Celebration of a New Era
Speech given by Peter R. Decker, Chair
Board of Trustees for Fort Lewis College
At the Celebration of a New Era Ceremony, November 6, 2002
Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College

This is a special occasion, for it is not often that trustees are allowed out among the public. Like the family eccentric hidden in the back bedroom along with layers of excuses, we are normally neither seen nor heard, and usually for good reason. When trotted out, or more likely wheeled out, it is not expected that we can write a compound sentence or understand a simple idea. We can drool and slobber, but no one, least of all faculty and administrators, expects a trustee to do much more than to show up sober at official functions such as this. I remember, for example, at my own college graduation, I first saw my first "live" trustee. The octogenarian, only temporarily disconnected from his life support system, was wheeled out on to the stage and placed gently before the microphone where he proceeded to exclaim how very much he loved the college — all the while mispronouncing its name. That's maybe why Mark Twain said some years ago, "In the first place God made idiots. This was for practice. Then he made governing boards."

I doubt that Governor Owens wished to replicate on this Board of Trustees anyone like the senile elder I encountered many years ago at my graduation. For if he did, the Governor has made a grave mistake. I can assure you that the Trustees who sit here before you, Fort Lewis College's first set of Trustees, don't slobber — at least not in public. They are energetic, bright, committed to this college, and even on occasion, unruly. They know where they want to go and don't confuse process for substance. I've come to discover that running a meeting with them is a bit like trying to gather butterflies into a wheelbarrow. Allow me, then, to introduce them to you.

Linda Campbell: Linda has been involved with public education for more then 30 years and has been instrumental in fund-raising efforts for Fort Lewis College for many years. She led the effort to secure $1 million thorough Federal appropriations for the completion of the Fort Lewis College Center of Southwest Studies in 1998. Linda has been a member of "TLC for FLC," a fund-raiser for the Fort Lewis College Foundation since 2000. Most recently, she has served on the Stars over Fort Lewis College committee. When not looking after her horses in Ignacio, Linda keeps us in touch with Washington.

Rita Kahn: Rita is employed at UBS Paine Webber in Denver as a director in the municipal securities group. She has had extensive experience in public and private finance, underwriting, and investment management, advising on the placement of more than $16 billion in public funds investment. Rita has more then 20 years of service in the non-profit sector, and has built a strong reputation for her dedication and fund raising expertise. I have recently solicited Rita to donate a new domed football stadium for Fort Lewis College.

Ian Lyle: Fort Lewis College students elected Ian as student body president in the spring of 2002. He previously served two years as a senator to the Associated Students of Fort Lewis. Ian is also active with student groups and for two years, played linebacker on the Skyhawk football team. With a political science background, his presence on the board is a constant reminder of why we are all here.

Susan Moss: Susan has taught at Fort Lewis College since 1991. As an associate professor of art, Susan serves as the faculty representative to the board. She previously served as faculty representative to the State Board of Agriculture. Susan, from time to time, reminds the board that the faculty has a strong interest in the direction of College, and what we are about is serious business. We have learned not to slobber in Susan's presence.

Ron Pettigrew: Ron, who had to attend an important meeting in Denver today, has a long-standing commitment to improving educational opportunities in Durango and Southwest Colorado. He has served as a board member of the 9-R School District, the Foundation for Educational Excellence and was a founder of Excel Charter School. He is a graduate of Fort Lewis College and served, until recently, on the State Board of Agriculture, the former governing body of the College. With his experience, he reminds this board on occasion that we do not have to reinvent the wheel, but we need to keep it rolling forward.

Michael Pugh: Michael is a principal of Pugh Ettinger McCarthy Associates, a consulting firm assisting integrated delivery systems, hospitals, and physician organizations with strategies for improvement. During his professional career, Michael has served as chief executive officer of hospitals in Pueblo, Dallas and Washington state. Michael is involved in numerous community activities in the Pueblo area, his current home, and where he was selected as Business Leader of the Year by the Pueblo Chamber of Commerce in 1993. Michael heads our Audit Committee, and will insure that we do not fly off first-class to the Caribbean with Johnny's tuition money.

Sally Schaefer: Sally, our Vice-Chair, has served as president and CEO of Hilltop Community Resources in Grand Junction since 1991, providing leadership for community-based services that foster self-sufficiency and enrich the quality of life for Western Slope citizens. Her many accomplishments include a successful negotiation of the sale of the rehab hospital, implementation of a retirement and assisted living project, start-up of a youth corrections program, and numerous collaborative efforts with county and state agencies. With her experience in the field of mental health, Sally is naturally in charge of ours.

Leonel Silva: Leonel, Durango's popular three-term mayor and former city councilor, is the board's secretary-treasurer. Leonel served on the board of directors for Mercy Medical Center and currently serves on the board of the Bank of Durango. Additionally, he served on steering committees for Leadership La Plata and Bilingual Education. In 1995, the Durango Chamber Resort Association selected Leonel as Citizen of the Year, and in 1999 he received the Spirit of Santa Rita Award. Leonel is a graduate of Fort Lewis College and currently resides with his family in Centennial. The ex-mayor moves to our board from the Colorado State Board for Community College and Occupational Education. Leonel, as the board's new secretary-treasurer, insures that we say what we mean and we mean what we say.

I would like also to take this opportunity to thank Bob Dolphin, our President, for agreeing to forego temporarily his retirement in warm Florida for the colder climes of the San Juans. Bob continues to be a strong leader and wise counselor to the board. He has demonstrated an incredible tolerance and patience for us butterflies. For this we are most grateful and appreciative.

One of the real benefits, I think, about our institutional independence is that we can now have our own dreams, and work towards them, without having to say "Mother, may I." With independence, yes, we will have to pay our own bills, but we'll also have the opportunity to take credit for our own accomplishments. And within the bounds of our role and mission, our institutional resources, and the funds provided to us by this great state, we can now make our own destiny.

With independence, of course, comes accountability — to our students, to our taxpayers, and to our institutional history. It is a collaborative responsibility. For together within this college community, we must teach to the best of our abilities, learn to the best of our capacities and act to the best of our citizenship. We can disagree with each other as to our goals and how to reach them, but we must do so with civility and respect. But goals we must have. For as Yogi Berra, that great dugout philosopher, said, "If you don't know where you are going, you'll end up someplace else." The Trustees who are here tonight along with the senior college officers can provide the college's goals. But it will be as a team — this community of students, faculty and staff — who will help us set those goals and take us on the road to where we want to go.

To this end, I believe we need to do many things. For example we are now in the process of a presidential search and expect to bring the final candidates to the campus to meet with students, faculty, staff and administrative officers sometime early next year. There may be other administrative changes and appointments. Additionally we will be giving more and more attention to our fund-raising efforts. I trust we can double our endowment from $12 million to $25 million in the next five years. With additional funds we will have the capacity to increase our financial aid so as to attract an even larger number of outstanding student-scholars to the College. For the faculty, they need and deserve higher salaries, plus additional support for independent research and sabbatical leaves. Our libraries and special programs also require more resources.

With our independence, some things will remain very much the same. We shall continue our dedication to teaching and learning within the liberal arts tradition. We shall remain committed also to the higher education of our Indian neighbors and of Indian youth across this nation. And as a vital part of the Durango community, we must continue to play an important role in the economic and social life of the county and the region. In good times and bad, we will, as we have in the past, stand ready to assist and support Southwest Colorado with our heads, our hearts, and our institutional resources. Some skeptics asked last spring when the State Legislature enacted our independence, if Fort Lewis College would survive. Let me assure you on behalf of the Trustees, we will survive. But more than survive, we will thrive.

Finally the Board of Trustees will insure that Fort Lewis College continues to be a place of serious learning and committed teaching, an institution of high quality and even higher purpose. As in the past, teaching and learning must remain at the center of this College. Both enterprises are not a lost art, nor at Fort Lewis College will we allow them to become a lost tradition. So as to strengthen the connection that binds these two important endeavors, we must work together both with a sense of joy — and a sense of purpose. To this the trustees are dedicated, and to this we ask your support.

Thank you.

I'd like to take an additional brief moment to thank the State Legislature for their continuing and enthusiastic support of the College, particularly to Representative Mark Larson, Senator Jim Isgar, and former Senator Jim Dyer for their leadership in arranging and encouraging our independence. And finally I'd like to thank the State Board of Agriculture, its hundreds of dedicated members working on our behalf since 1911, for its strong commitment to Fort Lewis College and its ideals. With foresight and clear vision, they have supported us and nurtured us through good times and bad. To them we owe our sincere gratitude and everlasting admiration.
On behalf of Fort Lewis College, allow me now to read the following proclamation. Accepting on behalf of the Board of Agriculture is Mr. Fred Kerst, a current member of the State Board.