Free Western Colo. University tuition for locals still in the works

Mt. CB expresses concern Gunnison Valley Promise isn’t up and running yet

By Kendra Walker

During the November 1 Mt. CB council meeting, vice president of advancement Mike LaPlante from Western Colorado University provided the town council with an update on the Gunnison Valley Promise initiative, which aims to provide free tuition at Western to all full-time students who graduate from the Gunnison Watershed School District. While the council still supports the program and their financial commitment to it, they expressed concern that their funds are not yet providing tuition for students.

Mt. Crested Butte has committed to contribute $33,333 each year for the next three years, for a total of $100,000. Other entities in the Gunnison Valley have agreed to contribute funds as well, including the town of Crested Butte and the city of Gunnison. The contributions will funnel into a pot to help create a $7.5 million endowment that would continue the program in perpetuity.

“The goal is that there aren’t financial obstacles for folks,” said LaPlante. “It’s a unique opportunity to attract workers and families to the valley, and perhaps the reason to stay in the valley.”

Gunnison Valley Promise is targeted to allow 30 local students to utilize the initiative each year. “In order to launch the Gunnison Valley Promise we would need to reach the $4 million mark to cover a full generation (k-12) for four years at Western,” said LaPlante. “We’ve raised about a half million dollars toward our $7.5 million dollar goal.”

Council member Roman Kolodziej voiced his concern.  “I’m still fine with the commitment but to sort of have our money floating out there…I was under the understanding that the money we’ve committed would continue the program, not just get it off the ground,” he said. He asked that the council discuss how to handle their funds going to the program at a future town council meeting. 

“You have enough to get several years of this project going, what are we waiting for?” agreed council member Dwayne Lehnertz. “We’re dedicating money that’s just parked and not doing what we expected it would do.”

“But if it’s parked in our bank account, they’re not accumulating the interest that helps build it up,” said council member Janet Farmer. 

“The premise was set so that we could commit for a full four years of folks,” explained LaPlante. “Until we reach financial markers, we can’t make that commitment. We’d hate to be able to pay for somebody their first two years and they have to pay the last two years. We feel comfortable once we get to $4 million, we’d be able to cover a full generation of students from k-12.”

“It will take a while to get to $4 million,” said Farmer. “How do you plan to raise the rest of the $4 million?”

LaPlante said they are hoping to secure a financial commitment from the county, are looking into future funding opportunities with local anchor businesses, identifying local champions to help engage the community and seeking rural education grant opportunities.

“It’s a top priority for us now,” he said.