Western's Newsroom

Colorado has made strides when it comes to diverting trash from landfills by reducing, reusing and recycling waste, but there is still plenty of room for improvement. According to CDPHE, in 2007 the state diverted only about 7 percent of the nearly 10 million tons of household and commercial trash generated that year. Seven years later, those numbers have improved as 11 percent of roughly 9 million tons of waste was diverted from landfills in 2014. Yet Colorado still lags well behind the national average of 35 percent for waste diversion.

The program begins at 7:30 p.m. and is open to the public.

The lecture titled “Fire and Ice: Investigative Environmental Journalism in the World’s Harshest Landscapes” will take place in the West Wing Reading Room within the Leslie J. Savage Library on campus from 6-8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

The event celebrates the release of Todd’s revised, updated and re-released poetry collection, “Tamped, but Loose Enough To Breathe.”

Todd will be joined in the spotlight by 2018 Fort Collins poet laureate Natalie Giarratano, who will read from her most recent book of poetry, “Big Thicket Blues.”

All ages are welcome to attend the audition and try their hand at acting. No prepared monologue is needed. The time commitment for filmmaking will be “around a handful of hours per part,” said Western professor of communication arts Jack Lucido.

Production dates will fall between mid-October through early November 2018. Filming times will likely be scheduled during evenings and weekends.

“These filmmakers have written engaging stories to be produced,” Lucido said. “Topics include grocery store science fiction, camping horror and friendship juxtaposed with homelessness.”

The evening’s program of music, life stories and in-the-moment inspirations is free, and the public is cordially invited to attend.

Gallagher, internationally acclaimed singer, songwriter, actress and storyteller, adds an unusual twist to her music—her instrument of choice is the harp. She handily dispels the stereotypical image that surrounds the harp by playing music that ranges from wailing Blues to Latin grooves, from touches of Celtic to Classical inspirations and from swinging Jazz to richly varied contemporary Americana/folk/roots. 

According to the American Journal of Public Health, “Sources of Strength is the first suicide prevention program involving peer leaders to enhance protective factors associated with reducing suicide at the school population level.”

Chávez has directed the Sustainable & Resilient Communities track of the Master in Environmental Management program since his arrival at Western in 2014. A global leader in community development with a renowned expertise in community-based energy, material and greenhouse gas emissions accounting, he is eager to bring his multi-disciplinary, multi-sector professional and program development experiences to his new role at Western.

The band will perform a variety of musical genres, including movie music, marches, jazz, hymns and more. In addition, various members of the band will be featured as soloists, including Buddy Laws on euphonium. Laws will give the world premiere of “Skye Boat Song” by Stephen Bulla.

The band’s 44th annual concert is free, open to the public and suitable for all ages. 

Every Tuesday from 8-10 p.m., the pool in the Aquatic Center is open to any and all kayaks. The two-hour class allows people to come in to practice or learn to roll their kayaks.

The class isn’t open to just students; people from the community can also jump in. It is free for students and nonstudents pay $3.

As long as you bring your own skirt and paddle, you are ready to hop into the pool. If you need to borrow a kayak, there are some available there.

The family fun activities started Friday, Oct. 26. There was a welcome table where students and their families could sign up for events, such as taking a trip with Wilderness Pursuits (WP) and solving an escape room.  

Saturday was a fun-packed day. It kicked off with a pancake breakfast in the University Center with the Jazz Band performing. 

“We are enjoying breakfast,” said Catharine Hayzlett, grandparent of student Rhys Hayzlett, “before heading to the football game.” 

Hickenlooper intends to recognize the transformative changes during his administration in the state’s outdoor industry, including the relocation to Colorado of not only the nation’s largest outdoor sports trade shows in Outdoor Retailer, but also VF Corporation, which counts Altra, Icebreaker, Smart wool and The North Face among its brands.

Colleges of Distinction is an organization that provides students with a list of schools that offer remarkable experiences that help them learn, grow and succeed.

Students who attend Western Colorado University have their own stories on how they found this school located deep in the Rocky Mountains.

“I discovered [Western] after moving to the Gunnison Valley in the fall of 2015,” Otero said. “I actually had no intention of returning to school after my military service ended. However, once I uncovered my own need [and] desire for additional life learning, I began to explore what college would look like for me.”  

Otero served in the Air Force for 12 years, including combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Parade

As the festivities for this year’s homecoming at Western Colorado University began, Western students and the community came together to celebrate. 

Students and the community lined the streets late Friday afternoon to come together to celebrate another Western homecoming.  

The parade included homecoming royalty, NCAA sports, club sports, clubs and organizations. Jim Gelwicks, Mayor of Gunnison, led the parade as the marshall.  

One of the biggest commitments the Sustainability Program has is helping the campus commit to zero waste by producing less waste and recycling more here on campus. There are three organizations on campus that focus on sustainability: Sustainability Coalition, Organics Guild and LEAD Sustainability. 

In the LEAD Sustainability program, there are work-study positions available for students. They act as sustainability advocates on campus. 

Western’s men’s club rugby team squared off against Colorado Mesa University (2-1) and beat the Mavericks 64-19.   

Michael Lennen, who has been playing since he was a freshman, described how he found out about the sport.  

“I was introduced [to rugby] by one of the guys playing at the time, who asked me during class if I wanted to play,” Lennen said. “I was hesitant at first, knowing that rugby is a brutal sport, but after going out for my first practice, I [fell in love]. 

On Sept. 11 and 12, students and staff were encouraged to listen to the man once deemed to be “the most dangerous man in America” by Vice President Spiro T. Agnew. The event was hosted by Think Radio to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the “Chicago riots,” a nonviolent gathering to advocate for the end of the Vietnam War. In his talk, Davis shared this story in the realistic, spine-chilling detail hundreds of thousands of Americans witnessed on television 50 years ago. 

Western Colorado University’s football team has been preparing all summer for the start of the new season after a 1-10 overall record in 2017. Western fullback Tremell Stanley explained how he and his team prepared for the season this past summer.  

“Throughout the summer [many] of the guys and myself stayed [on campus] and worked hard to get bigger, faster and stronger for the season,” said Stanley. “[We] became closer as a team by pushing each other during lifting and conditioning.” 

September marks Western’s Campus Safety Awareness Month campaign (WCSAM). WCSAM is designed to disseminate information and educate the campus community around relevant campus-safety topics.

“This year’s focus is in part due to data we collected last spring during our spring student trainings, particular around awareness of how and where to report sexual harassment,” said Western Title IX administrator Chris Luekenga.