
Phi Kappa Phi
- This honor society is the oldest and largest national honor society
that recognizes and encourages superior scholarship in all academic
disciplines. Established in 1897, Phi Kappa Phi selects members
who meet high academic standards from throughout the College community.
Fort Lewis College was awarded a chapter of Phi Kappa Phi in 1992,
thus recognizing the quality of the College's faculty, students,
and academic programs.
Phi Sigma Iota (Chapter
Chi) - This honor society for foreign language students recognizes
outstanding scholarship for those who have a least a 3.0 cumulative
grade point average, who have completed at least one junior-level
course, and who rank in the highest 35 percent of their class in
general scholarship.
Psi Chi - The
Psychology Honor Society recognizes outstanding scholarship for
students majoring in psychology. The society encourages the advancement
of psychology through observation, logical thinking, and critical-yet
tolerant-open-mindedness and the continuing effort of understanding
human nature.
Sigma Delta Pi (Chapter
Kappa Tau) - The Hispanic Honor Society recognizes students
majoring in Spanish who have completed at least one junior-level
Spanish course and have at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average
in their Spanish courses and overall. Membership in Sigma Delta
Pi is the highest academic honor in the field of Spanish studies.
The society seeks to develop a better understanding of the language,
literature, and culture of Spanish-speaking peoples.
Sigma Pi Sigma
- Sigma Pi Sigma was founded in 1921 and is the only national Physics
Honor Society. It is a fully recognized honor society within the
Society of Physics Students, a member of the Association of College
Honor Societies, and is an affiliated Society of the American Institute
of Physics. Sigma Pi Sigma exists to foster interest in physics
at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Sigma Tau Delta (Chapter
Kappa Psi) - The purpose of the English Honor Society Sigma
Tau Delta is to honor undergraduates, graduates, and scholars in
academia, as well as professional writers who have realized accomplishments
in linguistics or literary realms of the English language. Fort
Lewis College students who are eligible for membership are those
who have successfully completed at least 45 hours of course work
with a cumulative grade point of at least 3.25.
Sigma Xi - Sigma
Xi was founded in 1886 at Cornell University as an honor society
for scientists, engineers, and mathematicians. It rewards excellence
in scientific research and encourages a sense of companionship and
cooperation among scientists in all fields.
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ACCREDITATION
The College is accredited
by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. In addition,
the School of Business Administration is accredited by the Association
to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International. The Chemistry
Department offers a bachelor of science degree that is accredited
by the American Chemical Society; the Music Department is accredited
by the National Association of Schools of Music. Fort Lewis College
also is a member of the American Council of Learned Societies and
the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges.
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ASSESSMENT
EFFORTS TO ENSURE QUALITY EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS
To improve instruction
and ensure that it meets its educational goals, the College regularly
assesses students' progress. The College assesses the results of
general education and departmental programs by using surveys, focus
groups, work samples, syllabus reviews, capstone projects, nationally-normed
instruments (such as GRE and Major Field Tests) as well as locally
developed scales and instruments to measure the quality and success
of its programs. The College requires all freshmen and randomly
selected upper classmen to participate in assessments to help the
College improve its academic programs and teaching methods. All
departments have assessment processes in place that provide data
on student learning in the major.
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OVERVIEW
OF FORT LEWIS COLLEGE GENERAL EDUCATION ASSESSMENT
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General
Education Components:
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Oversight:
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Assessment
Methods:
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Thematic Studies
Knowledge Areas
Culture.
Understanding and appreciation of diverse legacies of culture
and expression.
Systems.
Recognition of how individuals and institutions function within
broader political, economic and sociocultural systems.
Technology.
Development of skills and critical capacities to make
informed use of the technologies that permeate our lives and
society.
Environment.
Understanding of the natural environment and of the responsibility
to sustain a balance between natural resources and human needs.
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General
Education Council Assessment Committee
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Syllabus
Review
Student Surveys
Work Samples
Focus Groups
Capstone Projects
ACT Student Outcomes Survey
ACT Alumni Outcomes Survey
National Survey of Student Engagement
Your First College Year |
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Academic Competencies
Reading and
Writing
Information Literacy
Quantitative Reasoning
Physical Well-being
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Writing
Program Admin.
Writing Faculty Composition Committee
Library Faculty Assessment Committee
General Education Council
Exercise Science Faculty |
Writing Program
- Annual assessment report and Cyclical program review.
Library Program
- Annual assessment report and Cyclical program review.
Syllabus review
of Q courses
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Liberal Education
Outcomes
Learning as Inquiry
Critical Thinking as Problem Solving
Effective Communication Action as Application of Learning
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Assessment
CommitteeGeneral
Education Council
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Learning
as Inquiry Scale
Critical Thinking Scale
Effective Communication Scale
Action as Application of Learning Scale
ACT College Outcomes Survey
ACT Alumni Outcomes Survey
National Survey of Student Engagement
Focus Groups/Work
Samples/Capstone projects |
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