Liberal Arts in Correctional Facilities Project

The mission of the Colorado College Liberal Arts in Correctional Facilities Initiative (LACF) is to address inequities in higher education by expanding access to higher education for incarcerated persons. 

Through the LACF, Colorado College faculty offer for-credit courses at no cost in the Youthful Offenders System (YOS) facility in Pueblo, which serves a population of 19 to 25-year-olds.  Student receive credit through Pueblo Community College (PCC), and courses are guaranteed to transfer as requirements toward associates or bachelor's degrees at any Colorado public institution of higher learning.  The foundation of LACF is a 3-way partnership between Colorado College, the Colorado Department of Corrections, and Pueblo Community College (PCC).

Courses Offered

Historically, the LACF has offered a three-course round of mathematics, humanities, and writing courses, courses prioritized by the Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC). Moving forward, the DOC welcomes any course within the Pueblo Community College Guaranteed Transfer menu.  

Course and Instructor History

Humanities 121 Course History

2022 Spring - Dr. Carol Neel

2020 Spring - Dr. Carol Neel

2017 Spring - Dr. Carol Neel

English 121 Course History

2023 Spring - Dr. Tyler Cornelius

2021 Fall - Dr. Alberto Hernandez-Lemus

2019 Fall - Dr. Tracy Santa

2019 Spring - Dr. Tracy Santa

2018 Spring - Dr. Tracy Santa

Math 121 Course History

2022 Fall - Dr. Mike Siddoway

2021 Spring - Dr. Mike Siddoway

2019 Spring - Dr. Beth Malmskog

2017 Fall - Dr. Mike Siddoway

Psychology 101 Course History

2022 Spring - John Horner

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Get Involved

If you are a CC faculty member or staff member with a background in education, and are interested in teaching in the Liberal Arts in Correctional Facilitates initiative, please fill out the Educator Interest Form, below. 

If you are interested in supporting the program and have the financial means to do so, please consider a donation to the program. 

History

In 2014 the Colorado College History department received a $200,000 Social Issues and Historical Contexts grant supporting the examination of mass incarceration in the US, with a particular focus on Colorado.  This grant supported a range of educational events, projects and activities, and evolved into a robust learning community of students, staff, and faculty committed not only to understanding mass incarceration – but changing that system.  Over time, learning evolved into informed action.   

In 2014, Professor of History Carol Neel began conversations with the Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC) that progressed into the core idea of the LACF. The first course was taught by Dr. Neel in the fall of 2016, and since that time CC has offered a semesterly rotation of math, humanities, and writing courses.  In the spring of 2022, a social sciences course was added to this rotation. 

Report an issue - Last updated: 04/11/2023