Recalling FVCC's worst year
There is much public praise these days and deserved recognition in Northwest Montana of the 50th anniversary of the very successful Flathead Valley Community College. That institution is a blessing to the entire state and a wondrous accomplishment for local proponents of higher education; however, all honest reviews of historical importance should not overlook facts like formative years having tough problems to solve.
The major founder of FVCC was Owen Sowerwine who happened to be my boss at First Federal, no Glacier Bank. At the beginning of his crusade in the late sixties, he asked me to join him. It was not specifically spelled out but we both knew by basic role was selling the concept, and then the reality of a local college, to the public.
It was a natural because I was handling advertising and public relations for the fast-growing bank. I thought Owen was harboring an almost impossible dream but was my respected boss and soon had me convinced to give it my all.
Fast forward! It all came together and by 1978 we had a growing college, but I had become disappointed with some private citizens and worse, several of the board of trustees.
This led me to run and get elected. On March 15, 1978, my newly acquired weekly paper, The Kalispell News ran the headline “FVCC At the Cross Roads-An Editorial by an Angry Man.” Didn’t name names or get nasty but recommended positive changes by certain people.
The editorial ended with this: “Some of us have made a serious moral commitment to the high road. We need help. If you are not willing to help … then I suggest you at least get the hell out of the road.”
There followed give-and-take meetings where things were brought out which I believe helped get recognition of serious problems. It chiefly had to do with the proper duties of the Board of Trustees, which was a tough new challenge for everyone involved.
Two weeks later, March 29, local media ran the following news story: “Accreditation Report Criticizes Past Shortcomings of FVCC Board of Trustees.”
The Northwest Association of Secondary and Higher Schools this week released a report of the evaluation committee (accreditation team) and had some good news and some bad news. The good news centered around improved financial stability and the college’s institutional objectives, and gave good grades to the faculty.”
“The main criticisms were leveled at the Board of Trustees and said, (A perusal of board minutes for several years indicates clearly that a petty jealousness, personality conflicts, divisiveness, unilateral decisiveness, unilateral decision making, a split of the board and the ever encroaching administrative duties being assumed by the governing body has made it ineffective in the rightful role.”
“The board must resolve its inner conflicts and function in a meaningful way for the good of the institution and students that attend it.”
“The board must stop talking ABOUT each other and start talking TO each other.”
In closing this column I am proud and happy to report, “That is exactly what we all did … thirty-nine years ago.”
G. George Ostrom is a national award-winning Hungry Horse News columnist. He lives in Kalispell.