TGB approves 60 acre land lease to LCO Ojibwe College for expansion plan

Hayward, WI. (October 27, 2020) – Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College nearing completion on a master facility plan that will detail the expansion of the main campus of the college as well as develop the outreach sites located on sister reservations. The College, through a grant received from the American Indian College Fund, has been working with DSGW, an architectural firm based in Duluth, MN, since 2018 to evaluate their current facilities, main campus and four outreach sites, to develop a new facility designed to meet the educational needs for the tribes and their students in the 21st century.

The College, in partnership with DSGW, hosted listening sessions with students, staff, faculty, elders, and community members to determine current use and ideal future use. Enrollment strategies and benchmarks were also developed based on the College’s current strategic plan.

“The Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College is standing on the broad shoulders of those community stakeholders that have come before us. Our future campus expansion is possible because of their hard work, dedication and wisdom. For the next 40 years, our ever-changing landscape of higher education in northern Wisconsin will be elevated to encompass every aspect of our tribal and regional needs, from degree development to campus housing.” shares Jason Bisonette, Chair of Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College’s Board of Regents.

In September, Mike Laverdure, a member of the Turtle Mountain band of Chippewa and architect with DSGW, presented a short video encapsulating the future Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College main campus as part of the Master Facility Plan. The new master facility plan includes the addition of bachelor’s degree programs, an expanded nursing program, campus housing, a childcare center and establishment of vocational programs. The proposed the campus buildout on the sixty-acre parcel of land located adjacent to the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College Farm was approved by Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Governing Board in their September council meeting.

“The Tribal Governing Board’s action reaffirms their commitment to our future, the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College is honored to have their support.” stated Dr. Russell Swagger, President of Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College.

The College has retained Native Nation Alliance as the developer for the College expansion. Native Nations Alliance is a native owed company based in Minnesota that specializes in financing tribal-based initiatives.

Learn more at http://lco.edu