Thunder Thoughts: Tribal college has a lot going on these days

Although it is summer and no classes are in session, much work continues at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College. We are looking forward to having students back on campus and to another great year.

The college’s $1.157 million bonding project is nearing completion. The Maajiigi (Start to Grow) project involves remodeling three classrooms, two that will specifically be for FDLTCC’s elementary education program and will provide flexible learning space for students. Other updates include completion of the kitchen area with brand-new equipment, remodel of space for instructor offices, new furniture for a student lounge area in the cultural center, creation of an outdoor learning environment, and removal and demolition of an old mobile trailer.

Besides this project, there is also a $850,000 Higher Education Asset Preservation project in full force. This focuses on updating some of the campus’ interior and is the first project of its kind for the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities. The cultural center bathrooms will be installed with new tile and wall coverings, there will be new carpet in the bookstore and veterans’ center, and the highlight is the new terrazzo flooring in the south hallway of the building. This flooring has an Ojibwe floral design pattern and the college’s core values imprinted in English and Ojibwemowin.

Over the course of the summer, FDLTCC has been preparing reports for three accrediting bodies.

• The Higher Learning Commission is the college’s regional accreditor. They will be on campus for a comprehensive site visit to review our operations Sept. 30-Oct. 1. The college submits an assurance argument that provides narrative and evidence we are meeting HLC’s five criteria, core components and subcomponents.

• The second accreditation visit involves the review of our Associate Degree Nursing program by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. Previously, we fell under Minnesota State’s accreditation umbrella, but now each campus with a nursing program must seek individual accreditation status. Nursing faculty completed a self-study report in anticipation of the Oct. 8-9 visit by a team of ACEN reviewers.

• Finally, FDLTCC is seeking specialized accreditation for its concurrent enrollment program, College in the Schools. Two staff members will travel to Utah to interview with the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships Oct. 14-15, regarding the college’s submission of required documentation.

The 10th annual Cloquet Croquet Invitational was held in July at the Cloquet Country Club. The yearly event is organized by the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College Foundation and raises money directly for student scholarships. This year 19 teams participated, with first-year team entrant Northern Fitness Solutions winning the title. In addition to the croquet competition, there was a silent auction with great items such as Twins tickets, a kayak, artwork and a mountain bike that were available for bid. Initial tallies indicate approximately $8,000 was raised through team participation fees, silent auction, and corporate sponsorships, although accounting is not yet complete. A fun time was had by all.

Students will soon be arriving on campus for fall semester. There have already been about 55 student athletes checking into the dorms to begin participating in football practice with the first game scheduled for Aug. 24. The students also performed community service during the first weekend they were in town. Some helped at Zion Lutheran Church and others traveled to Fond du Lac’s Sawyer elderly unit to work on a painting project.

This year’s summer concert series was a success, with a large number of community members attending all four events. Many folks look forward to this annual event.

As we look toward the beginning of the school year, we look forward to serving all students and providing them with a topnotch education. Our staff and faculty are the best in the system and are ready to help students be successful on whatever paths they choose.

Stephanie Hammitt, the interim president at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, has been affiliated with the college for nearly 28 years, having previously served as CFO, VP of Finance, and as former chair of the FDL Tribal College Board.