The free Life-Long Learning Lecture Series will begin Thursday.
“From the beginning in the winter of 2000, our presentations have been given by a mix of faculty, community members and out-of-town guests with particular expertise,” said Gary Rottman, leader of the Life-Long Learning team that organizes the program. “This fall is no exception. Speakers present one-hour talks followed by a half-hour discussion.”
The series, now in its 18th year, is modeled on life-long learning programs at colleges and universities across the country. All programs will begin at 7 p.m. Thursdays, usually in 130 Noble Hall, and are co-sponsored by the Office of the President and the FLC Professional Associates, a volunteer organization of college supporters.
The series’ schedule includes:
Thursday: Voting: Suppression and Successes. Actor Judy Hook will portray Ruth Bader Ginsburg and join La Plata County Clerk and Recorder Tiffany Parker to provide historical perspective and a contemporary view of voting practices.Sept. 19 and 20: Two Great Americans, Thomas Edison and President Theodore Roosevelt (7 p.m. at Durango Arts Center). Chautauqua-style actor-scholars Hal Fincken and Doug Mischler will travel to Durango to present living portraits of Edison and Roosevelt. Sept. 27: Life Sustaining Technologies: Pros and Cons. Mercy Regional Medical Center’s Anne Rossignol will discuss a variety of medical options in an emergency, including CPR, mechanical ventilation, artificial nutrition, hydration and other medical treatments.Oct. 4: Reversing Inequality: What is the Path Forward? (6 p.m. FLC Ballroom). Co-sponsored by Thrive!, Chuck Collins will tackle inequality and discuss how to recommit to the common good. Oct. 11: The Stain: Slavery and the Constitution. Denver Judge Steven Bernard will discuss how slavery became part of the Constitution and its impact over time with a special emphasis on the civil rights movement. Oct. 18: Fairness to the Future: The American Dream Meets Sustainability. University of Colorado, Denver professor John Byrd will question the American dream and introduce three sustainability threats – climate change, biodiversity loss and nitrogen flows.Oct. 25: Old News and New Business: Tales of a DJ and Pot Shop Manager. Jack-of-all-trades Ted Holteen will take a lighthearted look at life in Durango – the ongoing struggles of maintaining local media in a small town and the meteoric growth of the Colorado marijuana industry.
Nov. 1: Eyes in the Sky: Monitoring the Earth in the 21st Century. FLC geosciences assistant professor Jonathan Harvey will discuss how the use of drones, satellites, GPS and cellphones have changed how we monitor our planet right down to the Missionary Ridge rockfall and erosion events after the 416 Fire.Nov. 8: Louise Farrenc and other Remarkable Women in Music. (Roshong Recital Hall) Andreas Tischhauser will reach beyond the famous and familiar women musicians everyone knows and introduce music lovers to one particular French composer and others you may never forget.Nov. 15: Plagiarism: What it is, what is (sometimes) done about it and some famous and not-so-famous cases. Former English professor from the University of Idaho, Gordon Thomas, will draw on his college teaching experiences to describe how plagiarism is handled in college classes as well as explore two high-profile literary cases.Thanksgiving break.Nov. 29: The History and Ethics of Opioids. John A. K. (Kip) Boyd, M.D., will summarize the history of opioid use and abuse and discuss ethical issues, medical use and regulation. Dec. 6: Human Migration: Myth and Reality. Former provost at the National Intelligence University and research analyst at the CIA, Ron Garst will examine early human migration and discuss different models, reasons and the impact on receiving areas. All programs are free and open to the public.
Judith Reynolds is the founder of the Life-Long Learning Free Lecure Series, which began in winter 2000.
