02/21/2011 Women in Higher Education Issue

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CanWord Choices Influence MoreWomenTrustees on College Boards Gender Gap in STEM

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Palm Beach State College

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elcome to our annual women’s issue, overflowing with news of powerful and talented Latinas in academia,including some we’ve been covering for a decade or more, as they’ve risen within the system. We salute all of them– and all those they inspire.

Many high-achieving Latinas give credit to their parents for knowing the value of an education and enduring great hardships so thattheir children might succeed. The first Latina president in the Cal State system, Mildred García, whose dad died when she was 12, toldus, “I’m one of seven. My parents would say to us when we were kids that the only inheritance a poor family can give is a good education.”

Another successful Latina we interviewed recently told us that when her family emigrated here to get the kids a good education, her motherwas the first woman ever to move away from the Mexican town of their birth. She did so without a husband and without knowing English.

Latinas are becoming renowned, too, for their successes as small business owners. As recently as 1994, entrepreneurship was calledan uncommon, though growing, phenomenon for Hispanics, especially Latinas. A report late last year cited U.S. Census Bureau statsshowing that “Latinas are starting their own businesses at six times the national average.”

If you are someone who writes or requests letters of reference, don’t miss Sylvia Mendoza’s article herein on word choice and itsimpact on recommendations. According to research at Rice by Michelle Hebl, Randi Martin and Juan Madera, there are “communal”descriptors and “agentic” ones – and agentic words are more likely to get you hired.

EsquinaEditorial

¡Adelante!Suzanne López-IsaManaging Editor

W


There’s a fruit vendor in my border hometown in Texas who sells fresh fruitfrom his truck. He’s a popular figure because he’s good with the “pilon,”the baker’s dozen giving, let’s say, 15 oranges for the price of a dozen.

His wife was a coveted seamstress until an immigration patrol pickedher up and sent her back to Mexico. She was gone a few months, probablytook the time to visit relatives, and now she’s back again to her routine,probably still illegal.

An immigration officer lives in the neighborhood teeming with illegalaliens, but they’re OK by him.

“I’m off duty when I come home,” he said, knowing it can be career-ending if his challenges are too aggressive. Read pro immigration reformprotests like those in Arizona, California and Washington.

And so explains the unending, contradictory waragainst illegal immigrants that the Obama administrationsays it is winning because of an increasing number ofdeportations and dwindling border crossings.

The system, admittedly, is still broken.The latest figures reveal 11.1 million unauthorized

immigrants living in the U.S., 60 percent of themMexican and another 20 percent from Latin America,dropping from a peak of 12 million in 2007.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agencysays it deported 389,000 illegal residents in 2010, arecord number of people, many of them thieves or ne’er-do-wells. The majority were Latinos, and the majority ofLatinos were Mexicans.

So who’s winning? Call it a stalemate, but give the edge tothe illegals, particularly Mexicans who cross the porous bor-der at will, like my hometown seamstress, and easily blendinto the community because, I guess, we all look alike.

It’s true they are getting more heat from the beefed-upU.S. immigration forces, new state-of-the-art border detectionsystem and the deployment of 1,200 National Guard troops tohelp patrol key sections of the U.S.-Mexican border.

Mexicans and Central Americans are not crossing theU.S.-Mexican border at will as they were a few years ago,but it’s also because many have been scared off by druggangs and common criminals who prey on them at thecrossings and because of a diminishing and unsteady jobmarket in the U.S.

For what it’s worth, metaphorically and financially,the U.S. has stepped up its enforcement efforts – but some of them havealready gone kaput.

The U.S. not long ago introduced sophisticated detection systems likethe “Virtual Fence” across the border, tested in Arizona, that cauldron ofimmigration issues, but scrapped because it provided meager results forthe billions it cost to build and operate.

The system used a single technology, to be eventually installed across theentire 2,000-mile border, using mobile surveillance systems and unmanneddrones. The project, developed by the Boeing Corporation, would install,among other gadgetry, sensors and cameras mounted on towers that wouldlead border patrolmen to the exact location of the miscreants.

The illegal crossers would have no chance. Ha!Even Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano once famously said,

when she was Arizona’s governor, about another woebegone project tobuild a wall at strategic crossings along the border to stymie illegal aliens:“You show me a 50-foot wall at the border, and I’ll show you a 51-foot lad-der. That’s the way the border works.”

Now as secretary, Napolitano is still not convinced that such detectionmethods work, and she has canceled the “virtual fence” project across theSouthwest border that has already spent $1 billion and was estimated tocost $7 billion to cover the entire border.

There don’t seem to be any better ideas on how to contain the Diasporaof illegal aliens, except through the legislative system that would punish withfines and restrictions on U.S. enterprises that use them.

So it looks like we’re back to the eyeball system in the field and, onceagain, looking toward Washington for some viable solu-tion and policies – which, regardless of who’s doing thetalking, do not look promising.

There has been a lot of rhetoric from all sides but nomeaningful discourse. And with the Republicans in con-trol of the lower chamber, immigration reform doesn’tlook good in this biennial.

It’s certain to be a campaign issue with the Latinovote in play – but no matter how much demagoguery isemployed, not many are convinced it would be a deathknell for politicians in 2012 who stand against it orrefuse to compromise a solution.

The reality is that it doesn’t appear to be a summonsfor retaliation by Latino voters, as lobby organizationslike the National Council of La Raza would want you tobelieve with “we won’t forget” threats.

An exception, and probably the best bet for a Latinowedge issue, is the DREAM Act, recently passed by theHouse but killed by the Senate, which would have recog-nized the college and military industriousness of Latinoyouth who are burdened by illegal parents.

One of the latest polls by the Pew Hispanic Center showedthe immigration issue is not a top concern for Latinos for oragainst President Obama and Democrats or Republicans.

Latinos, the poll shows, place education, jobs andhealth care at their top three planks.

One of the indefatigable workers for immigrationreform has to be Chicago Congressman Luis Gutiérrez,who has traversed the country speaking at every oppor-

tunity and even taking on his fellow Chicagoan, President Obama, for beingall about enforcement but little about a remedy.

A Pew Hispanic Center survey ranked him the second-most importantLatino leader in the country after Supreme Court Justice and fellow PuertoRican Sonia Sotomayor.

His passion is commendable, but like John the Baptist, he is “the voiceof one crying in the wilderness” as far as meaningful immigration reformany time soon is concerned.

The System Is Broken, Ad Nauseam

KALEIDOSCOPE

LATINO

KALEIDOSCOPE

LATINO

Carlos D. Conde, award-winning journalist and commentator, for-mer Washington and foreign news correspondent, was an aide in theNixon White House and worked on the political campaigns of GeorgeBush Sr. To reply to this column, contact [email protected].

LATINO KALEIDOSCOPE by Carlos D. Conde

Page 8

Page 11

MAGAZINE®

CONTENTS

FEBRUARY 21, 2011

CSU-Dominguez Hills: ShowcasingThree PowerfulFirst-Generation Latinas by Mary Ann Cooper

8

A LatinaTeaches Dance and Awakens AncientCulture by Michelle Adam

MoreWomenTrustees on College Boards –but Far from Equal Representation by Marilyn Gilroy

No More Pencils, No More Books by Frank DiMaria

Can “Word Choices” Compromise a Woman’sCareer? by Sylvia Mendoza

TheTransformation of a University and the Journeyof an Opera StarWho Returned Home by Robert D. Meckel

11

14

17

20

22

Patricia Zavella: ExceptionalTeacher, First-RateScholar, Committed Activist by Clay Latimer

Researchers Look atWays to Bridge the GenderGap in STEM Fields by Melissa Campbell

Irma García: BlazingTrails and Scoring Successby Jeff Simmons

28

26

30

Literature an Enduring Passion for ProfessorEster González by Clay Latimer

Arcela Núñez-Alvarez, Ph.D.:Facing Hate, Promoting Humanity by Sylvia Mendoza

Report Card for Encouraging STEM Careersby Mary Ann Cooper

34

To view these and other select articles online,go to our website: www.HispanicOutlook.com.

Online Articles



Page 28

Page 30

DEPARTMENTS

Cover courtesy of HMS, NationalWomen’s History Month poster “Our History Is Our Strength”

IInn tthhee TTrreenncchheess ...... by Ricardo B. Jacquez

Our First Challenge Is to Entice the Youth of Our State ...

The System Is Broken, Ad Nauseam

Latino Kaleidoscope by Carlos D. Conde

Book Review by Mary Ann Cooper

Mirrors: Stories of Almost Everyone

FYI . . .FYI . . .FYI . . .

5

38

25

19

HHiissppaanniiccss oonn tthhee MMoovvee 37

IInntteerreessttiinngg RReeaaddss aanndd MMeeddiiaa......

25

PPrriimmiinngg tthhee PPuummpp...... by Miquela Rivera

Preparing Latino Students for Group Projects

Back Cover

HO is also available in digital format; go to our website: www.HispanicOutlook.com.

by Mary Ann Cooper

In2010, California State University (CSU)-Dominguez Hills marked the 50thanniversary of its founding. How has

CSU-Dominguez Hills survived – some say flour-ished – during the worst economic and politicalclimate for higher education in decades? Forthree Latinas in leadership positions at the uni-versity, the answer is: by creating a supportiveenvironment for all students – including thosewho are the first in their family to attend college.

This commitment to provide a home awayfrom home for first-generation and other stu-dents springs from the passion of CSU-Dominguez Hills President Mildred García. Afirst-generation student herself, García steppedinto yet another precedent-setting role when sheassumed her role as head of the university. Shewas the first Latina to be appointed president inthe Cal State system.

“I was shocked that the system has beenaround a long time and I was the first Latina tobe appointed to a Cal State U. campus,” Garcíatells The Hispanic Outlook in an exclusive inter-view. And she was also pleasantly surprised bythe welcome she received there.

“I have to tell you, I was embraced by thepeople here. And the community and the otherpresidents embraced me as well. It has been awonderful experience with the faculty, the com-munity, the staff and the students. I found out the

chancellor was a first-generation student as well,and he expressed a real commitment to stu-dents. That touched me. So that really helped meleave home to bring me back west.”

Home for García was New York City, whereshe learned the value of a good education. “I’mone of seven. My parents would say to us whenwe were kids that the only inheritance a poorfamily can give is a good education. That’s mymotto. My father died when I was 12, but mymother was extremely supportive of my going toschool. She couldn’t support me financially. Ihad to work and go to school, but she did inevery other way. She worked in a factory, but wasthere when I got home. She would heat up myfood on the radiator, so I could eat whenever Igot home.”

García’s household was different from theHispanic households where strictly defined gen-der roles sometimes discourage higher educa-tion for women. “Women’s lib was an alien thingto me. When he was alive, my father sharedhousehold chores with my mother, and he wasthe cook.”

García excelled at her studies, but almostturned down the opportunity that put her on thepath to presidency.

“It started when I was teaching at LaGuardiaCommunity College. The then-dean of faculty[Flora Mancuso Edwards] was offered the posi-

tion of president at Hostos Community College. Iwas working with her on a committee for liberalarts majors. She told me about the job offer andwanted me to come with her as her executiveassistant to the president. I knew very little abouthigher ed, and I looked at her and said, ‘I workedtoo hard to go back to being a secretary.’”

“She proceeded to educate me, tell me whatan executive assistant to the president is, andexplained to me the Hostos mission of helpingunderrepresented students. Together, she said,we were going to work to see that underrepre-sented students get the education they need. Sooff I went. She was the first mentor I had.”

García learned a great deal from that experi-ence. The most important lesson is one that shecarried to CSU-Dominguez Hills when shearrived in 2007.

“My experience in Hostos taught me how towork with a fabulous team. I was so impressed,”she said, that Edwards “had a wonderful eye fortalent. What I observed was that the team reallycared about student success. We were not intofiefdoms. I have tried to emulate that everywhereI have gone since then.”

While a “fabulous team” is desirable, it wasimportant for García to hit the ground runningwhen she assumed the CSU-Dominguez Hillspresidency. It didn’t take her long to realize therewas a challenge she had to address right away.

WOMEN/LEADERSHIP


Showcasing Three Powerful

First-Generation Latinas

“The institution had not met its enrollmenttargets for eight years. In a year and a half, weturned it around, and we’re doing record-break-ing numbers.” What accounts for that success?

“I think it has a lot to do with setting a pathand vision,” she said, “and getting people towork toward that vision and path and gettingpeople to understand the importance of how wework together to ensure that students get thebest service.

“We have great programs here, but how dostudents get through the bureaucratic realm ofadmission and financial aid, and how do wemake it easy for first-generation students to be ina welcoming environment giving them the sup-port services they need?” García is quick to pointout that a “welcoming environment” is not codefor lower standards. “I truly believe in setting thestandards high, but giving students the tools toreach those standards.”

Along with many student-centered approach-es, including a bustling advisement center andcounseling, García says student support comesfrom an empathetic mindset on the part of herstaff and faculty.

“We have to be mindful of people forgettingor never having the experience of being a first-generation college student. For those students,there’s anxiety or fear that they’re not going tomake it. We are always looking for ways todevelop support both personally and academi-cally to ensure that students can make it throughand have the tools that they need to succeed. I’mproud of what we do here.”

One of the sources of García’s pride in herprogram is Irene Morris Vásquez, who cameto CSU-Dominguez Hills in 2005 to teachChicana/Chicano studies and is now the chair ofthat program and the chair of the academicsenate.

Like García, Vásquez came from a supportivefamily that valued education – a family she cred-its with shaping her desire to pursue college. “Myparents were definitely important influences inmy life. I followed my older sister, who went tocollege the year before I did. When I graduatedhigh school, there were probably 100 graduatingseniors, and only a handful went to college. Myfamily was very important in helping me makethat transition to higher education. As a student, Ibecame involved in different kinds of organiza-tions that were advocating for more support forpeople of color’s accessibility to college, so Ireally gained a lot of experience as a student and

organizer advocating for higher education – asan undergraduate and as a graduate student.”

In one sense, Vásquez was a first-generationstudent; in another sense, she was not. “My sis-ter and I were the first of our family on mymother’s side to attend college. My mother had asecond-grade education. She dropped out tosupport her family and crossed the border on adaily basis to work as a domestic. My father, on

the other hand, was born in Chicago, and he hada college education. On my mother’s side, mysister and I were the only ones out of 12 grand-children who went to college. For some on mymother’s side of the family, there was no thoughtabout going to college. It was about getting intothe work force to support their own families.

“However, in my particular case, my grand-mother, who was still alive, was very proud thatwe were in college, and it really wasn’t probablyuntil I started to attend UCLA that I began to seethose barriers for women. In my own family andmy community, we were very much encouragedto go to college, but it wasn’t even a considera-tion for my cousins. They didn’t have the infor-mation, they didn’t have the resources, and theydidn’t have the encouragement.”

Vásquez echoes García’s inclusion sentimentsand gives some insight into how this mission iscarried out at CSU-Dominguez Hills.

“We among the faculty want to build a cul-

ture where students feel it is a home away fromhome. A number of members of the faculty haveextended office hours. I have an open-door poli-cy in my office at all times. We also reach out tostudents to keep communication between stu-dents and faculty open. We want to know what’shappening in their lives and how it is impactingtheir college experience. I have learned to usemy experience as a student and community

organizer to improve our communication withour students. We try to never lose sight of thefact that students always come first.”

In this economic and social climate, it’s notalways easy.

“I think we have an incredibly hard-workingfaculty at this campus. When our budget was cutby 20 percent the last two years and there werefewer resources, faculty rose to the challenge.They not only increased their class sizes, butthey increased their advising and service respon-sibilities. I think faculty members who emulatehard work and commitment to higher educationmotivate students who are first-generation. Ourfaculty is a critical factor in attracting more stu-dents, and our education programs offer moreopportunities to students, and these factors willserve us well into the future. There is a range ofactivities and programs and organizations thatstudents can be involved with. The student activi-ties are critical to the development of well-


Pictured (l. to r.): Irene Morris Vásquez, Chair of Chicana/Chicano Studies, Chair of Academic Senate; Mildred García, President, CSU-Dominguez Hills; and Thalia Gómez, President, ASI

rounded students.”One well-rounded student that both García

and Vásquez have high praise for is ThaliaGómez, president of ASI (Associated StudentsInc.) on campus. Gómez embodies everythingVásquez and García talk about in terms of thestudent they especially target for success. Gómezis a first-generation college student and Chicano/Chicana studies major.

“My first language wasn’t even English. Iwanted to go to college, but I didn’t reallyknow too much about anything else. I didn’thave anybody to guide to me.” She was attract-ed to CSU-Dominguez Hills “because of the his-tory of the university. The most important factorwas that it was built here because the commu-nity wanted it here.”

Like García and Vásquez, Gómez had astrong and supportive family behind her efforts.Her parents were originally from Mezcala,Jalisco and Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. Herdrive to succeed came from her father, a field

worker in California who now operates his ownsmall company called United Plant Growers, andfrom her mother, who was also a field workerbut has gone on to become a parent partner forHathaway Sycamores, a program for strugglingfamilies in Los Angeles County.

Gómez explains, “I learned from my familythat if you want anything, you can get it – as longas you are willing to work hard for it and findout what you need to get there. I learned bywatching them.” And while her parents dounderstand Thalia’s drive to succeed in college,it’s a foreign world to them.

“My mother was always very supportive ofmy getting an education. My father, too. Theyalways would say, ‘go for it,’ but they don’tunderstand why I have to stay late. So that’swhere the issues are. I never had an issue withthem saying, ‘Oh no, you have to work; youcan’t go to school.’ It’s more like, ‘Why are youalways there? Why can’t you be home?’ Thattakes some explanation.”

No doubt, it is a source of pride to Garcíaand Vásquez that Gómez has the career goal ofeventually getting into a Ph.D. program andcoming back to CSU as a faculty member. It cer-tainly fits García’s message of inclusion andVásquez’s idea of providing a “home away fromhome” at CSU.

All three women hope that their presence atCSU-Dominguez Hills inspires Latinas to attendschool there.

“To have the president of the institution,chair of the academic senate and president ofthe student government all Latinas sends a mes-sage of a welcoming environment. However,CSU-Dominguez Hills is also an educational lab-oratory where you can work with people fromall walks of life and walk out prepared to suc-ceed in a diverse world,” says García.


AA LLaattiinnaa TTeeaacchheessDDaannccee aannddAAwwaakkeennss AAnncciieennttCCuullttuurree

Itwas in a beautiful house at the corner of Candelaria and Edith inAlbuquerque, N.M., that Eva Encinias-Sandoval grew up. From herchildhood home emanated the sounds of guitar and the Spanish

Gypsy Cante Hondo, when visitors and locals gathered with her family formusic and song far into the night. Accompanying these rich sounds wasflamenco dance, an art form that Sandoval’s mother taught to hundreds ofyoungsters and to her own children in a studio connected to their house.

Today, as full-time professor of flamenco at the University of NewMexico’s (UNM) Theater and Dance Department, Sandoval has shared herrich upbringing with countless students. They’ve awakened to the passionand culture of flamenco in her dance classes, which date back to her firstdays teaching at UNM in 1976. In addition to her work at the university, theambitious professor has built a world-renowned National Institute ofFlamenco, established in 1985. Today this institute includes a popular fla-menco conservatory, three performance groups and an impressive FestivalFlamenco Internacional that draws performers and audiences from aroundthe world to Albuquerque each June.

When Sandoval teaches, she lifts her head up high and stands proud –at times calling out “Olé” – demonstrating to her students the passion,grace and ferocity of a dance form that has evolved from as far back as the1400s in Spain, when Gypsies migrated to the Iberian Peninsula. “Thisdance and song became a voice and expression for the Gypsies who were

prosecuted,” she tells her students, reminding them that flamenco is an artform that carries a deep history of culture on its back.

These persecuted people established themselves primarily inAndalucía, Southern Spain, where the Arabic influences were strong andblended with the forms of expression the Gypsies had already brought withthem from faraway lands. First came the Cante, a powerful cry out of long-ing, in the 1600s, and then the flamenco guitar and dance that accompa-nied the song. These art forms were performed privately in Gypsy caves,out of fear of persecution for their political undertones, before finallybecoming popularized in the 1800s, Sandoval explained. “Flamencobecame like the blues in the way that these African spirituals in this coun-try became popular.”

When the UNM professor speaks, she does so with a love and fervor fardifferent than that of an academic who’s spent years studying and research-ing a subject matter. For Sandoval, her teachings come from her blood,from generations of flamenco dancers and singers in her family. She car-ries with her a lineage that has maintained a profound connection to theold Spanish culture through centuries of New Mexico roots. “My family hasbeen in Albuquerque for hundreds of years. It is clear that we were one ofthe first families that came to this area when it was settled,” she said. “Inthe time of my grandparents in Albuquerque, Spanish was the main lan-guage spoken here. And I am sure that Spain was part of my heritage, but Idon’t know how and when.”

For Sandoval, knowing exactly where her family came from in Spainor elsewhere seems less important, though, than carrying on a Spanishtradition that clearly connects her with her ancestors. She still recallshow her mother would sing old Gypsy songs as she did chores on thepatio of their house, or how her grandmother would sing Cante Hondofrom her wheelchair.

“It was a part of our family’s history. My mother was dancing flamencoin the 1940s, and I assume that tradition came through my grandmother,Juanita García. She was a Rezadora and would sing for funerals,” she said.“As far back as I can remember, my mother also had students. I started per-forming when I was about 6 or 7 – my brother and sisters and I would takeclasses with my mother, and we’d do state functions and public gatherings. Ican’t remember a time when flamenco wasn’t a part of my reality.”

WOMEN/ARTS


by Michelle AdamPh

oto © Ann

Brombe

rg

Sandoval was so immersed in that world of Spanish song and dancethat when she began attending public school she was actually shocked tofind that other children weren’t living the same way.

“I remember when I went to school it was traumatic. I realized thatthere were a lot of people who didn’t dance. ... Before that, I assumedeveryone danced,” she said. “It was very odd for me because all mycousins and people in my family were involved with song and dance. Weoften had musicians living with us, and so we had an opportunity to prac-tice a lot, singing with the guitarists, studying guitar and dancing.”

Since then, she has taken the seeds given to her by her mother in herearly years and planted those far beyond her childhood home onCandelaria Street.

While living at home, she performed flamenco with her mother andtraveled throughout the U.S. and Mexico to study with flamenco artists. Butthen, by her early 20s, Sandoval founded her own dance company, “RitmoFlamenco,” and began studying dance at UNM. While studying the morecommon dance forms such as ballet there, her incredible talent in flamen-co became apparent.

“I was two years into my dance program, and UNM asked me to startteaching for them. They realized I had been dancing all my life in a form

they were curious about,” she said. “That was a fantastic experience – tobe exposed to the way dance is taught in a university. It helped me preparemyself for when they asked me to teach.”

Today the program focuses solely on flamenco.“Every year, hundreds of students are exposed to this art form. It opens

up a world for them,” she said. “When people come here from Spain andrealize that we have this program, they are blown away because they don’teven have anything like this in Spain. People come from all over the worldfor this.”

Flamenco is considered a new art form in these university circles,explained Sandoval. And it just started to be set down in a teachable fash-ion in the ’50s and ’60s, and it isn’t like ballet or tap that have had a histo-ry as curriculum of study in universities.

Sandoval teaches up to four classes a semester at UNM, including fla-menco history and musical improvisation classes. She instructs both intro-ductory classes and high-level courses, while attending the usual academicmeetings and taking on committee activities. “I teach at all levels of theuniversity.

“I like to work with brand new students coming in from engineering orother majors who decide to take the class just for the fun of it. Eight timesout of 10, these students want to continue to study. They start to find thatthey are moving out of earth tones and into more vibrant colors, and theybegin finding that part of themselves – the red, the yellow, the crimson –that they hadn’t tuned into yet. They enjoy being abandoned for a while andfeeling OK with that,” she said. In her lower-level classes, she said, “I getstudents to be comfortable working out of their comfort zone. Flamencoshould never be comfortable. It should always be putting you on the edge.We as Americans are reluctant to be overly emotional and to show anyextreme emotion, especially the young people. But they come here, andthey enjoy that.”


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When her students are first intro-duced to flamenco, Sandoval findsthey often arrive with a stereotypicalidea of this as a sensual femaledance. Although this is true, this artform is more than that.

“Flamenco is a social and culturalexperience that opens up students’eyes to how grand something can be.They see how accessible something asexotic as flamenco can be for them,”she said. “It can create in them anenergy and focus that many of themdon’t have any idea that they have. Ihave studied other dances – modern,African, ballet, etc. – but I have neverfound a dance form that demands thefocus of energy that flamenco does.”

This “focus of energy” is some-thing Sandoval also teaches in her fla-menco conservatory classes foryounger children nights and week-ends. And beyond her classes, sheleads these youngsters in one of the three institute performance compa-nies, the young children’s company, Niños Flamencos, and she conducts aFlamenco Kids Camp every summer. (Her grown children run her othertwo companies – Joaquín Encinias is director of “Yjastros,” and MarisolEncinias manages “Alma Flamenca.”)

“I hadn’t taught younger children for years, and when we opened theconservatory and I had a chance to teach these kids, I really loved it,” saidSandoval. “I got so much from flamenco as a child, and it revolutionizedmy life.” Children studying flamenco with her today, she said, “find theirself-discipline and sense of self.”

In addition to teaching at UNM, teaching the younger students andrunning a performance company, Sandoval oversees other aspects of theNational Institute of Flamenco programs. Her son manages the insti-tute’s conservatory, which conducts 50 to 60 classes a week, up from sixto seven classes a week during the program’s infancy in 1985. But themost ambitious of her projects, the Festival Flamenco Internacional, hastaken additional work and money to achieve the worldwide stature itenjoys today.

“When we began the festival in 1997, we couldn’t afford to bring inartists from Spain. We brought artists from the U.S. and had two to threeperformances a day. For the festival workshops, we offered beginning,middle and advanced classes. It was received with tremendous enthusiasm,and our local audience of that time loved it,” explained Sandoval. “Everyyear, I’d add another artist and workshop per day, and little by little it keptgrowing. The first five years, we had U.S. artists, and then for our fifthanniversary we invited one artist from Spain. The audience went crazy. So Iknew I had to keep pushing the envelope, and eventually it became a two-week festival with two weeks of performances.”

Sandoval maintained that growth for five years, and then, when timesgot a bit tougher, she shortened the festival to eight days. But they were still

bringing in 30-plus artists with 20 workshops, and up to 50 artists fromSpain. Unfortunately, the institute had to cancel the festival in 2009 – twosummers ago – because of the economy.

“The festival is the most costly of endeavors. Every year, we lost moneyto be able to make this available to our students and students around thecountry,” said Sandoval. “But we figured that loss would take a dramaticrise in 2009. We figured most people from out of state would have a diffi-cult time coming. That became a dangerous endeavor to put on.”

“We brought it back last year and shortened it a bit. We had fantasticartists and a great turnout!” she said.

Although Sandoval has traveled many times to Spain, to Andalusía,where flamenco took root – and where the physical similarity between theSpanish and New Mexican land and people is “striking” – she has madeNew Mexico the most popular home away from home for flamenco in theUnited States.

“We have really tried to build flamenco here.” In New Mexico, she says,people “understand flamenco on a deep level as a form of expression andnot just entertainment. When world-class artists come here from Spain,they always note that there is something about our audience here that has areverence for this art form.”

“I take seriously being a teacher, and teaching people about them-selves, helping them realize themselves in ways they’ve never known. Ithink my mother would be proud to see what she nurtured.”


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More Women Trustees onCollege Boards – but Farfrom Equal Representationby Marilyn Gilroy

Women now represent the majority ofundergraduate students at colleges anduniversities, but in the boardrooms,

trustee membership is still dominated by men.Several recent studies have looked at patternsregarding the appointment of female trustees,their role on the board and whether or not gen-der matters as boards grapple with policy.

A 2010 study by the Association of GoverningBoards of Universities and Colleges reports thatmen outnumbered women by more than 2-to-1on governing boards of both independent andpublic four-year institutions. The overall statis-tics show that women comprise only 29.9 per-cent of board members at public and privateinstitutions, with 18.5 percent serving as chair.

At community colleges, women are repre-sented in greater numbers than on universityboards. A 2009 Association of CommunityCollege Trustees (ACCT) survey revealed that66 percent of trustees are male and 34 percentare female.

The road to becoming a community collegetrustee is varied. A slim majority, 53 percent, areappointed by their state’s governor. But in othercases, the board consists of a combination ofappointed and elected trustees.

When it comes to the politics of trusteeappointments and factors that influence the deci-sion to appoint female versus male trustees, atleast one study shows that states with largershares of female legislators have higher proba-bilities of appointing and confirming femaletrustees to a board. Additionally, if the governoris a Democrat, he or she is 6 percent or 7 per-cent more likely to appoint a female trustee.Mirinda Martin, a Cornell University Ph.D. candi-date who published the study last year, said,“when a governor is appointing a trustee, it is afairly visible way to appoint a woman to a leader-

ship position where that decision will notencounter much resistance.”

Does Gender Matter?Last year, researchers at the Cornell

University Higher Education Research Institute(CHERI) issued a study concluding that the gen-der composition of college leaders, includingtrustees, does matter.

The study, Do Trustees and AdministratorsMatter? Diversifying the Faculty Across GenderLines, looked at the period from 1981 to 2007,a time when the percentage of female trusteesincreased from 20 percent to 31 percent. Thegoals of the survey were to document trends inthe gender of board members and leaders andto learn whether gender composition influencesthe appointment of chancellors, presidents andchief academic officers. In addition, the studyexamined whether the gender composition ofboard leaders and members and key academicadministrators influences the rate at which acad-emic institutions are diversifying their faculty.

“We found that institutions with femalepresidents and female provosts and those witha greater share of female trustees did increasetheir share of female faculty at more rapidrates,” said Ronald Ehrenberg, director ofCHERI.

As might be expected, the report shows themagnitude of the impact of women leaders isgreatest at smaller institutions. In addition, thestudy cautions that a critical share of femaletrustees, which has been defined as 25 percent,must be reached before gender compositionleads to change.

For this issue, The Hispanic Outlook pro-files five trustees who have helped make inroadsinto female representation and leadership oncollege and university boards of trustees.

Sylvia Scott-HayesLos Angeles Community College District

An educator and community activist, SylviaScott-Hayes was first elected to the Los AngelesCommunity College District (LACCD) Board ofTrustees in 1999 and subsequently was the firstLatina to become its president. She served threeterms as president of the board, leading the dis-trict through tremendous growth. The district nowhas nine colleges enrolling more than 140,000students. The student body is 51 percent Latino.

It is the connection to students that has beenmost meaningful to Scott-Hayes.

“I have been most impacted by getting toknow and hear so many personal stories of ourdiverse students,” she said. “Our classrooms arefilled with students who are here with strongsupport of family and friends, and many othersare here in spite of not having that kind of sup-port. Yet all are working on their futures.”

Under Scott-Hayes’ leadership, the board

WOMEN/LEADERSHIP


Sylvia Scott-Hayes

adopted a nationally recognized environmentalsustainability building policy for which itreceived the prestigious Green Cross MillenniumAward from Global Green USA, for its leadershipin launching an extensive program to transformthe Los Angeles community colleges into energy-efficient, sustainable campuses.

Scott-Hayes still serves as an LACCD trusteeand currently chairs the board’s planning and stu-dent success committee, which ensures the col-leges are meeting accreditation standards. Shesays she has truly enjoyed being a policymaker fora district that impacts the lives of so many people.

“As an immigrant, it has been very rewardingto have had the platform and a strong voice incalling for the improvement and strengthening ofstudent support programs,” she said, adding thatshe is especially proud of the bond measuresthat allocated funds for upgrading the facilitiesand grounds of the LACCD campuses.

“I believe our students deserve beautifulfacilities to pursue their educational dreams,”she said.

Scott-Hayes has been honored by theHispanic Scholarship Fund, for her steadfast mis-sion to increase the number of students transfer-ring to four-year institutions, by establishment ofa scholarship in her name. She has received theCommunity Service Award from the NationalChicano Health Organization, OutstandingService Award from the Hispanic Women’s HealthOrganization, Visionary Leadership Award fromthe Los Angeles Women’s AppointmentCollaboration, and Outstanding Women Award ofCalifornia State University-Los Angeles.

Scott-Hayes received a bachelor’s degree insociology and a master’s degree in urban educa-tion from California State University-Los Angeles,and, in addition, engaged in doctoral courseworkin politics at Claremont Graduate University.

Miriam LópezClaudia PuigFlorida International University

Located in Miami, Florida InternationalUniversity (FIU) is a four-year public research uni-versity with an enrollment of more than 40,000,making it one of the 25 largest universities in thenation. It awards more bachelor’s and master’sdegrees to Hispanics than any other institution. Italso has the distinction of having two Hispanicwomen serve on its 13-member board of trustees.

One is Miriam López, president and chieflending officer at Marquis Bank, a position shehas held since August 2010. Prior to this, López

spent 25 years at TransAtlantic Bank serving aspresident and CEO for 18 years. She was chair ofthe American Bankers Association CommunityCouncil from 1999-2000 and president of theFlorida Bankers Association from 2000-01.

A FIU trustee since 2001, López says sheenjoys being able to interact with the community

of students as well as have a direct impact ontheir education.

“I really like participating in commencementceremonies.” she said. “It is great to see theenthusiasm and to know that many of our futureleaders are sitting in this arena with me.”

López is a member of several community

organizations, including the Doctors Hospitalboard of directors, and the Mercy HospitalFoundation board of directors. She also is amentor in local public schools, where she is anadvocate for education.

“I explain how I came to this country with verylittle and the same held true for my parents andthat you can overcome difficulties and still followyour dreams,” she said. “I stress that the one thingthat can never be taken away is your education.”

López graduated from Barry University with abachelor’s degree in education and attendedgraduate school at the University of Miami andalso received a certificate in business adminis-tration with an emphasis in accounting.

Claudia Puig has been a trustee since 2003.She is senior vice president/southeastern region-al manager of Univision Radio, which ownssome of the top-rated Spanish-language radiostations in Miami.

A Cuban native, Puig began her work experi-ence in advertising and sales with BellSouth.Prior to her current position, she was vice presi-dent and then VP/general manager of SpanishBroadcasting Systems in Miami. In recognitionof her experience as a broadcast executive,President George W. Bush appointed her to theCorporation for Public Broadcasting in 2003.She also is a board member of the City of MiamiArts and Entertainment Council.

Puig has been inducted into the Hall of Fameof Miami Dade College.

Rita DiMartinoCity University of New York


Miriam López

Claudia Puig

Rita DiMartino

When New York City Mayor MichaelBloomberg appointed Rita DiMartino to the CityUniversity of New York (CUNY) Board ofTrustees in 2003, he cited her “extraordinaryrecord of corporate experience and her statusas an esteemed member of the Hispanic com-munity and nationally recognized expert onHispanic affairs.”

DiMartino worked for AT&T for 25 years,starting in the area of college relations, in whichshe interacted with various higher educationinstitutions, and represented AT&T at manynational higher education conferences. She roseto the position of vice president of CongressionalRelations for AT&T, involving her in AT&T’s inter-actions with the administration, Congress andwith state governments.

A CUNY graduate from the College of StatenIsland, DiMartino said she considered theopportunity to be a trustee as the chance to “payback my alma mater for the quality of educationI received.” She also holds an M.P.A. from LongIsland University (C. W. Post Center).

DiMartino received several presidentialappointments, including one from President

Ronald Reagan, who named her ambassador tothe UNICEF Executive Board in 1982, and anotherfrom President George H. W. Bush to the USOWorld Board of Governors in 1992. In 2005,

DiMartino was appointed by Secretary Elaine Chaoto the U.S. Department of Labor National AdvisoryCommittee on Apprenticeships and served on theCommission on Federal Election Reform. She hasalso served on 12 International ElectoralObservation Missions. She has received numerousawards and honors, including a LifetimeAchievement Award from the New York StateFederation of Hispanic Chambers of Commerce.

DiMartino is chairman of the board of Bronx-Lebanon Hospital, a member of the Council onForeign Relations, a board member of theNational Endowment for Democracy, NationalAssociation of Latino Elected and AppointedOfficials, Ana G. Méndez University System, andthe advisory board of the Inter-AmericanFoundation. She has previously served on theboard of trustees of Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry.

Being a trustee for CUNY entails overseeingone of the largest urban universities in theUnited States, with more than 260,000 creditstudents. The City University of New York is com-posed of more than 23 colleges and institutions,including community colleges, senior colleges, atechnical college, graduate school, law schooland a medical school.

Varsovia FernándezCommunity College of Philadelphia

Varsovia Fernández, vice chair of the boardof trustees at Community College of Philadelphia(CCP), said that her belief in giving back to thecommunity was instilled during her upbringingin the Dominican Republic. As a young girl, shewatched her parents volunteer with theDominican Republic Red Cross as the countrytransitioned from a dictatorship to a democracy.

“My parents made many people’s lives betterby their example,” she said in a broadcast onNational Public Radio. “I hoped that some day I,too, would be able to do such great things forpeople with fewer resources.”

Today Fernández is president and chief execu-tive officer of the Greater Philadelphia HispanicChamber of Commerce (GPHCC), which shejoined in 2006. Her decision to join the chamberfollowed years of working in the profit sector,which made her realize that Philadelphia’s corpo-rate community needed to become more diverseand that she could help Hispanic businesses.

During her tenure, the chamber achievedrecord levels of membership, revenues andmember-driven activities. Fernández launchedGPHCC’s Professional Mentoring Network, awork force development initiative to helpHispanic professionals connect with executivesand with Hispanic youth. Under her leadership,the chamber has created a voice for Hispanicbusiness in the region by developing a program-matic strategy that builds on the small business,professional and corporate Hispanic markets.

Prior to GPHCC, Fernández worked withCongreso de Latinos Unidos as vice president ofExternal Affairs.

At CCP, Fernández is part of a 15-membergroup of diverse leaders from the city’s legal,financial, economic and pharmaceutical sectors.The college has 70 degree programs and enrollsapproximately 39,000 students in credit and non-credit courses. Women comprise 67 percent ofthe student body, which is 10 percent Hispanic.

Fernández is committed to philanthropic andcivic endeavors and serves on the Make-A-WishFoundation, the Pennsylvania IntergovernmentalCooperative Authority and Philadelphia’s ZoningCode Commission.

She attended Temple University and graduat-ed from Rosemont College.


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by Frank DiMaria

Fewer than 50 percent of the students atVirginia State University (VSU) have themeans to purchase the textbooks needed for

their courses. Even with the odds stacked againstthem, some complete their courses, albeit withgreat difficulty. Others, sadly, fail. Many studentshave convinced themselves that they can getalong without the textbooks, and some borrowbooks from friends. Instructors, sensitive to theneeds of financially strapped stu-dents, place copies on reserve in thelibrary. But none of these threeapproaches is completely reliable,and students soon fall behind, onlyto drop or fail the course.

“This is a tragic waste of studentresources since they are paying forthe classes and will sometimes payfor the same class multiple times.This is a vicious cycle, and the stu-dents ultimately lose out. I am look-ing to break this cycle, not just placea Band-Aid on it,” says Dr. Mirta M.Martin, dean of the Reginald F. LewisSchool of Business and professor ofmanagement, Virginia StateUniversity, and the commonwealth’sfirst Latina dean.

Frustrated with stories about stu-dents performing poorly becausethey could not afford textbooks,Martin made a pledge that no needystudent would go without a text-book. She asked community officialsand others to donate to a fund thatwould purchase books for studentswho needed financial assistance.Martin’s plan yielded $4,000 worth of books forneedy students. But to Martin, this was just theBand-Aid of which she spoke. To find a morepermanent solution, she reached out to publish-ers who offered a bulk rate that would allow theschool of business to pay for textbooks for all itsstudents. That’s when she found Flat WorldKnowledge, a company that offers openlylicensed, low-cost, digitally delivered textbooksto students and professors.

“The solution for overpriced textbooks is tomake them more affordable, not to find ways topay for something that has exceeded its valueproposition. Flat World materials are a viable solu-tion since the goal is to provide students with high-quality content at an affordable price. We lookedto Flat World, not because the other option wasunsustainable, but because the other option didnot offer a real solution to the problem,” she says.

Martin is well on the way of breaking avicious cycle, one in which students repeatedlypay for courses they have failed because theycould not afford the necessary textbooks. Startingthis school year, the Reginald F. Lewis School ofBusiness purchased a digital site license for eachof its students for Flat World Knowledge text-books. Each license offers the student openlylicensed college textbooks as part of the school’sbroad initiative to deliver an integrated core busi-

ness curriculum to all its students.Many conventional textbooks cost more than

$200, and a typical college student can spend$1,000 or more per school year on textbooks.For those students who are at or below thepoverty line, the cost of textbooks is a majorobstacle to earning a degree, according to aPublic Agenda research report for the Bill &Melinda Gates Foundation. Martin’s agreement

with Flat World Knowledge removestextbook costs as a barrier to highereducation.

Virginia State University is aHistorically Black University, and 94percent of its students receive finan-cial aid, a situation with which Martincan personally identify. Born in Cubaunder the Communist regime, shewas permitted to leave the island withonly her grandmother and sister, leav-ing behind her father, mother, broth-ers, grandfathers and other family.She migrated to Spain and eventuallycame to America. She spoke noEnglish but did what she needed to doto put food on the table. She went toschool full time and worked full timestocking shelves, standing for hoursby a tomato-picking assembly line andcleaning houses with her grandmoth-er. She earned 50 cents per hour,bringing home just $20 a week.

Clearly, the financial challengesthat Virginia State University studentsface influenced Martin’s decision toenter into the agreement with FlatWord Knowledge.

“Just like the Hispanic population, many ofmy students work in excess of 40 hours per weekto support their families or themselves. Theyoften have to ask themselves, ‘Do I purchase atextbook or do I send money home to help myfamily, or which book do I purchase so I can stillsend money home?’ Family always wins, and forthat, I admire them. I need to break the cycleand put textbooks in their hands,” she says.

Martin’s textbook agreement with Flat World

WOMEN/INNOVATIONS/PROGRAMS


No More Pencils, No More Books

Dr. Mirta M. Martin, Dean, Reginald F. Lewis School of Business, Professor of Management, Virginia State University

VSUVIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY

Knowledge will not only make a college educa-tion more affordable to her students, it plays akey role in the business school’s revolution ofexcellence, a goal to increase retention and grad-uation rates through technology-based solutions.

“A college degree is essential in today’sworld, and too many of our students are frustrat-ed in their efforts to obtain that degree because,as they plan for the cost of their education, theyfactor in tuition and living expenses but don’tnecessarily understand how much of an impacttextbook costs will have,” says Martin. As aresult of these unplanned costs, students have tochoose between going without certain textbooksor working longer hours to pay for the books.Either choice can be disastrous.

Many students are confronted with a Catch22. If they work too many hours, they will nothave the time to study, and if they don’t buy thetextbooks, they will not have the materials withwhich to study. “No one wins when the studentsdon’t have access to the tools and materials nec-essary for their education,” says Martin.

For years, many have wondered why the costof textbooks has not been included in a student’stuition or living expenses, Martin being one ofthem. She says that institutions and their businessmodels have been in place for a long time, andcampus bookstores have traditionally shoulderedthe burden of the costs associated with adminis-tering textbook sales and maintaining inventory.“This has been convenient for universities andcreated a niche for bookstores,” says Martin.

But it is only since the cost of textbooks began torise precipitously that institutions started to questionthis model. “As we rethink the process – institutionsof higher learning, not just VSU – perhaps we needto consider including textbooks in tuition costs.This, however, raises other possible issues. The costof course content needs to come down; in otherwords, we cannot continue to raise tuition to meetthe demands of rising costs of textbooks at theexpense of parents or students. If that cost is some-how ‘hidden’ in the price of tuition, we haven’tsolved the problem; we have only obscured it fromview. In the end, the real issue is we’re living in the21st century and we need to learn to use 21st-cen-tury technologies to deliver knowledge in an effi-cient, effective and affordable manner,” says Martin.

And one of those 21st-century technologies isthe Internet. Open-licensed textbooks, such asthose offered by Flat World Knowledge, are deliv-ered over the Internet (among other devices) andprovide a lower-cost alternative to traditional text-books. If a traditional textbook costs $150 and astudent takes 15 credit hours, the student couldend up spending $750 per semester on textbooksalone. A Flat World seat license is $20 per course.If open-licensed textbooks are available for all

courses a student takes, he or she would save$650 per semester or $1,300 per year.

“This would mean 180 fewer hours, or fourand a half weeks of full-time, minimum wageemployment that a student would need to workand could devote to their studies,” says Martin.The numbers she quotes are a conservative esti-mate because many of the business textbooks,especially the accounting textbooks, cost inexcess of $200. “I believe my students have thetalent, intellect and ability to succeed, but they didnot have the proper resources. Using this innova-tive digital approach to the delivery of knowledge,we believe, will have a direct impact on studentsuccess and retention. I can tell you it already hashad an impact on their morale,” she says.

Under the agreement, Virginia State Universitywill purchase seat licenses for students enrolledin eight courses in the core business curriculum,with VSU adding more courses next year. In itsstandard model, Flat World Knowledge offers freeaccess to its textbooks only while students areonline. If students want to download a copy totheir own computers, they must pay $24.95 for aPDF, and a print edition will set them back about$30. But the publisher offered the businessschool a bulk rate of $20 per student per course,and it will allow students at the school to down-load not only the digital copies but also the studyguide, audio version or iPad edition, a bundlethat would typically cost about $100.

Flat World’s licensing model approaches text-books as intellectual property that can be deliv-ered in a variety of formats for greater conve-nience and at a more affordable price. VSU stu-dents and faculty will have choices to access anduse the texts in ways that aren’t possible with con-ventional textbooks sold under a traditional pub-lishing business model. Students can read theirtextbooks in the format that best fits their individ-ual learning style. The pre-paid license includesWeb, PDF, audio and e-reader versions for theiPad, Kindle and other e-readers. Online andinteractive study aids are also included. Studentswith print disabilities will have access to the textsin DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System)and BRF (Braille Ready Format) formats.

Accessibility, says Martin, is a major featurewhen one is delivering digital content, emphasizingthat Flat World textbooks are not merely e-books.“Many publishers offer e-books at a reduced costalternative to their print textbooks, but access anduse is still limited. E-books are read online; requir-ing Internet access. Flat World textbooks can bedelivered in a variety of ways and do not requirecontinuous Internet access,” says Martin.

That means that a student can download atextbook in mobi [mobile read] format and readthe text on a Kindle. The student can read that

same file on a laptop using a free Kindle applica-tion. Those who wish to print out individualchapters can download PDF versions of the files,giving them the option of storing these files on aflash drive. They can print these files as neces-sary. “Either way, they can carry their textbookson lightweight, portable devices,” says Martin.

For those auditory learners, Flat World text-books are also available as podcasts, which canbe downloaded to iTunes. Students can listen tothe texts as they walk, jog, work out or drive.

“Digital delivery increases the flexibility andthe accessibility of the material. It is also com-forting to think that a student who mistakenlyleaves a textbook at school over Thanksgivingbreak can go online and access the material tostudy for the final exam,” says Martin.

The digital files do not have an expiration date,nor are they encumbered with digital rights man-agement (DRM) copy-protection, giving studentsunprecedented freedom to transfer the contentfrom device to device for as long as they wish,even after they graduate. For students who preferthe more traditional physical book, soft-cover text-books are also available to VSU students for $30.

But it’s not only the VSU business studentswho will benefit from these digitally deliveredmaterials. Unlike an all-rights-reserved copyrightlicense, Flat World Knowledge’s CreativeCommons license transfers control of the text-book content to VSU’s faculty and provides onlineediting tools that allow faculty to customize andtailor a textbook to meet their individual teachinggoals. Currently, professors can reorder chaptersand sections of chapters and delete material theydeem irrelevant. Professors can also annotatespecific parts of the book, clarifying or highlight-ing certain material. They can also add updatedexamples to the textbook, keeping them fresh.

“Once a professor makes the changes, his orher customized textbook will reflect those changes.This means that the book his or her students readwill contain those changes in any of the print for-mats they access or download. ... This technology ischanging, and more and more options for cus-tomization are becoming available,” says Martin.

While the university is covering the initialroll-out costs for this school year, moving for-ward VSU will look at various options to transferthe license costs to students. The university isexploring ways in which it can continue to offerdigitally delivered textbooks in an affordable andreliable manner. However, Martin believes thatthe students might expect to be responsible forthe cost of the seat license times the number ofclasses they are taking in a given semester. “Still,$200 for the year or $20 times 10 courses peracademic year is far better than the $1,500 to$2,000 they are now expected to pay,” she says.



by Ricardo B. Jacquez

Semester after semester, we continue to celebrate many successes at theCollege of Engineering at New Mexico State University (NMSU) as wegraduate a new group of students ready and eager to take on the

future. Nearly half of them, some 42 percent, are of Hispanic or Latinodescent. Most receive multiple job offers from employers who come fromthroughout the nation in search of outstanding engineering graduates fromdiverse ethnic backgrounds. Many of our graduates go on to assume posi-tions of leadership. And all serve as inspiration to younger generations.

We savor our students’ successes all the more, considering that manycome from economically disadvantaged families. Many are first-generationcollege students. And a good percentage are not fully prepared to begin theengineering curriculum without some remedial education.

We fully embrace the land-grant mission that our university was foundedon more than a century ago. Serving the people of our state is not only ourmission, it is our opportunity to change lives as well as enrich our state.

Our first challenge is to entice the youth of our state to pursue highereducation. Our second challenge is to encourage them to seek degrees inscience, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. Over the pastacademic year, we reached nearly 7,000 students throughout the state withthat message through our K-12 STEM outreach programs.

Of paramount importance to the success of these programs in our com-munities is that they are free to all who participate. Equally important, they arelargely available to the rural areas in our state. Approximately 90 percent ofthe students who participate in these programs graduate from high schooland then go on to college. Even when our efforts to recruit these youngstersare fruitful, they may not be fully prepared to succeed – both academicallyand economically. We offer programs that support students on both fronts.

We are the state administrator for the Louis Stokes Alliance for MinorityParticipation (LSAMP) with the goal to increase the number of minoritystudents who complete their bachelor’s degrees and who are currentlyunderrepresented in the STEM disciplines. All of New Mexico’s LSAMP pro-grams and activities are designed to guide qualified students into leader-ship positions in industry, academia and entrepreneurial pursuits.

Scholarship funds are the primary focus of our development efforts, due tothe substantial financial need of our students. In the past five years, our schol-arship funds have more than doubled, and nearly every freshman who entersthe College of Engineering receives a scholarship. Some departments are able

to provide scholarships for many and in some cases all returning students.The college maintains a tremendous network of support from corpo-

rate partners and alumni. The program is highly regarded and well-respected, and people are very supportive of our efforts to advance ourstudents and faculty. Many of our corporate partners base their generosityupon the caliber of our students as well as the fact that we are a minority-serving institution. Their support provides for better laboratories andequipment, research opportunities and, ultimately, the ability to competefor job opportunities alongside their peers from across the nation.

Aggie engineers Dan Arvizu and Michael L. Connor are evidence of that.Arvizu is director and chief executive of the U.S. Department of Energy’s

National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Connor was appointed earlier thisyear by President Obama as commissioner of the U.S. Bureau ofReclamation, responsible for the nation’s water management.

They show that our land-grant college can produce successful engineerswho, in fact, progress to leadership positions that affect the lives of everyAmerican. Additionally, they influence and inspire young people who, like them,are Hispanic and came from small, economically disadvantaged communities.

Many of our own faculty members came from the same backgroundand are now leading the next generation of Aggie engineers.

David Jáuregui, associate professor of civil engineering, came from Silver City,N.M., a small mining community. He now leads our Bridge Inspection TrainingProgram that certifies bridge inspectors from throughout the United States.

Jessica Perea-Houston, assistant professor of chemical engineering,who was born in Los Alamos and grew up in Santa Fe, received impressiveresearch funding from the National Science Foundation and the NationalInstitutes of Health in her first year as an NMSU faculty member.

I, too, am a fortunate beneficiary of the land-grant process that is suchan inherent part of NMSU’s culture.

I graduated in 1966 from Las Cruces High School, then the only highschool in the city that is home to NMSU. Summers spent working on my fami-ly’s cotton farm and a father who encouraged me to aspire to more in life werethe primary reasons that I decided well before I attended high school that Iwanted to earn my degree as a civil engineer. As a first-generation college stu-dent, I never imagined that I would someday become dean of the college.

We embrace the land-grant mission as an institution, but our success isthe result of the personal commitment of the faculty and staff here at NMSU.I have complete faith that our students will continue with that mission.

Mechanical engineering senior Brandon Grelle, who received aHENAAC Scholarship recognizing his leadership to the Hispanic communityin science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and a native ofDeming, N.M., is already started on that pathway.

Dorothy Lanphere, electrical engineering graduate student from LasVegas, N.M., founded the NMSU chapter of Engineers without Borders andis already making a positive impact on the world.

I can’t wait to see the accomplishments that they and their fellow Aggieengineers will do to better the world and inspire the next generation in thedecades to come.

Ricardo B. Jacquez, Ph.D. and P.E., is dean and regents professor,New Mexico State University.

In the Trenches...Our First Challenge Is to Enticethe Youth of Our State...

In the Trenches...

Can “Word Choices” Compromise a Woman’s Career?

by Sylvia Mendoza

Aletter of recommendation can catapult awoman into the next phase of the interviewprocess for a particular job – or land her

in the slush pile. Word choice in describing thisfemale candidate can make or break her career.Take this scenario: there is an opening for a fac-ulty position at a given university. The applicantpool is impressive. The competition gets stiff.And then, it’s down to two possible candidates –a man and a woman are vying for the same posi-tion. They have the same qualifications, similareducational background and work experience,number of published works, number of honorsand number of courses taught.

What can tip the scale in favor of one or theother when it comes to hiring in academia?

Letters of recommendation can tip that scale,especially when a reference’s word choice paintsa negative, less than stellar picture of the candi-date. Qualities mentioned in recommendation let-ters for women differ sharply from those for men,and those differences are costing women jobs andpromotions in academia and medicine and, mostlikely, in facets of the business community.

“The seemingly innocuous word choices canbe damaging to any applicant, despite his or herskills,” says Dr. Michelle “Mikki” Hebl, profes-sor of applied psychology and management atRice University.

With a National Science Foundation (NSF)grant, Hebl worked with colleague Dr. RandiMartin, the Elma Schneider Professor ofPsychology at Rice, and graduate student JuanMadera (now assistant professor at the Universityof Houston) in a study analyzing more than 600letters of recommendation for 194 applicants foreight junior faculty positions at a U.S. university.Their findings appear in Gender and Letters ofRecommendation for Academia: Agentic andCommunal Differences, published in 2010. Thefindings were surprising and disturbing, saysHebl. They pointed to the fact that the words usedto describe women in letters of recommendationdiffer greatly from the words used to describemen – and this can affect their careers.

In everyday life, the words nurturing, inclu-

sive, helpful, affectionate, kind, sympathetic,tactful and agreeable are pretty positive; howev-er, they are known as “communal” (social oremotive) words and have historically, stereotypi-cally described women and feminine character-istics. By contrast, words like leader, assertive,confident, intellectual, ambitious, dominant,forceful, independent and outspoken are knownas “agentic” (active/assertive) words and have

typically described men in the past.“We found that communal is not valued in

academia, but we weren’t so surprised withthose terms,” said Martin. “We were surprisedwhen we evaluated the negative correlationbetween communal terms that lowered the eval-uation of the recommendation letter. The morecommunal characteristics mentioned, the lowerthe evaluation of the candidate.”

Martin, along with Dr. Suparna Rajaram

(State University of New York-Stony Brook) andDr. Judith Kroll (Pennsylvania State University)received an NSF ADVANCE Leadership award for2003-20 to support the efforts of the Women inCognitive Science (WICS) group and promotewomen in the field. Hebl’s background withgender and various other types of discrimina-tion highlighted their efforts in how women canbe discriminated against in the most subtle waysas they climb their own versions of the corpo-rate ladder.

This study had also been the first to show thatgender differences in letters actually affect judg-ments of “hireability.” A candidate chooses refer-ences she believes will write a positive picture ofher and sell her talents, skills, capabilities andleadership qualifications. Often, however,“strong” words are associated with men – whichgives women a disadvantage even before they canget past the slush pile and in for an interview.

“There is nothing derogatory about thesewords, but they are not helpful to women in thisfashion,” says Martin.

In the study, the research team removednames and personal pronouns from the lettersand asked faculty members from other universi-ties to evaluate how strong the letters were. Theytook into account the number of years in gradu-ate school, numbers of papers published, num-ber of publications on which they were leadauthors, number of honors received, number ofyears of postdoctoral education, the positionapplied for and the number of courses taught.They found that letters of recommendation formen were longer. Despite their qualifications,word choice in recommendation letters greatlyinfluenced hirability ratings.

Raising AwarenessLetter writers might just not be aware of their

biases, especially when it comes to word choices.“It’s a matter of awareness,” says Hebl. “This is acase where people are not aware of what they aredoing with something that is seemingly small, asin word choice, but can have profound effects. Wehave to raise awareness.”

WOMEN/FACULTY/MENTORING


Dr. Michelle “Mikki” Hebl, Professor of AppliedPsychology and Management, Rice University

A letter writer – no matter what the gender –is just not aware that he or she is discriminating.If a letter writer asks himself: how do I describethis woman, what pops into his head might betraditionally stereotypical words. Those wordsbecome more salient. “All words have stereo-types historically,” says Hebl. “Women have beenseen as caring, nurturing and inclusive; men asindependent, assertive, strong.”

In addition, women were described with whatHebl calls “doubt raiser” words, as well, such as“has the potential to be a good leader” or “mightbe a good leader,” which can raise the questionof whether a woman might or might not be agood addition for that faculty. The man, on theother hand, is described as a leader in phrasessuch as “He is already an established leader.”

The gender-specific words and differences inletters of recommendation can cost an applicant ajob, a promotion or a foot in the door for top-tierpositions. This study did not break down theapplicant pool by ethnic categories, but Hebl real-izes that being Hispanic can add more flame tothe fire as the U.S. Hispanic population evolves.

“We know that the landscape of people whoare earning degrees is changing. The White pop-ulation is growing smaller while the Hispanicpopulation is increasing dramatically. It is criti-cal that they’re placed in higher positions inacademia, business and other careers to reflectour changing society.”

There is a call to education for Hispanics,explains Hebl, because the boom in the Hispanicpopulation is still offset by it being the lowest inattaining higher education degrees. Once theyhave degrees in hand, they too will be applyingfor these decision-making positions. They mustbe made aware of the subtle biases in letters ofrecommendation, too.

“There is a leaky pipeline for women to beconsidered for positions in academia, but addbeing Hispanic to that gender bias. What kind ofletters of recommendation can result?”

Hebl’s background is in diversity and dis-crimination, which includes ethnic minorities,women, older people, gender, obesity, sexualorientation. “For all of these, there are laws toprotect them against blatant discrimination,”says Hebl. There is zero tolerance and laws toprotect citizens and social desirability that canbe worked into a given situation.

“Much of that type of discrimination hasbeen extinguished,” she says. “That which hasn’tbeen extinguished is interpersonal interactions.”

These micro-inequities are often more subtleand might seem innocuous, but are not innocu-

ous at all, says Hebl. And are rampant in letter ofrecommendation when it comes to word choice.

What is the landscape for minorities? Arethey marginalized? Are they seen as less intelli-gent and less educated as a whole? One amplifi-cation builds on existing stereotypes. An inter-viewer might not see the Hispanic applicant asbrilliant, but might say, ‘for a Hispanic, thisapplicant is smart.’ Stereotypes that can apply toHispanic women are a double whammy of gen-der and ethnic discrimination.

Micro-inequities can be worse than formaldiscrimination. “Someone can say, ‘I will nothire a woman,’ and that is openly discriminato-ry,” says Hebl. “From the eyes of a female appli-cant, cognitive effort is needed to determinewhether that person is always rude or ‘just rudeto me because I’m a woman.’ Word choice canmake you feel comfortable, like you’re going

into a situation with a best friend – or steppinginto fire with your worst enemy.”

If a woman does not know why she waspassed over for a job when she was just as quali-fied as a male counterpart, word choices mightbe the culprit.

Interestingly, both men and women letter writ-ers often are guilty of using communal words ver-sus agentic words as they describe certain types ofapplicants. What was found is that even when men

are described with communal words for stereo-typical female jobs such as nurse, teacher orsocial worker, they, too, are overlooked.

“Most are unaware of how this word choicecan affect the evaluation of an applicant,” saysMartin. She recommends that references trulythink about their word choices in letters of rec-ommendation. “How appropriate is this word inregard to employment? Are you describing theintellectual caliber of the applicant? Think twicebefore writing that letter.”

Be a Proactive ApplicantBeing biased in writing letters of recommen-

dation might not be intentional; sometimes itmight just be a lack of awareness by a letterwriter. They don’t write these marginal letters ofrecommendation as part of a hidden agenda.“They are simply not aware of their biases insomething as simple as word choice.”

“Pick people to write your letters who aresupportive of you, people you trust,” says Hebl.

An applicant can give letter writers the materi-al he or she wants to accentuate. Give them a listwith your own choice words, letting them knowthat those are the qualities you would like them tostress if at all possible, suggests Hebl. Keep inmind what the criteria are for the job and whatthe most important aspect is of the academicposition for which they are applying. Agentic qual-ities could include: can run a lab, has leadershipqualities in a team scenario, makes informeddecisions. Be aware of historically stereotypical“female” roles. For example, caring, sensitive,kind and nurturing are good for a nurse, but“makes good decisions under pressure” is better.

What are the qualifications in terms of abilityto do the job? Teaching, awards and publishedcredits should be taken into account, as well asthe letters.

Hebl and Martin continue to gather data fortheir next tier of analysis of letters of recom-mendation. They will focus on medical schoolfaculty, which will provide a bigger sample ofapplicant letters.

Look at letters of recommendation in terms ofdecision making, says Martin. They have thepower to make or break careers, garner promo-tions and recognize talent. Word choice can swaypeople to believe one perspective versus another.

“There is this social commentary many of usare not aware of,” says Martin. “I hope whatpeople get out of this is the need to think aboutthe subtle differences in gender expectations andhow words can affect those expectations.”


Dr. Randi Martin, Elma Schneider Professor of Psychology, Rice University

The Transformation of a University and the Journey

of an Opera Star Who Returned Homeby Robert D. Meckel

Regardless of the color of their skin, young women in Texas duringthe 1950s shared an environment of inequality in the male-dominat-ed world of academia that seemed to support the notion that a

woman’s place was in the home or at best in a job teaching small children.Such was the case for Barbara Smith Conrad in the mid-1950s when she

traveled from the comfort of her home in East Texas to become one of thefirst Black female students at the University of Texas. She recalls it was not awelcoming environment – the few female Black students enrolled at the uni-versity were housed separately from the dormitories provided for young Whitewomen. Most of the restaurants in town refused service to people of color.

“We felt very isolated,” recalls Conrad, who overcame the challenges ofbeing a Black woman of that era and went on to become one of the world’smost celebrated mezzo-sopranos, over a long and distinguished career.

Conrad said she could have chosen an easier path to get a college edu-cation. But she felt she had a right to attend a good university in her state,one that had quality teachers with knowledge of value to her in her studiesto become a teacher and other areas that interested her, such as singingclassical music, as she had done back home.

Women students were greatly outnumbered when Conrad arrived oncampus in 1957. The population on the university’s main campus wasmore than 19,000 students, about 14,000 of whom were men.

More than half of those female students were enrolled in areas consid-ered more appropriate for women – the College of Arts and Sciences andthe College of Education. In fields historically for men, the female enroll-ment was much lower. Examples included the School of Architecture –345 men, 13 women; College of Business – 2,408 men, 435 women;College of Engineering – 3,801 men, 23 women; and the School of Law –816 men, 24 women.

Conrad said she came from a family of teachers, and teaching wouldhave been her vocation had it not been for an incident in 1957 thatbecame national news and a turning point in her life, creating an opportu-nity for her to travel to New York City.

Conrad’s talent had won her the lead role that year in the university’sopera Dido and Aeneas. But she was removed from that role because shewas cast opposite a White student who was the male lead, and the roleinvolved a kissing scene. The young woman found herself at the center of anational civil rights controversy. Prominent Black movie stars and otherpublic figures came to Conrad’s defense and introduced her to the won-ders of art and culture in New York City. She was encouraged to study else-where but decided to stay and was graduated from the University of Texasin 1959. She left Austin then and did not look back for a long, long time.

Conrad, who now lives in New York City, said her feelings about the uni-versity since then have been “a journey” that has taken her from having alack of interest in her alma mater to feeling extremely proud with a senseof belonging to a university that is “helping to make a difference in the

world.” Her life is chronicled in the documentary When I Rise: The Storyof Barbara Smith Conrad, produced by the university’s Dolph BriscoeCenter for American History.

Conrad said her emotional journey in her feelings about the university wasa long road that required her to “confront those demons that haunted us.”

“I had to confront racism,” Conrad said. “It’s lethal and horrible, butwe found ourselves wanting the best for everyone, at the end of the day.”

She said she thanks God for the other Texas Exes who, many years ago,extended a welcoming hand and said, “Come along, Barbara, join us.”

Through the years, her relationship with the university has strengthened.The Texas Ex-Students’ Association named her a Distinguished Alumnus in1985, and the university has honored her with the founding of the BarbaraSmith Conrad Endowed Presidential Scholarship in Fine Arts. She said itwas a “surprise and tremendous honor” earlier this year when she wasasked to be the voice for five new broadcast advertising spots promoting theUniversity of Texas-Austin during televised NCAA sporting events.

The 30-second ads featuring Conrad’s voice began airing in fall 2010on nationally and regionally televised football games and have been fea-tured at sporting events on the university campus. All of the ads close withConrad proclaiming the university’s well-known and celebrated motto,“What Starts Here Changes the World.”

Susan Heinzelman, director of the university’s Center for Women’s andGender Studies, which began as a women’s studies program in 1979, saidConrad and other women students of color demonstrated “extraordinarycourage and determination” in their quest for an education and careers inthe 1950s, and they helped redefine the future of the university.

“They would have come with all the expectations of being kept in theirplace,” Heinzelman said. “I’m just amazed that they came.”

She said the few Hispanic women students on campus also faced thedual challenge of attending a predominantly White male institution withhistoric boundaries for people of color.

The 1950s was a time when men had returned from World War II toreclaim their old jobs, and the women who had been called upon to helpin the work force during the war years were being pushed back into thedomestic space, Heinzelman said.

“I’m sure many of the women who came to the university in the ’50sand ’60s were asked at some time or another, ‘Why are you coming here toget your degree if you are just going to get married and have children?’”Heinzelman said. “I think the joke was that women came here to get anMRS degree” – to find a husband.

“Sadly, that still plays as a joke here, but I think many of the youngwomen who come now are quite clear about their own desire to be edu-cated and to pursue a career. It is not icing on the cake for a relationship;it is central to their lives.

“As we moved out of the ’50s, the civil rights movement opened up the

WOMEN/LEADERSHIP/ROLES MODELS


possibility for people who had been marginalized, politically, to declare thatthey had an identity, that they wanted to be recognized,” Heinzelman said.

Women who had been trained and conditioned to become “somebody’ssecretary” began thinking of the possibility of becoming the boss.

That likelihood increased, Heinzelman said, as the number of womenattending the University of Texas-Austin grew and their enrollment in stud-ies previously dominated by men moved upward.

By 1967, when civil rights issues based on race had expanded toinclude demands of equality for women, the university’s enrollment ofalmost 30,000 students included 62.7 percent men and 37.3 percentwomen. The enrollment of women grew to 43.3 percent in 1977, 46.4 per-cent in 1987, 49 percent in 1997, and by fall 2003 it had exceeded themale population with an enrollment of 50.5 percent women. The enroll-ment in fall 2010 was more than 51,000 students, which included 49.5

percent men and 50.5 percent women.Heinzelman said there still are limitations on female students in

Texas in terms of their educational options, but most of that happensbefore they get to the university level.

It was so in the 1950s and still seems to be the case that young girlsin primary and middle school showing an aptitude for science andmath, “unless they are fortunate to be in the right schools with the rightteachers, will find themselves steered away from these fields,”Heinzelman said. This is a critical time “when a girl begins identifyingherself as a young woman, no longer as a child but as a young woman,”and the cultural pressure is intense for them to conform to the tradition-al roles for women.

The university recognizes this problem and has developed the“Women in Engineering” program and other initiatives to encourage

girls in this age group to pursue careers in engineering, science and othernontraditional fields, she said.

The university also has implemented several initiatives encouraging eth-nic diversity. Success is reflected by preliminary enrollment figures for the2010 fall semester, released in September, showing that for the first time inthe history of the University of Texas-Austin, fewer than half of the first-timefreshmen were White students. The freshmen included 47.6 percent White,23.1 percent Hispanic, 5.1 percent Black, 17.3 percent Asian-Americanand 0.1 percent Native American.

Total student enrollment at the university for the 2010 fall semester was52.1 percent White. The enrollment reflected increases for Hispanics toabout 17 percent and for Black students to about 4.5 percent.

The figures reflect changes in the demographics of Texas. The Office ofthe State Demographer, Texas State Data Center, estimates the state’s eth-


The Transformation of a University and the Journey

of an Opera Star Who Returned Home

Barbara Conrad in the 1950s

Barbara Conrad today

nicity in 2010 to be 45.1 percent Anglo (White), 38.8 percent Hispanic,11.5 percent Black and 4.6 percent Other. The state’s ethnic/race distribu-tion by 2020 is projected to change to 37.6 percent Anglo (White), 45.2percent Hispanic, 11.2 percent Black and 6 percent Other.

The university’s transformation to a more diverse institution also isreflected by the number of women enrolled in studies previously dominat-ed by men. The university’s Office of Information Management and Analysisenrollment report for fall 2010, for example, showed enrollment figuresincluded the School of Architecture – 315 men and 392 women; School ofBusiness Administration – 2,988 men and 2,332 women; School ofEngineering – 5,993 men and 1,669 women; and the School of Law – 636men and 557 women.

Dr. Gregory Vincent, the university’s vice president for diversity andcommunity engagement, said he is pleased the university has madeprogress in gender equity for students, faculty and staff through the years,but there is still much room for improvement.

“We need to make sure that women are continuing to take on leader-ship roles, that they are involved in every aspect of decision making oncampus,” Vincent said.

University records show that in 1975, women totaled 12.8 percent ofthe 1,598 faculty listed as professors, associate professors and assistantprofessors. The faculty classified as full professors included 32 (5.2 per-cent) women compared to 589 (94.8 percent) men.

Records for the 2010 fall semester show women total 30.5 percent ofthe 2,008 faculty and that there are 210 (20.9 percent) women comparedto 1,006 (79.1 percent) men classified as full professors.

Vincent said a 2008 report from the university’s Gender Equity Task

Force pointed out challenges facing the university and that it’s important torecruit women for leadership roles when opportunities arise. He said, forexample, that there should be more women deans.

“I think we are making progress, but we can do an even better job,”Vincent said.

Heinzelman agreed and expressed optimism about the university’s will-ingness to deal with gender issues.

“What has happened,” Heinzelman said, “is that the upper administration,the provost and president, have taken seriously the gender equity report.”

Heinzelman said she believes there has been a concerted effort toaddress salary inequities at the full professor level for women, to promotemore women from associate to full professor and to put more women inleadership positions. An important element toward success will be findingways to help women faculty coming to the university to balance work andfamily, she said.

“So, yes, things are definitely changing, but it’s slow. It’s been very slow,”Heinzelman said. “It’s taken years to get us in this position, and you can’tchange it overnight. It’s going to be 10 years before we see the full results ofwhat is happening. But at least we are moving in the right direction.”

The status of women at the University of Texas-Austin, described byHeinzelman as “moving in the right direction,” seems to run a parallelpath with the “journey” Conrad described in her relationship with the uni-versity. It has transformed to become a more welcoming environment forwomen and people of color.

“We are a long long way from 1957,” Heinzelman said. “But now we knowwhat needs to be done. That’s a long way from where we were in the ’50s.”



It’seasy to chronicle the his-tory of the world if youcan take volumes to tell

the story and make sure it is told fromthe point of view of the victorious.Galeano has taken the more difficultpath in this endeavor. He chooses torelate history in small bites that oftendepict the perspective of the downtrod-den and vanquished.

Mirrors: Stories of AlmostEveryone picks up where Galeano’sprevious effort, Memory of Fire, tookthe reader. In Memory of Fire, Galeanoretold the history of North America byrelating 500 stories about its past. This time, the author chooses 600 sto-ries to encompass the history of the entire world. But the succinct andpowerful style of this storyteller is not diluted by expanding the geography.These poignant vignettes weave staple facts with personal human storiesthat punctuate many of the most significant moments in the history of theworld.

An inescapable theme in this book is that the playing field throughouthistory has never been level. Powerful interests have always directed the fateand future of what is called the “unseen, unheard, forgotten” and power-less of the world. Galeano illustrates that idea by coupling related themes,including reflections on the 20,000 workers who built the Taj Mahal over20 years with the Black slaves who built the White House. He mixes real-lifeexperiences with those of the gods as he effortlessly moves from fact tofable to make his larger points. He draws readers into his story of Odin, theViking god of war who launched his magic lance to wage war from afar andreminds us that Odin’s lance was a precursor of remote controlled missiles.

Galeano is not afraid to use humor to make a larger, more soberingpoint that the cultures of the world are not so different as they share a col-lective humanity. The ride through time is not chronological. Galeanomoves back and forth through the ages to illustrate how alike our humanlife experiences have been from the beginning of man’s recorded history.He parallels stories of Egypt’s Osiris and Isis and the Bible’s Adam and Eve.

In an interview, Galeano summarized what he had in mind when hecompiled these stories. “I wanted to write a book without borders,unbounded by time or place, and that is why, from the outset, writingMirrors was an adventure in freedom.” And what an adventure hehas created!

Reviewed by Mary Ann Cooper

Mirrors by Eduardo GaleanoNation Books, 2010, 391 pgs. ISBN 978-1-568-58612-0. $16.95paper.

IInntteerreessttiinngg RReeaaddss

aanndd MMeeddiiaa......

Mexican Community Health and the Politics of HealthReform

By Suzanne D. Schneider

This book explores the emergence of grass-rootshealth groups in Morelos, Mexico, and the local strategiesused to improve the health care process through the sto-ries of the women participating in the groups.

2010. 200 pgs. ISBN 978-0-8263-9. $29.95 paper.University of New Mexico Press. (505) 277-3291. unmpress.com.

The She-Devil in the MirrorBy Horacio Castellanos Moya

Translated from the Spanish by Katherine Silver, this is adetective story set in post-civil war El Salvador. The narrativeis voiced by a woman who has to deal with the shock of herbest friend being murdered.

2009. 160 pgs. ISBN 978-0-8112-1846-7. $14.95 paper.New Directions Books. (212) 255-0230. www.ndbooks.com.

Women and Change at the U.S.-Mexico Border: Mobility,Labor and Activism

Doreen J. Mattingly and Ellen R. Hansen, eds.

The lives of women on both sides of the border arechronicled as a way to examine environmental and socioe-conomic conditions that are shaped by daily life and globaleconomic conditions.

2006. 232 pgs. ISBN 0-8165-2528-5. $45.00 cloth.University of Arizona Press. (520) 621-3920. www.uapress.com.

Latin American Women Artists 1915-1995This DVD documents an exhibit at the Milwaukee Art

Museum of work by Latin American women. It featuresthe work of Frida Kahlo and María Izquierdo – as well asthat of living artists Fanny Sanin, Soledad Salame andElba Damast.

2003. 27 minutes. ISBN 978-1-4213-2538-5. $149.95DVD. Films for the Humanities and Sciences. (800) 257-5126.www.films.com.


Researchers Look at Ways to Bridge

the Gender Gap in STEM Fieldsby Melissa Campbell

Longstanding stereotypes about women’s inferior ability to succeed inscience, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields have beendifficult to eradicate. Indeed, much research in the realm of social

psychology indicates that stereotypes are nearly impossible for people torelinquish. However, an ongoing study by Catherine Good, Ph.D., ofBaruch College looks to circumvent the negative effects of these stereo-types through a construct she conceived called “sense of belonging.”

Supported by a $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation(NSF), the study builds on previous research, also supported by the NSF,that looked at ways that a learning environment and a student’s perspec-tive can either heighten or ameliorate stereotype threat, which occurswhen a person who belongs to a group that has a negative stereotypeattached to it – e.g., women are not good in math – subconsciously con-forms to the negative stereotype. The study revealed that a sense ofbelonging, characterized by to what degree a student felt a part of an aca-demic community or how well they fit in or were accepted, or how muchthey were valued in that academic domain, played an important role incombating stereotype threat.

“A lot of women left STEM fields not because they couldn’t do well butbecause they didn’t feel like it was a good place for them, that they werenot a real member of the community, they were not valued by peers,”explained Good. “Those feelings may be communicated subtly or overtly.And what does it feel like when you are sitting in an academic domain butnot feeling like a member of the club? You may fade into background orleave altogether.”

The latter is exactly what happened to Good, who became interested inthis topic based on her own personal path in academia.

“I was always good in math,” she said. “I went to graduate school withthe intention of getting a Ph.D. in math, but after I completed my master’sdegree, I hit a wall. I couldn’t really put my finger on what was happening,but I never felt like it was the place for me. Through a long path throughgraduate school, I landed in psychology and heard about the concept ofstereotype threat. A light bulb went off in my head: That’s what happened tome! I instantly wanted to better understand this idea and focused myresearch around it.”

In the first NSF-funded study on sense of belonging, Good identified twofactors that interacted to reduce a woman’s sense of belonging in a STEMdomain and ultimately affected performance, i.e., grades, as well as awoman’s decision to leave the field. Stereotype threat and the degree towhich a woman perceived stereotypes about women’s abilities in STEM

WOMEN/RACE/GENDER ISSUES

“The reality is that math is anability and a skill set that canbe nurtured and developed

over time.”

Catherine Good, Ph.D., Baruch College


Researchers Look at Ways to Bridge

the Gender Gap in STEM Fields

fields to be prevalent in an academic domain were shown to erode a senseof belonging. The second factor that impacted a sense of belonging relatedto perceptions of the nature of intelligence, i.e., is intelligence fixed ordoes it develop over time. The prevailing belief is that it is fixed and thatgenetic makeup determines both intelligence and academic range.

“People assume that math is somehow linked to genes: either you are amath person or not,” commented Good. “The reality is that math is anability and a skill set that can be nurtured and developed over time. In fact,studies have shown that an intervention as simple as leading students in adiscussion about neuroscience and illustrating the way that neurons anddendrites and synapses are strengthened the more they are used helps tocombat this idea that just because you are female you can’t do math.”

Perhaps the most infamous moment in the history of this topic camewhen Dr. Lawrence Summers, then president of Harvard University, deliv-ered his damning speech on the inherent abilities of women versus men.Coincidentally, Good was present, scheduled to present her initial findingson stereotype threat and sense of belonging.

“That moment really epitomized the perfect storm of constructs thatcan undermine sense of belonging in the STEM domain,” remarked Good.

In the current study, which she is conducting with a Baruch Collegecolleague, Jennifer Mangels, they are aiming to better understand the foun-dations of a sense of belonging, how sense of belonging can take root andhow it affects not just achievement, but learning.

“As we discussed in our first study, learning leads to achievement. Weknow learning is disrupted by these stereotypes, so this study looks to seeif learning can be fostered by a sense of belonging.”

Good and Mangels are exploring these concepts with two groups of stu-dents: seventh- and eighth-graders in Montclair, N.J., and first-year stu-dents at Baruch College in New York. They have identified three ways asense of belonging can be manifested in the classroom.

The first is called “achievement-based sense of belonging.” Studentsfeel as though they belong, are valued and accepted when they get goodgrades.

But when students falter, for example, when they get a C, or are whenthey are enrolled in a tough class that pushes their comfort level, and con-sequently they experience a dip in achievement, it affects their sense ofbelonging.

According to Good, “Students are now on shaky ground, questioningwhether they fit in anymore. In this sense, achievement-based belonging isvulnerable when kids falter. But the reality in learning is that struggles hap-

pen to everyone, so an achievement-based sense of belonging may not bebulletproof in keeping women in the STEM domain.”

The second sense of belonging Good identified is social-based.Students feel a sense of belonging when they have strong connections inthe classroom; they feel as though they fit in when their friends are withthem, and when they pursue things with people like themselves whom theyalso like. Again, this type of belonging is compromised if a student’sfriends aren’t in the same class or decide to pursue other areas of study.Once the social support system is gone, students don’t feel connected, andthey too leave the STEM domain.

The third way a student can feel a sense of belonging is called effort-based belonging, which is based on the level of engagement and effort andstriving. Good believes that this sense of belonging can carry studentsthrough the storms of struggling academically and can work to negate theimpact of stereotypes.

As she puts it, “If a student starts to do poorly, he or she will still feel asense of belonging through his or her participation, effort and engage-ment. If teachers instill the notion that struggles are a way to increasingintelligence, effort-based belonging will protect students when stereotypesrear their head or when they are dealing with a hard class or dealing withgender-based perceptions of talent or fixed math ability.”

By looking at longitudinal data as well as results from a series of experi-ments in which various psychological factors are manipulated to test whichtype of sense of belonging works best, Good hopes to prove her hypothesisthat effort-based belonging is what should be fostered in classrooms.

The implications of this work lie in providing teachers with evidence-based research that clearly shows the benefits of promoting effort-basedbelonging to increase learning and achievement and how teachers shouldfocus students around this sense of belonging.

“Are there star charts for good grades? That clearly says that the kidswho matter are the ones who get good grades – which is not the best wayto construct a domain. Personally, I prefer students who are really engagedin content, regardless of their grades. I wish I could fill all of my seats withstudents like that!”

“The bottom line is that we want to value participation because weknow it will lead to achievement. But teachers can’t just say, ‘Ten percentof your grade is based on your level of participation.’ Teachers mustactively and publicly show that they value participation and reinforce thatin the classroom.”

by Clay Latimer

Aschair of Latin American and Latino studies, Professor PatriciaZavella is charged with making things run smoothly in her depart-ment at the University of California-Santa Cruz (UCSC).

But her job doesn’t end on the picturesque campus, nestled in the red-wood forests and meadows overlooking Monterey Bay.

Zavella spends much of her time in another part of the county – anoth-er world, really – the migrant labor neighborhoods in nearby Watsonville.

For a decade, the acclaimed cultural anthropologist interviewed andobserved migrant people for her forthcoming book, I’m Neither Here NorThere: Mexicans’ Quotidian Struggles with Migration and Poverty.

Though the book should fortify Zavella’s status as one of the world’sleading scholars in the fields of feminist ethnography and Chicano studies,Zavella is already thinking about her next project, a trait that surfaced inthe 1970s, when she dove into the emerging field as a Cal Berkeley gradu-ate student.

“People were shaping Chicano studies back then,” she said. “You kneweveryone working in the field. You could literally count on your hands thenumber of Chicano anthropologists. I’d go to conferences with fellow gradstudents who ended up writing very influential papers in the field.

“So I feel like I grew up with the field, as it changed right around me. Itwas pretty clear we were pioneers. ... I had no idea it was going to be asbig and complex as it has become.”

Today Zavella is a much-decorated role model for a new generation ofup-and-coming scholars. With her first book, Women’s Work andChicano Families: Cannery Workers of the Santa Clara Valley, now in itsfourth printing, Zavella became the first Chicana to publish a single-authorbook focusing on Chicanas. She is the author, too, of Telling to Live:Latina Feminist Testimonies, which features life stories of Latina feministscholars, a compilation that won the 2002 Gustavus Myers OutstandingBook Award. In 2007, she co-edited the new book Women and Migrationin the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands: A Reader.

Eight years ago, Zavella received the National Association for Chicanaand Chicano Studies Scholar Award and also was named one of the 100

Most Influential Hispanics in Hispanic Business magazine.And as former director of UCSC’s Chicano/Latino Research Center,

Zavella is also credited with increasing understanding of labor, health, sex-uality and other facets of Mexicana and Chicana life.

Yet despite her accomplishments, Zavella has never abandoned hercommunity activist roots, as she revealed during a 2008 UCSC FoundersDay Dinner, where she was honored for her work as a teacher andresearcher.

Addressing a stylish crowd at the Cocoanut Grove, just minutes afterreceiving a standing ovation, Zavella said she felt her late grandmotherwhispering in an ear, urging her to ask UC-wide administrators to sign anew labor agreement with the union representing gardeners, maintenanceworkers and food service staff.

“UC contributes to poverty in the community,” she declared.Zavella’s empathy for workers began in childhood. Her mother and

grandmother cleaned houses, and her father worked in the Air Force,which meant frequent moves. The family settled for a time in ColoradoSprings, near her maternal grandmother, who encouraged her to read.

“My sisters say I always had my nose in a book,” said Zavella, whograduated high school in California. “Of course, I don’t remember that.”

Though she won a university scholarship, Zavella decided to go toChapman Community College instead, becoming the first in her family toattend college. “I didn’t have any good friends who were going to go to theuniversity. I felt very intimidated by the application process and about mov-ing out of my family home,” she said.

After Chapman, it was on to Pitzer College for Zavella and then an M.A.and Ph.D. at Cal Berkeley, where she encountered resistance from the oldguard, which objected to the concept of Chicano studies.

“I very much felt like I was out on a limb. I wanted to do my researchwith Chicanos in the United States. My advisor kept saying there’s no suchthing as Chicano studies. You have to be a Latin Americanist. That feltvery unfair. It was something that was uncomfortable – but exciting. I justdidn’t worry.

WOMEN/PROFILES


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PatriciaZavella:

Exceptional Teacher,

First-Rate Scholar,

Committed Activist

“When I found my footing was when I went and did field research formy dissertation. I moved from Berkeley to San Jose, which at the time feltlike the hinterlands. Trying to figure out how to do ethnographic researchwas tough, but I just started talking to people and doing interviews. I didobservations with a group of dissident workers. Eventually, I got to thepoint where it was full time every day and sometimes day and night.

“I felt like I learned a lot, even though I didn’t really feel like I knewhow to write a dissertation. I felt like I had something to say, and in theend it worked out.”

Zavella converted her thesis into a book, published in 1987 asMexican-American women were entering the labor force in increasingnumbers. By linking new theories about Chicano family structure and femi-nist theory, she brought to life the plight of Chicano women who worked inNorthern California’s fruit and vegetable canneries.

“It was at a time when the field of Chicano studies was really starting toblossom, and also at a time when there was little work being done onwomen,” Zavella said. “It was definitely sort of a path-breaking work. “

Following a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford’s Center for ChicanoResearch, Zavella joined the UCSC faculty in 1983, where she helped buildthe community studies program, enabling the school to produce some ofthe field’s most distinguished young scholars. In the late 1990s, she wasnamed co-director of the school’s Chicano/Latino Research Center. In2003, the National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies presentedits annual Scholar’s Award to Zavella, describing her as “an exceptionalteacher, a first-rate scholar and an activist committed to social change.”

At the same time, Zavella was immersed in research for her latest book,which involved more than 70 interviews with migrant people and focusgroups and surveys with a hundred more. While trying to pinpoint thecauses of poverty, she came across a recurring theme: language.

Whether migrants spoke English determined what kind of work theywere offered, how socially involved they became outside the home, andhow American-born Mexicans treated them.

Some of the stories tugged at her heart: A woman who earned a post-graduate degree in Mexico ended up working in the fields in centralCalifornia because she couldn’t speak English. A Mexican doctor servedtables at a Watsonville restaurant.

“I decided early on I wasn’t going to write just about the heart-wrench-ing stories. I wanted to write about the ways in which people try to finddignity and occasionally even resist or avoid the exploitation they’re putinto,” she said.

“For example, one woman trained in accounting came here withoutdocumentation, so her accounting degree didn’t count. She didn’t speakEnglish, so she had to take the only job she could find. She was so demor-alized. She finally started volunteering at her children’s school. Eventually,over a long period of time, she started learning English through herchurch, found another apartment, moved out and eventually she became apaid bilingual assistant (at the school). It was a very modest accomplish-ment, but for her it was all the change in the world. It’s not the money thatmattered but that she was able to get out of the home and do work that wasmeaningful. She did it for self-esteem. “

Zavella’s latest book also examines migrant journeys to and within theU.S. and the ways in which cultural memory is preserved through LatinAmerican and Chicano protest music and Mexican folk songs.

“There’s a fine line between anthropology and sociology, particularly ifyou’re working in developed countries like the U.S.,” she said. “Basically,

an anthropologist spends a long time in the same place and gets to knowthe people, the language and has very in-depth relationships and learnswhat’s going on in relation to a set of phenomena. It could be cultural; itcould be religious.”

Because of a remarkable rise in migration in the world in recentdecades, cultural anthropologists are increasingly focusing on the U.S. andother first-world countries, fueling the need for more young scholars.Three decades ago, there were fewer than a dozen Latino cultural anthro-pologists; today, says Zavella, there are more than 400.

“Today I’m one of the old guard,” she says. “That’s fine. It’s really excit-ing to see young women who are great students building on our work anddeveloping their own analyses, their own books and papers.

“It’s partly driven by the huge increase in immigration from LatinAmerica in the 1990s. In California, Latinos are now the majority of ele-mentary schoolchildren. A lot of people feel the need to understand thepopulation and figure out what’s going on. There are so many changes inthe U.S. in relation to the Latino population. The field is flourishing.”


Patricia Zavella, Cultural Anthropologist, UC-Santa Cruz, with ChancellorGeorge Blumenthal receiving her 2008 Chancellor’s Diversity Award

It’slonely at the top for Irma García. Since 2007, when she wasnamed the athletic director at St. Francis College in Brooklyn,N.Y., she has remained the first and only Hispanic woman to

lead a Division I athletic program.“I like where I am at,” she said recently. “I have been really blessed,

though I wish there would be more females getting into this role.”If she has anything to do about it, then there likely will be others who

follow in her sneakersteps. García proudly wears the distinction, using herexperience to help shape legions of athletes into better, more well-roundedindividuals before they head out into the post-collegiate world of work andgreater responsibilities.

García first arrived at St. Francis in 1976 as a student-athlete andplayed on the women’s basketball team. Her strong defense won her a cov-eted starting role. When she graduated, she didn’t have to look too far. Shebecame the girls’ basketball coach at St. Joseph by the Sea on StatenIsland. And in 1988, she returned to St. Francis, then as the head coach ofthe women’s basketball team.

García received accolades, and after the 1997-98 season, she earnedthe Northeast Conference Coach of the Year award. Off the court that sea-son, her team had the 23rd-highest grade point average among more than300 Division I programs, and her students bested that distinction the sub-sequent year, when her team had the fourth-highest GPA among all DivisionI programs.

She turned in her coaching jersey in 1999 to serve as St. Francis’ asso-ciate director of athletics, a role in which she needed to handle fundraisingand budgeting and which paved the way to her elevation to athletic directorin 2007.

“Because of her experience with the college as a student, an athlete anda coach, as well as her administrative duties in the athletics department,Irma was the best-qualified person to become our next director of athlet-ics,” said St. Francis College President Brendan J. Dugan. “The fact thatshe is a trailblazer for Latinas is an added bonus in several ways. It offersan example for the younger generation to aspire to and also gives our cur-

rent and future Latino students a supportive and friendly face to help themadjust and succeed at St. Francis.”

García earned a master’s degree from Brooklyn College in 2001 insports administration and is an active member of the National Associationof Collegiate Directors of Athletics, the National Association of CollegiateWomen Athletic Administrators (NACWAA), American Council onEducation, and Minority Opportunities Association.

WOMEN


“I learned so much in thatNACWAA seminar about

administration and who I amnow, what I am supposed to

be doing.”

Irma García, Athletic Director, St. Francis College

Irma García:BlazingTrails &ScoringSuccessby Jeff Simmons

She’s been featured by numerous media outlets, from USA Today toESPN to American Latino, a nationally syndicated TV show.

She remains awed by all of the attention – the numerous awards citingher glass-ceiling-busting distinction. Recently, García was recognized asone of the recipients of the 2010 “Mujeres Destacadas Award” by El DiarioLa Prensa, the premier publication serving New York-area Latinos. Andjust over two years ago, in October 2008, she was honored by the not-for-profit organization MANA, which presented her with its Las Primeras Awardat the White House.

She sat down with The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazineto discuss her role, vision for studentachievement and future goals.

The Hispanic Outlook: Youwere honored at the White House asa 2008 Las Primeras AwardRecipient by MANA for becoming thefirst Hispanic woman to run anNCAA Division I athletics program.What was that like?

Irma García: I didn’t know Iwas being honored at the WhiteHouse. It was two combined events,and what ended up happening wasthat my parents were flying in toWashington, D.C., and I asked ifthey could come the night before,and then the part of the event was atthe White House. I was really excit-ed. But that was the night that therewas a vote on the first stimulus, sothere really was nobody around atthe White House. Even the personwho was supposed to give me theaward couldn’t attend. I took as many pictures as they allowed me to. Itwas a day I will never forget because my parents were there. I am one ofeight children. My dad worked two jobs, in the post office and as a car-penter. And my mother was a paraprofessional and a school crossingguard. They constantly worked, so they were unable to attend any of mybasketball games. So this was a wonderful experience. I still have the pic-tures from that day.

HO: More recently, you received a 2010 “Mujeres Destacadas Award”from El Diario La Prensa. What did that mean to you?

García: They didn’t tell me what it really was until I arrived. When Iarrived, there was a huge picture of Judge [Sonia] Sotomayor, and I wassaying, “Oh, my goodness.” I had e-mailed her when she was appointedto the U.S. Supreme Court, and she answered back, which I thought wasphenomenal.

HO: What did she say?García: She thanked me and congratulated me as well. Once I saw the

picture, I thought she was going to be at El Diario’s event. Instead, herbest friend was the keynote speaker. El Diario’s event was interesting; theymade us feel like princesses. They seated me with a high school student

who wanted to go into athletics. They grouped people together based ontheir interest. It was just amazing. Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez was atmy table. I was so upset that my mom wasn’t there. She would haveenjoyed sitting with so many Puerto Rican women at my table. Weexchanged stories about Quinceañeras; they told us that today you are allprincesses for the day, and gave us all little crowns. The only regret I haveis that I didn’t invite my mother. She lives in Florida and, had I knownmore about the event beforehand, I would have flown her in to attend.

HO: Do you see yourself as a role model, and if so, what do you hope

to convey to students, particularly Hispanic women?García: Yes I do. When I found out that I was the first Hispanic woman

as an athletic director, I could not believe it. I didn’t know what to do. Iwas like, “What am I supposed to do now?” At the time I was getting theaward at the White House, Dr. [Frank] Macchiarola, the college’s presi-dent at the time and one of my mentors, allowed me to take part in a pro-fessional development seminar, NACWAA, because I was becoming athleticdirector. I learned so much in that seminar about administration, and whoI am now, what I am supposed to be doing. At the end of the seminar, therewere all of these gifts handed out, and in each gift was a word. The word Ipicked up was “inspire.” I became very emotional and cried because Irealized that this was what I was meant to be doing, inspiring people. Itook that and ran with it. That’s what I have been doing all along withHispanic kids. It is important for me to reach out, to help Hispanic womenand students. A few months ago, I spoke on a panel to female students andfaculty. Many of these women do not know what is out there and what isavailable to them. It was important for me to speak and let them know theyshould get out there and go after their dreams. I try to mentor as many stu-dent-athletes as possible, not just female students. At the panel, there was aLatina woman who asked the question “How do I find a mentor?” Iresponded, “You just did. I will be glad to be your mentor.” It was impor-


Irma García (far right) with the Fighting 69th Infantry and Senior Woman’s Administrator Meghan O’Brien (far left)

tant for me to reach out to her and other students, to tell them they can dowhatever they want in life, and show them there are ways you can getthings done and live your dream, because I’m living my dream.

HO: What makes a good mentor?García: You really have to understand the students. You have to under-

stand what somebody needs. You have to be a great listener. To me, every-body has a story. When you hear their story, you can tell some of the thingsthey need to tweak, make suggestions, be there for them. Everybody has astory; everybody has a struggle. Old, young. Everybody faces bumps in theroad. If I can help them to see the whole picture and let them know how toget past the bumps in the road and not to take things personally, that canhelp. If we take things personally, we can never achieve our goals. Thereare always steps to take, and there is no substitute for hard work. That’swhat makes a great mentor. You constantly repeat all of these things andshow a passion for what you have. It can be very contagious. In my threeyears as athletic director, my day is full and constant, and it feels so goodand rewarding to me when our student-athletes accomplish their goals. Itis wonderful when you can make a difference. To me, mentors are differ-ence makers. It’s a great achievement.

HO: So what is your typical day like?García: I get up at 6:30. I don’t need a clock. I do a little bit of exer-

cise, and I have a moment to reflect on what I need to do for the day. Iusually take the train to work from Manhattan to Brooklyn. From themoment I get off the train, it may take me awhile to get to my upstairsoffice because I stop to say hello to so many neighbors on our block, tostudents, student-athletes and faculty. I have a wonderful staff; they are veryyoung and full of energy. I meet with my senior staff, and we go over theday. I have an open-door policy all day. Even if I have a full day, the stu-dents come first, and the president of course! I attend many meetings andmany games. I make every effort to attend every home game.

HO: How many students are involved in your sports programs?García: We have between 180 and 200 in 19 sports. It’s important for

them to see me and understand that I am in this with them. We just had aseminar for student-athletes on how to write a résumé. We had 75 kidssigned up for this program. We just don’t teach them about sports. It’s notabout the X’s and the O’s; it’s about many other things, and helping othersso you can learn about who you are. I always think our student-athletes aregoing to get hired before others because they perform so much communityservice and understand the value of leadership and giving back.

HO: What types of community service are they encouraged to perform?García: This is an integral component of every student-athlete. We

encourage them to do community service and to give back. We areinvolved with the Committee for Hispanic Children and Families. Theywork with New York Road Runners and Boys and Girls Club. And we didthis wonderful event where we had 200 donors who donated shoes for 200underprivileged kids. The kids did not know they were getting the shoesbefore the week of a basketball game. The donors came in and wrappedthe gifts with our student-athletes and gave each kid a box with the shoesin it. You could see the look on their faces, the donors as well as the stu-dent-athletes, as the kids opened up their gifts. It was some good stuff! Wehave other programs as well, like Think Pink and Relay for Life. Now I am

challenging all of the student-athletes to do more community service andshare their experience with other athletes besides their team. Our teamsare competing against each other to see how much they can do differenttypes of community service. I tell them this is part of their growth and ifthey want me to recommend them, then they need to perform communityservice. I don’t recommend anyone who does not give back. It is importantthat they learn to give back early on.

HO: Tell me about the challenges that today’s students face.García: Kids don’t always have it easy. Most of our student-athletes

work, and many have to bring up their siblings. For them to find the timeto do all of the things we expect them to do can be a challenge for them.Many of our kids come in with very sad stories. Our school is very diverse,and a majority is either Black or Hispanic; they often are dealing with avariety of different issues on a day-to-day basis. We have a good counselingcenter, and a number of kids are involved with the center. The dean of stu-dents and I work very well together, and this can be rare at many colleges,but she’s great. We understand each other’s role. I give kudos to thecoaches. They do a lot with their student-athletes, who are dealing witheverything, like not getting enough sleep or dealing with death in theirlives. I hear their challenges. I listen to them. I tell them they have to findways to overcome these challenges. I am big with prayer, and not becausewe are a Catholic school, but because I believe in having faith.

HO: Was basketball your first love?García: As I mentioned, I was one of eight children. We played many

sports together and against other kids. We had a softball team comprisedof my siblings and cousins; it was Team García, and we played againsteverybody else. I am a lefty. Back then, if they made two lefty gloves, thatwas a lot, so I had to put my glove on the wrong hand. We played againsteverybody, so I always played with the boys. The first six of us were girls,and my father wouldn’t let us out. He was a carpenter and built everythingin our backyard. We always sat with him and watched basketball on televi-sion. Because we were not allowed out often, we played basketball in frontof the house. We didn’t have a basketball hoop, so we played to “hit thesign.” You had to hit – or “tap” – the “No Parking” sign. That was a shot,and that’s how we first played basketball. We used to beat the boys at“taps,” even if they’d give us girls an extra point to start. It turned out I wasreally good at basketball. When we mixed up teams, the guys always choseme first. So when I got to high school, I didn’t know the rules of the game,so I got cut from the team, but I could shoot better than most of the kids atthe school. I remember the coach telling me that I needed to learn therules. But next year, she ended up not being the coach, and the new coachtook me on the team. I was a junior, and I scored most of the points, and Ihad learned the rules. I still love watching basketball, but I don’t pick up aball anymore. Now I’m into golf!

HO: You are the only Hispanic woman breaking through the glass ceil-ing. How challenging is it for others to attain this?

García: Unfortunately, it’s mostly an all-boys group. There are some phe-nomenal women, but apparently schools are hiring more lawyers and peoplefrom the business world as athletic directors. I went through the ranks ofphysical education and sports. I really believe that if you are going to be agood director of athletics, that you need to know about sports; you’ve playedit, you’ve coached it, and you need to know sports if you are going to admin-


ister it. In some places, the athletic director does the fundraising while thesenior associates do the day-to-day management. I am fortunate to have apresident who allows me to be involved in the day-to-day operations and toserve the student-athletes and coaches. I like where I am. I have been reallyblessed, though I wish there would be more females getting into this role. Iserved on the NCAA’s Minority Opportunities Interest Committee and sat withall of the young NCAA interns. I asked how many of them wanted to be anathletic director, and five of them said they did. I told them they definitelycould reach that goal, and I will take them by the hand and show them howto get it done. People have to give them a chance. Presidents have to givemore women a chance. The good thing about women is we have thatmommy gene; we know how to multi-task, how to develop and be passionateabout what we do. We are very good listeners, and we know how to delegate.We think outside of the box. Given the opportunities, women can run a reallygood program. I am hoping that there are going to be more women athleticdirectors. I don’t want to be the only one. It gets lonely.

HO: Do you have any recommendations for others who want to followin your footsteps?

García: They really need to not only network with other women butwith men, and they need to meet presidents. They need to go to profession-al development seminars. The American Council on Education does a greatjob in promoting women. They should apply for internships and apply fora grant somewhere and learn more about what it takes to be a Division Iathletic director, or a vice president or a president. If they want to be men-tored, they need to reach out. Women need to share their stories, theirstruggles, and I am sure that people will open up and try to help them out.

HO: What are the signs of a good coach?García: A good coach is a good teacher. When you are teaching a

class, you want the students to learn. It’s not about simply memorizing. Iconsider teachers who make students just memorize to be poor teachers.A good teacher wants students to understand concepts, and teachers mustbe productive, inspiring and engaging. We counsel coaches, and we teachthe coaches to teach as well. Is it successful? I think it is when studentsleave and they’ve had a good experience, and they end up being good peo-ple. What they hopefully learn is to pass that on.

HO: You had served as the liaison to the admissions and financial aidoffices and had taken on fundraising. Which is more challenging: fundrais-ing or playing basketball?

García: Being on the court is always challenging. Fundraising for thewomen’s locker room was probably the easiest $75,000 I ever made. I liketo fundraise. I want people to give back, so I just don’t want money buttime as well. To share their stories with our student-athletes. Everybodyknows I have a lot of passion. I want what’s best for St. Francis College.

HO: Tell me about a student who changed your life or affected youroutlook.

García: I coached a point guard at St. Francis, Erinn Siemer. She wasone of my students about 10 years ago, and she was hit by a drunk driverwhile crossing the street in Red Bank in New Jersey. They did not think shewas going to live. I rushed to the hospital, and thereafter I visited her everyday. She ended up making it. I was there when she first snapped out of acoma. It was so scary. She suffered some brain damage, and we have kept

in touch. She married a baseball player that attended St. Francis College,Michael Jaworsky, and they now have two beautiful kids. This taught me acouple of things about living your life and believing in yourself. For her togive life, to bring more life into the world, it teaches you about what life isreally about and how valuable it is.

HO: What honor or distinction has meant the most to you?García: The MANA. It really made me feel so special to be able to

thank my parents, and I have never been able to do that in front of so manypeople. There were about 300 there. It stays with me. I am very humbledby all of this. I get to meet so many amazing people. It was the greatestfeeling to be up there and say, “Mom and Dad, this day is because of you.”

HO: What do you do for fun?García: I enjoy riding my bike in Central Park, and I love golf.

HO: Any other personal and professional goals?García: I would like to go back to school and get my Ph.D. And I

would like to see if I could ever become a college vice president or a pres-ident someday.

HO: Have you told the current president about that?García: Not yet. I would like to be just like the former president [Dr.

Macchiarola] or the current president, President Brendan Dugan. They’rejust great mentors and great people.


HHIIGGHH SSCCHHOOOOLL FFOORRUUMM

Report Card for EncouragingSTEM Careers: Bayer Survey GivesNation’s High Schools a D-Plus

Thefuture of science education is agrowing concern nationwide.Only 18 percent of American

high school seniors perform at or above the pro-ficient level in science, according to the mostrecent National Assessment of EducationalProgress. Moreover, significant num-bers of today’s women and under-represented minority chemists andchemical engineers say they werediscouraged from pursuing a STEMcareer (science, technology, engi-neering or mathematics) in highschool, according to the Bayer Factsof Science Education XIV survey.

The Bayer survey respondentsgive grades K through 12 a D onaverage for the job they do toencourage minorities to study STEMsubjects and a D-plus to highschools and for encouraging highschool girls to enter STEM fields. Ofcourse, much depends upon theindividual schools and scienceteachers. As one Hispanic respon-dent, a female chemist, says, “Theeffectiveness of the schools reallydepends on the district. It dependson how much money the school hasto pay teachers and provide hands-on experiences.”

U.S. colleges fare the worst in theBayer survey, however. They arecited by 60 percent of these samechemists and chemical engineers as the leadingplace in the American education system wherediscouragement happened, and college profes-sors are cited by 44 percent as the individualsmost likely responsible for the discouragement.

The Bayer survey polled 1,226 female,African-American, Hispanic and AmericanIndian chemists and chemical engineers about

their childhood, academic and workplace expe-riences that play a role in attracting and retain-ing women and underrepresented minorities inSTEM fields.

“If we want to achieve true diversity inAmerica’s STEM work force, we must first

understand the root causes of underrepresenta-tion and the ongoing challenges these groupsface,” said Greg Babe, president and CEO, BayerCorporation. “We want to knock down barriers.If we can do that, we’ll be able to develop theattitudes, behaviors, opportunities and resourcesthat lead to success.”

One finding of the survey is that, for the

respondents, interest in science began in earlychildhood, regardless of gender, race or ethnici-ty. Nearly 60 percent say they became interestedin science by age 11. This parallels the findingsof a 1998 Bayer Facts survey of American Ph.D.scientists, which included White men. In that

survey, six in 10 also reported inter-est in science by age 11. So by thetime these students reached middleschool or high school, they wereripe for encouragement and eager tobe guided in this career path. Butthe encouragement did not come,according to the survey respondents.They claim quite the opposite. Mostsaid their enthusiasm was dampenedin grade school and high school aswell as college.

The survey reveals that morethan three-quarters, a staggering 77percent, said that significant num-bers of women and underrepresent-ed minorities are missing from theAmerican STEM work force todaybecause they are not identified,encouraged or nurtured to pursueSTEM studies early on.

Researchers point to three con-tributors to underrepresentation inSTEM. Hispanics, in particularLatinas, are susceptible to all three:lack of quality science and matheducation programs in poorerschool districts (75 percent), per-

sistent stereotypes that say STEM isn’t for girls orminorities (66 percent), and financial issuesrelated to the cost of education (53 percent).

As one Hispanic female chemist respondentsaid, “Many minorities don’t know how to getscholarships. I learned about them in my highschool career center and through the AmericanChemical Society in college.” Another Latina

by Mary Ann Cooper

Dr. Mae C. Jemison, Astronaut, Medical Doctor, Chemical Engineer and Bayer’s longtime Making Science Make Sense spokesperson


chemist noted, “I knew that I needed to set mygoals high and achieve them. I made my ownway. I sought scholarships and worked extrajobs to finance my education.”

Parents can play a role in nurturing theirchildren’s expressed interests in a STEM career.Nine in 10 (93 percent) of the chemists andchemical engineers polled report that their par-ents encouraged them to do well in school over-all. Another 57 percent say their parents bothemphasized science as an important subject forthem to be learning and encouraged them tolearn about science on their own through booksand other materials.

However, in a survey conducted by theNational Science Teachers Association (NSTA)and Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc.,among a sample of 500 science teachers and506 parents, including 406 parents ofschool-aged children, teachers say they seeparental involvement lacking in studentsdeveloping an interest in science. Nearly all(94 percent) of science teachers surveyedwish their students’ parents had moreopportunities to engage in science withtheir children. And more than half (53percent) of parents of school-aged chil-dren admit that they could use more helpto support their child’s interest in science.

While science teachers agree (98 per-cent) that parental involvement is impor-tant for children’s interest in science, thesurvey shows it to be among the subjectsparents are least comfortable discussingwith their children. Barely half (51 per-cent) of parents say they are “very famil-iar” with what their children are learningin science, and only 15 percent cite it asthe subject they feel “most comfortable”discussing with them, compared to 33 per-cent for language arts and 28 percent formath. Approximately seven in 10 parentssay they are “very familiar” with what theirchildren are learning in language arts (71percent) and math (69 percent).

“Science education has been identi-fied as a national priority, but science teacherscan’t do the job on their own. They need helpand support from key stakeholders, especiallyparents,” said Francis Eberle, NSTA executivedirector.

“We know that family involvement is impor-tant, and parents need help getting involvedwith their kids in a subject they may not feelcomfortable with themselves. We must continue

to find ways to break down the walls of theclassroom and encourage learning togetheramong families.”

Parental involvement is not the whole pic-ture, however. The Bayer survey suggests thatparents are nowhere near as influential as edu-cators in shaping their children’s career inter-ests in STEM fields. Survey participants say sci-ence teachers play a larger role than parents instimulating and sustaining interest in science.During the elementary school years, 70 percentof the respondents say teachers have the mostinfluence. During high school, 88 percent sayteachers do.

In addition, STEM industries are cited byrespondents as not communicating the messageto women and minorities that they are wanted orneeded in these fields (51 percent). Cultural

issues are also a factor. Twenty-four percent ofHispanic males and 23 percent of Hispanicfemales cited the fact that people in their fami-lies didn’t completely understand what scientistsand engineers do.” As one Native Americanfemale chemical engineer put it, “Going into sci-ence was unheard of in my family. I had tobelieve in myself – that I was smart enough tosucceed.”

Surviving the lackluster support in highschool and college is no guarantee of a wel-coming environment in the marketplace fornew chemists and chemical engineers. Nearlytwo-thirds (62 percent) of those polled in theBayer survey say that underrepresentationexists in the work force of their company, orga-nization or institution. Leading workplace bar-riers for the female and minority chemists andchemical engineers include managerial bias(40 percent), company/organizational/institu-tional bias (38 percent), lack of professionaldevelopment (36 percent), no/little access tonetworking opportunities (35 percent), and alack of promotional/advancement opportunities(35 percent).

One Latina chemist sees improvement in theworkplace but explains that there is still much to

do. “We still have to overcome bias. Wework hard to show knowledge and not beoverlooked or be perceived as not worthy.There is a different type of managerialspeak. We have a Hispanic leadership teamat my organization to help new hires.”

Nearly three-quarters (70 percent) ofthe chemists/chemical engineers say it isharder for women to succeed in their fieldthan it is for men, and more than two-thirds (67 percent) think it is more diffi-cult for minorities to succeed than it is fornonminorities. Across the board, respon-dents give their employers a C for havingwomen and underrepresented minoritiesin senior positions to serve as role modelsand mentors for the younger employees.

“This and previous Bayer Facts sur-veys confirm something I’ve long known– that interest in science is genderlessand colorless,” says Dr. Mae C. Jemison,astronaut, medical doctor, chemical engi-neer and Bayer’s longtime MakingScience Make Sense spokesperson. “Allchildren have an innate interest in sci-ence and the world around them. But formany children, that interest hits road-blocks along an academic system that is

still not blind to gender or color.“These roadblocks have nothing to do with

intellect, innate ability or talent,” says Jemison.“On the contrary, they are the kinds of larger,external sociocultural and economic forces thatstudents have no control over. As students, theycannot change the fact that they do not haveaccess to quality science and math education intheir schools. But adults can. And we must.”

Greg Babe, President and CEO, Bayer Corporation


CEOs vs. Scientists in Diversity DebateBayer Corporation’s Bayer Facts of Science

Education XIV surveyed underrepresentedminority chemists and chemical engineers fortheir views on the state of diversity in the STEMfields. In a previous Bayer Corporation survey,Fortune 1000 STEM CEOs were polled. How didtheir responses match up with those of theminority scientists polled? Here are some areasof agreement and disagreement:

Where they agree:Benefits of a Diverse Work Force

Ninety percent of CEOs and 83 percent ofchemists and chemical engineers say that a diversework force that includes women, Blacks, Hispanicsand Native Americans is an asset in the success oftheir company’s/organization’s/institution’s success.

Underrepresentation in Their OwnOrganizations

CEOs and scientists do not view their owncompany/organization/institution through rose-colored glasses. Seventy-five percent of CEOsand 62 percent of chemists and chemical engi-neers believe that their own workplace is under-represented in terms of women and minorities.

Promoting Women and Minorities toSenior Positions

Not surprisingly, CEOs give themselves highergrades for recruiting and/or promoting womenand underrepresented minorities to senior posi-tions, to serve as mentors and role models forthe next generation of chemists and chemicalengineers. CEOs give themselves a B-minus inthis regard while chemists and chemical engi-neers surveyed assign CEOs a grade of C.

Where they disagree:Workplace Diversity RecruitmentPrograms

Many CEOs assert that they have specific pro-grams in place that aggressively recruit womenand underrepresented minority STEM profes-sionals. They say that they are doing all they canto address the STEM professional shortage in theUnited States by recruiting all qualified candi-dates. Yet when chemists and chemical engi-neers were polled, 35 percent said their compa-ny/organization/institution didn’t have such pro-grams or they were not aware of their existence.

STEM Industry Outreach/CommunicationNearly 60 percent of the Fortune 1000 STEM

CEOs say that they believe their companies effec-tively communicate to today’s high school and

college students, including women and minori-ties, that there are significant career opportunitiesfor them to explore in STEM fields. Not so fast, saychemists and chemical engineers. Indeed, thesesame scientists say that STEM industries’ failure tocommunicate that message is one of the “greatestbarriers to pursuing STEM studies and careers.”

Diversity: Solution to U.S. STEM ManpowerShortages

A whopping 92 percent of all the CEOs polledbelieve that bringing more women and under-represented minorities into STEM fields willsolve U.S. manpower shortages in these fields.Only 57 percent of chemists and chemical engi-neers polled believe diversity is the magic bulletto end human resource shortages.


Upcoming Special Issue Dates...Upcoming Special Issue Dates...Community College IssueMarch 21, 2011Advertising Deadline: March 1

Graduate School IssueApril 4, 2011Advertising Deadline: March 15

Email your ad to: [email protected] or call us at 1-800-549-8280 ext. 102 or 106


Sevilla-Sacasa Named InterimDean of UM’s School of Business

In Florida, FrancesAldrich Sevilla-Sacasa,a University of Miami(UM) alumna and sea-soned financial ser-vices executive whohas led some of thetop wealth manage-ment organizations inthe world, will serveas interim dean of UM’s School of BusinessAdministration. Sevilla-Sacasa has an M.B.A.in international management from theThunderbird School of Global Managementand a bachelor’s degree from UM.

Sanford Wins Human Rights AwardProfessor Victoria

Sanford of the LehmanCollege (N.Y.) anthro-pology department co-authored a paper onhuman rights abusesin Guatemala that wonthe 2010 MargaretPopkin Award. Sanfordhas a Ph.D. fromStanford University, a master’s degree fromSan Francisco State University and a bache-lor’s from California State University-Sacramento.

Borrero Krouse Receives HispanicHeritage Award

In Maryland, LeilaBorrero Krouse, aSalisbury Universityadjunct history profes-sor, was recently hon-ored with a Governor’sHispanic HeritageAward for being a Faith-Based Champion.Borrero Krouse is animmigration specialist at Catholic Charities inSalisbury, instrumental in reuniting hundredsof Hispanic families and assisting with citizen-ship efforts.

MSPP Names Lambert Director ofDiversity Education and Inclusion

Dr. Stacey Lamberthas been appointeddirector of diversityeducation and inclusionat the MassachusettsSchool of ProfessionalPsychology (MSPP).Lambert earned adoctorate at NovaSoutheastern Universityand completed her postdoctoral fellowship atYale University’s School of Medicine.

Bobadilla Receives Dual HonorsMichele Bobadilla,

senior associate vicepresident for outreachservices and communi-ty engagement andassistant provost forHispanic student suc-cess at the University ofTexas (UT)-Arlington,was honored recentlyby the United States Hispanic Chamber ofCommerce as a National Latina Leader.Bobadilla also recently received an OutstandingWomen in Texas Government award.

Brown Introduces BilingualReaders to Civil Rights Leaders

Northern ArizonaUniversity EnglishProfessor MonicaBrown has released abilingual children’sbook, Side by Side:The Story of DoloresHuerta and CesarChavez/Lado A Lado:La Historia de DoloresHuerta y César Chávez. Brown has writtenseveral children’s books about historical fig-ures from the United States and Latin America.

Morales Co-Chairs WashingtonRegional Task Force

Linda Morales,Salisbury University’s(Md.) interim chiefdiversity officer, hasbeen appointed co-chair of the WashingtonRegional Task ForceAgainst CampusPrejudice, comprisedof administrators andfaculty from Maryland, Virginia andWashington, D.C. Morales has a master’s andbachelor’s degree from the State University ofNew York-Fredonia.

Flores Selected as a 2010MillerCoors Líder

Aurelia Flores,National HispanaLeadership Institute(NHLI) ExecutiveLeadership ProgramFellow, was named a2010 MillerCoors Líderfor her outstandingwork in the community.Flores was featured inthe book Aim High: Extraordinary Stories ofHispanic and Latina Women (2009).

Aguirre-Molina and BorrellCo-Author Book

Lehman College (N.Y.) Professors MarilynAguirre-Molina (pictured l.) and Luisa N.

Borrell (r.) have just released a new book,Health Issues in Latino Males: A Social andStructural Approach. Aguirre-Molina has anEd.D. from Teachers College and a master’sdegree from Columbia University. Borrell hasa Ph.D. from the University of Michigan and aD.D.S. from Columbia University.

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Photo © D

any Jo

hnson

ACT Provides First Look at U.S.Student Performance on CommonCore

IOWA CITY, Iowa

ACT Inc. has released a new reportaimed at assisting states as they begin imple-menting the Common Core State Standards.This first-of-its-kind research report, FirstLook at the Common Core and CollegeReadiness, provides an estimate of currentstudent performance on the Common CoreState Standards using ACT college- andcareer-readiness data. The report also pro-vides recommendations for local educatorsand state and federal policymakers thatcould be particularly helpful to the 43 statesthat are moving from adoption to imple-mentation of the common standards.

The report analyzed the test results ofmore than 250,000 11th-grade students inseveral states who were administered selectforms of the ACT Plus Writing exam inspring 2010 as part of their states’ annualtesting programs. The students representedin the report are unique in that they are notself-selected, as many college admissionsexaminees are, span a range of abilities andcollege aspirations, are from a variety ofcommunities and schools, and includethose tested under standard conditions andunder accommodations.While the report is not intended to focus

on student performance relative to currentstate standards, it does shed light on areasstates will need to focus on in their movefrom current state standards to the CommonCore Standards. Some of the report’s keyfindings include:

• Across all Common Core domains, strands,and clusters, only one-third to one-half of11th-grade students are reaching a collegeand career-readiness level of achievement.• As in other reports, including ACT’s mostrecent Conditions of College andReadiness Report, the percentages ofCaucasian students who met or exceededcollege- and career-readiness were uniform-ly higher than those of African-American,Hispanic and other underserved students.• ACT recommends state and district lead-ers begin to begin to focus targeted instruc-tional strategies to support student learningin four key areas of the Common Core StateStandards: Text Complexity, Language andVocabulary Acquisition, Number andQuantity, and Mathematical Practices.

High School Graduates andDropouts Focus of New NCESReport

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Approximately three million 16- through24-year-olds were not enrolled in highschool and had not earned a high schooldiploma or alternative credential as ofOctober 2008, according to a new report.These dropouts represented 8 percent ofthe 38 million noninstitutionalized, civilianindividuals in this age group living in theUnited States, according to Trends in HighSchool Dropout and Completion Rates inthe United States: 1972-2008.The report, released by the National Center

for Education Statistics at the Institute of

Education Sciences, builds upon a series ofreports on high school dropout and comple-tion rates that began in 1988. It includesnational and regional population estimates forthe percentage of students who dropped out ofhigh school between 2007 and 2008, the per-centage of young people who were dropoutsin 2008, and the percentage of young peoplewho were not in high school and had someform of high school credential in 2008. Dataare presented by a number of characteristics,including race/ethnicity, sex and age. Annualdata for these population estimates are provid-ed for the 1972-2008 period.Other findings include:

• Of first-time freshmen in public schoolsfour years earlier, 74.9 percent had gradu-ated with a regular diploma by the end ofthe 2007-08 school year. The lowest state-

level rate was Nevada’s 51.3 percent, andthe highest was Wisconsin’s 89.6 percent.• About 3.5 percent of students enrolled ingrades 10-12 in public or private high schoolsin October 2007 left school before October2008 without completing a high school pro-gram. While there have been fluctuations inthe rate since 1990, the 2008 rate is not mea-surably different from the 1990 rate.• The percentage of 16- through 24-year-olds who were not enrolled in high schooland who lacked a high school credentialvaried by race and ethnicity in 2008. Therate for Hispanics (18.3 percent) was thehighest followed by the rate for Blacks (9.9percent). Rates for Whites (4.8 percent),Asian/Pacific Islanders (4.4 percent) andpersons of two or more races (4.2 percent)were the lowest among racial/ethnic groups.

The Hispanic Outlook In Higher Education www.hispanicoutlook.com February 21, 2011


MLA: Report Finds Study ofLanguages Other than EnglishGrowing and Diversifying at U.S.Colleges and Universities

NEW YORK, N.Y.

Enrollments in languages other thanEnglish at U.S. institutions of higher educa-tion have continued to grow over the pastdecade and are diversifying to include anincreasingly broad range of language stud-ies, according to a comprehensive newreport covering Fall 2009 by the ModernLanguage Association of America (MLA).The survey responses indicated significantincreases in enrollments in nearly all thelanguages most studied on U.S. college cam-

puses since 2006, the date of the previousMLA report on language course enroll-ments.The MLA report is the longest-running

and most comprehensive analysis of thestudy of languages other than English at U.S.colleges and universities. Produced by theMLA since 1958, with the continuous sup-port of the U.S. Department of Education,this is the 22nd survey in the series. Thereport includes undergraduate and graduatecourse enrollments in languages other thanEnglish in fall 2009 for 2,514 A.A.-, B.A.-,M.A.-, and Ph.D.-granting colleges and uni-versities in the United States. These 2,514institutions represent 99.0 percent of allhigher education institutions offering lan-guage courses in the United States.The new survey found that the study of

Arabic registered the largest percentagegrowth at U.S. colleges and universitiessince the previous MLA report – 46.3 per-cent between 2006 and 2009, building onan increase of 126.5 percent in Arabicenrollments in the previous MLA survey, thefirst in which the language appeared amongthe 10 most studied at U.S. colleges and uni-versities. Arabic is now the eighth moststudied, up from 10th in 2006. Also regis-tering significant increases in enrollments inthe new MLA survey are Korean (up 19.1percent), Chinese (up 18.2 percent),American Sign Language (up 16.4 percent),Portuguese (up 10.8 percent) and Japanese(up 10.3 percent).

The 2010 CongressionalReapportionment and Latinos

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Hispanic voters are nearly three timesmore prevalent in states that gained congres-sional seats and Electoral College votes inthe 2010 reapportionment than they are instates that lost seats, according to an analysisof Census data by the Pew Hispanic Center, aproject of the Pew Research Center. Basedon averages reflecting congressional gainsand losses, 15.2 percent of the eligible voter(U.S. citizens ages 18 or older) populationin states that gained seats is Hispanic, com-pared with just 5.4 percent of eligible votersin those states that lost seats.With these reapportionment changes,

Latinos likely will play a larger role in

national politics in the coming decade. Twostates that gained seats, Florida and Nevada,have been key swing battlegrounds in recentpresidential elections (having voted for theRepublican nominee in 2004 and theDemocrat in 2008). In both states, Latinosare a growing share of eligible voters.According to the Census Bureau, there

were 308 million people residing in the U.S.in 2010, up 9 percent from 2000. Overall,based on 2009 population estimates,Hispanics accounted for more than half (51percent) of that growth. However, becausemany Latinos are either too young to vote orare not U.S. citizens, not all of their popula-tion growth translates into immediate elec-toral strength. Among the nation’s 48.4 mil-lion Hispanics in 2009, a record 20.1 mil-lion are eligible to vote. Yet an even greaternumber are not eligible to vote. Some 15.5

million Hispanics are U.S. citizens 17 yearsof age or younger, and 12.8 million of allages are not U.S. citizens.Even so, the number of the Latinos eligi-

ble to vote continues to grow. Since 2000,nearly six million more Latinos havebecome eligible to vote. The bulk of thisgrowth was attributable to the five millionU.S.-born Latino youths nationwide whoturned 18 during this past decade. Thattranslates into an additional half-millionU.S.-born Latinos coming of age each year –a pattern that is certain to persist, and grow,in the coming decades.The report, The 2010 Congressional

Reapportionment and Latinos, is availableat the Pew Hispanic Center’s website,www.pewhispanic.org.

The Hispanic Outlook In Higher Education www.hispanicoutlook.com February 21, 2011



Founded in 1956, the University of South Florida is a public research universityof growing national distinction. The USF System is comprised of two separatelyaccredited institutions, USF and USF St. Petersburg. USF consists of the main

research campus in Tampa, which includes USF Health, the College of Marine Sciencein St. Petersburg, and two regional campus-USF Sarasota-Manatee, and USFPolytechnic, located in Lakeland. USF is one of only three Florida public universitiesclassified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in the top tierof research universities. More than 47,000 students are studying on USF campuses andthe University offers 228 degree programs at the undergraduate, graduate, specialty anddoctoral levels, including the doctor of medicine. USF is a member of the Big EastAthletic Conference. And, USF is listed in the Princeton Review as one of the nation’s50 “Best Value” public colleges and universities.

The university is currently recruiting for the following positions; the number inparentheses represents the number of positions available to that specific title:

Administrative Positions:Director Student Services (Engineering)

Regional Assistant/Associate Vice Chancellor (St. Petersburg)Associate Vice President, Human Resources

Director Web Services, Information Technologies

Faculty Positions:College of Arts and Sciences College of BusinessAssistant/Associate Professor (1) Assistant Professor (1)

Assistant Professor (8) Assistant/Associate Professor (1)

Chair/Associate/Full Professor (1)

Engineering Academic AffairsProfessor/Chair (1) Associate Professor (1)

Professor (1)

Education Marine ScienceAssistant Professor (4) Assistant/Associate Professor (2)Assistant/Associate Professor (1)Dean (1)Assistant/Associate/Full (1)

PolyTechnic Campus St. Petersburg CampusAssistant/Associate Professor (8) Assistant/Associate Professor (1)Assistant Professor (2) Assistant Professor (1)

Sr. Associate Vice President (1)

College of MedicineAssistant/Associate Professor (8) Associate Professor (2)Professor & Program Director (1) Academic General Surgeon (1)Associate Professor/Professor (1) Assistant Professor (12)Associate Professor/Professor (1) Professor and Chair (1)

College of NursingAssistant/Associate Professor (2) Assistant Professor (2)

Associate Professor/Professor (1) Associate Dean (1)

For a job description on the above listed positions including department,disciple and deadline dates: (1) visit our Careers@USFWeb site athttps://employment.usf.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/Welcome_css.jsp;or (2) contact The Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity, (813) 974-4373; or (3) call USF job line at 813.974.2879.

USF is an equal opportunity/equal access/

affirmative action institution, committed to excellence

through diversity in education and employment.

www.usf.edu • 4202 E. Fowler Ave,Tampa, FL 33620

We are dedicated to

fostering a diverse

educational community

and cultural learning

environment that

supports student

success in pursuit of

academic excellence,

economic opportunity,

and personal

achievement.

Citrus College is an equal opportunity employer.

TO APPLY, PLEASE VISIT: http://apptrkr.com/175591

Glendora, CA

Vice President of Student Services Posting # 0600197

Closing Date: March 2, 2011

Pay Rate: $148,534 to $160,655

Position Summary: Under the general direction and supervision of the superintendent/president, the vice president of student services is responsible for providing leadership and direction to the student services division comprised of the counseling, admissions and records, and, student activities departments.In addition, the vice president of student services supervises the student services programs directed by assigned management and/or faculty personnel, including: athletic eligibility, career/transfer center, student employment, financial aid, student conduct, student grievance procedures,health services, matriculation, articulation, assessment testing, student orientation, extended opportunities programs and services (EOP&S),disabled students programs and services (DSP&S), CARE, calWORKS,bookstore, food services, campus safety, international students, high school outreach, and service learning.

Minimum Qualifications: Evidence of sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic,socioeconomic, cultural, disability, and ethnic backgrounds of community college staff and students, ANDPossession of a Master’s degree, ANDOne year of formal training, internship, or leadership experience reasonably related to this management assignment.


www.FSCJ.edu

SEEKING FULL-TIME FACULTYFlorida State College at Jacksonville is looking for innovative full-time faculty who are dedicatedto student success. We are a progressive, four-year state college offering associate and bachelordegrees. Our northeast Florida location has beautiful beaches, moderate temperatures anda cost of living that is below the national average. Courses are taught in modern classrooms, online, or a hybrid blend of both. Creativity and critical thinking are encouraged in our students and our faculty. Our goal is to make learning enjoyable so that students will want to continueto learn throughout their lives.

Our college supports faculty development with programs that encourage the integrationof technology and research-based teaching and learning. As a result, social networking andpedagogical tools such as mastery and cooperative learning are used extensively. Our faculty has access to the Blackboard learning management system and a variety of online and proctoredtesting options. We are constantly striving to give students the knowledge, skills and assistancethat they will need to succeed in this ever-changing world.

Are you interested in joining our community of dedicated educators? If so, faculty positions are currently available in the disciplines listed below.

• Art• Biological Sciences• Chemistry• Computer Networking• Computer/Offi ce Systems• Dance

• Developmental Reading• Education• English• Fire Science• Mathematics• Music

For a complete description of these, as well as other positions that we have available please visithttps://Jobs.FSCJ.edu

Review of candidates will begin in mid-late February 2011 and continue until an appointmentis made for each position. Interested candidates must submit a Florida State College atJacksonville online application, available at https://Jobs.FSCJ.edu, and unoffi cial studentcopies of transcripts confirming the award of the required degree and/or coursework. A resumewill not be accepted in lieu of submitting an online application. Additional information on FloridaState College at Jacksonville can be found at http://www.FSCJ.edu.

Florida State College at Jacksonville does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age ordisability in employment or the provision of services and is an equal access/equal opportunity affirmative action college. Florida State College at Jacksonville is a member of the Florida State College System. Florida State College at Jacksonville

is not affiliated with any other public or private university or College in Florida or elsewhere.

Florida State College at Jacksonville is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the baccalaureate degree and the associate degree. Contact the Commission on Colleges

at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, or call (404) 679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Florida State College at Jacksonville.

Assistant Vice Chancellor forMulticultural Affairs and Stu-

dent SuccessThe University of Wisconsin - Whitewater invitesnominations and applications for the position of AssistantVice Chancellor for MulticulturalAffairs and Student Suc-cess. TheAssistant Vice Chancellor reports directly to theProvost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs andserves as a member of the Academic AffairsStaff. The position provides institutional leadership forthe University's programs supporting student successand programs for underrepresented multicultural andeconomically disadvantaged students.

TheAssistant Vice Chancellor will provide leadership andwork collaboratively to implement strategies andinterventions to increase retention and graduation rates ofstudents and student success, and increase the number andsuccess of nontraditional, low income and students of color.The individual in this position will coordinate all minoritystudent financial assistance initiatives funded through theOffice of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, University ofWisconsin System.

The position will have nine direct reports: Developmen-tal Studies; Education Talent Search Program; FRESHSTART; King/Chavez Scholars Program; Latino StudentPrograms; McNair Scholars Program; Multicultural Initia-tives (Academic Network, Native American Support Serv-ices, Southeast Asian Support Services); TutorialCenter/Learning Center; and Upward Bound Program. TheAssistant Vice Chancellor is responsible for the planning,management, and evaluation of all programs, personnel, andbudgets within the unit.

MinimumQualifications: Amaster's degree from an ac-credited institution (Ph.D. or other terminal degree pre-ferred); a minimum of eight to ten years of progressivelyresponsible leadership experience in student successinitiatives, preferably working with multiculturalstudent populations; and extensive budget planning andmanagement responsibility.

Desired Qualities: The successful candidate will bestudent-centered and possess strong leadership skills,as well as strong communication, team building andcollaboration skills.

Additional qualifications include: a track record of in-creasing responsibility, significant experience withprofessional staff supervision, a strong record of success insecuring grants, the ability to develop and maintain pro-ductive partnerships with a wide array of constit-uencies; and demonstrated strategic planning skills.

The University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is acomprehensive university with a tradition of excellence inboth academics and athletics. Founded in 1868, theuniversity currently has over 11,000 students. The city ofWhitewater is located in the southeast part of the state andhas a population of over 12,000.

The University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is an AA/EEOemployer.

Initial review of candidate's materials will begin on March1, 2011 and will continue until the position is filled. Nom-inations or letters of application with a resume and thenames and contact information of three professional refer-ences should be sent to:

Christine ClementsDean, College of Business & EconomicsUniversity of Wisconsin - Whitewater

800West Main StreetWhitewater, WI [email protected]

ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS ARE STRONGLY EN-COURAGED. NOTE: Candidates identified for hire withUW-Whitewater must successfully complete acriminal background check.

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CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCE OFFICERClemson University cares about its people. And we care in one of the most beautiful and livable placesin America. If you want to help us care more by working with us to identify, attract, train and retaintop talent, then Clemson invites your application and nominations for the position of Chief HumanResource Officer.

Who is the perfect person for this important position?Clemson needs a human resources leader that shows up every day with the energy, knowledge and workethic to make a difference. We need a leader that is brave enough to challenge the norm, creative enoughto introduce or recognize new ideas, confident enough to routinely partner with senior management andrespectful enough to encourage a successful human resource operation to be best in class.Please visit www.clemson.edu for a full position description and details. Clemson University: Falling in love with Clemson University is the easy part. We are a leading land-grant researchinstitution ranked 23rd among public universities by U.S. News & World Report with a �determinedspirit� to succeed in everything we do. We are big enough to play in the big leagues for both academicsand sports. And small enough where individuals are valued. The University enrolls 15,000 undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. A faculty of 1,400 and astaff of 3,000 support 40 Ph.D., 73 Masters and 84 undergraduate degree offerings.Our campusextends throughout South Carolina and in three locations in Europe.The University is located in the beautiful lake mountain area of upstate South Carolina betweenAtlanta and Charlotte on the I-85 research corridor. We are four hours from historic Charleston and thebeach, 35 minutes from Greenville, SC, one of the most livable downtowns in America and 30 minutesfrom the trails and trout streams of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Clemson is an intellectual hub withoutstanding college athletics, recreational activities and first class performing arts. Preferred Qualifications:

� Minimum of 10 years experience with significant and proven success as a leader in humanresources;

� Strong analytical skills;� Excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills;� Demonstrated success in team building and conflict resolution;� Meaningful experience collaborating between human resources units and a wide range of

constituencies;� Demonstrated success in strategic organizational change; Strong employee relations orientation; and� Masters� degree preferred or meaningful HR experience.

How to Apply:Greenwood/Asher & Associates, Inc. is assisting Clemson University in the search. Initial screeningof applications will begin immediately and continue until an appointment is made. For bestconsideration, materials should be provided by March 4, 2011. Nominations should include the name,position, address, and telephone number of the nominee. Application materials should include a letteraddressing how the candidate�s experiences match the position requirements, curriculum vitae, andthe contact information for at least five references. Submission of materials as MS Word attachmentsis strongly encouraged. Confidential inquiries, nominations, and application materials should be directed to:

Jan Greenwood or Betty Turner AsherGreenwood/Asher & Associates, Inc. 42 Business Center Drive, Suite 206Miramar Beach, FL 32550Phone: 850.650.2277, Fax: 850.650.2272E-mail: [email protected]

[email protected]

For more information about Clemson University, please visit the website at:http://www.clemson.edu

Clemson University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and does not discriminateagainst any individual or group of individuals on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, national

origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status or genetic information.

Bring your expertise and passion for teaching to a greatcollege located in the cities of Plano, McKinney andFrisco, Texas. Join a college that values Learning,Service and Involvement, Creativity and Innovation,Academic Excellence, Dignity and Respect, andIntegrity, along with outstanding colleagues includingthree United States Professors of the Year, a TexasProfessor of the Year, two Fullbright Scholars, and fiveMinnie Stevens Piper winners plus 1,000 additionaloutstanding dedicated professors. We are currently seeking Full-time Professors forthe following anticipated positions to begin in theFall of 2011:

For complete position descriptions and to apply online, visit http://jobs.collin.edu

Collin County Community CollegeDistrict is an equal opportunity

employer and seeks applicationsfrom all qualified candidatesregardless of race, color, sex,religion, age, national origin,

disability or veteran status.

• Economics • Commercial Music • Psychology • Political Science • English • Mathematics

• Physics • Biology• Developmental

Writing• History

Lecturer in SpanishThe Department of Spanish and Portuguese Studies at theUniversity of Florida is seeking a full-time Lecturer inSpanish. The appointed candidate will teach 3 courses persemester in the areas of language, composition, andintroduction to Spanish or Spanish-American Literature.The appointed candidate will serve as one of thecoordinators for the Lower Division Spanish Program.

Qualifications: Ph.D. in Spanish or Spanish-AmericanLiterature, experience teaching all levels of Spanish(basic language, conversation, composition, introductionto literature), documented excellence in teaching,experience coordinating basic language programs,familiarity with current course management systemsand/or current technologies used in language teaching,and native or native-like proficiency in both English andSpanish. Interested applicants should submit a letter ofinterest, CV, evidence of teaching effectiveness and threeletters of recommendation to:

Spanish Search Committee - PS#00005250Department of Spanish and Portuguese Studies

University of FloridaP.O. Box 117405

Gainesville, Florida 32611

Application deadline: March 15, 2011.Start date: August 16, 2011.Salary negotiable.

The University of Florida is an equal opportunityinstitution dedicated to building a broadly diverse and

inclusive faculty and staff.

(Please visit http://www.hr.ufl.edu/job/datacard.htmto complete a voluntary Applicant Data Card.)


Vice President for Academic Affairs

Kean, a comprehensive New Jersey state University, iscommitted to excellence and access and to developing,maintaining and strengthening interactive ties with thecommunity. Kean University takes pride in its continuingeffort to build a multicultural professional community toserve a richly diversified student population of almost16,000. The University offers more than 90 academicdegree programs on the undergraduate and graduatelevels in six colleges: the College of Visual andPerforming Arts, the College of Humanities and SocialSciences, the College of Education, the College ofBusiness and Public Management, the College ofNatural, Applied and Health Sciences and the NathanWeiss Graduate College. The University sits on threeadjoining campus sites covering 180 acres in Union andHillside Townships, two miles from Newark LibertyInternational Airport and thirty minutes from NewYorkCity. Kean also has a major branch campus in OceanCounty, New Jersey, offers programs at a number of sitesacross the state and maintains educational partnershipswith institutions in Europe, Asia and Latin America.

Kean University invites nominations and applications forthe position of Vice President for Academic Affairs.Reporting directly to the President, theVice President forAcademic Affairs is the chief academic officerresponsible for providing academic leadership,budgeting, planning, development, review andcoordination of all academic programs and services.

Qualifications: The successful candidate will possess anearned doctorate or equivalent terminal degree; a record ofdistinguished university/college teaching, research andpublic service to qualify for the rank of full professor; anda minimum of eight years of significant and successfuladministrative experience in a comprehensive university/college with a diverse student population. Candidate musthave the demonstrated ability to provide sustainedleadership in a dynamic and rapidly-changing academicenvironment; a commitment to excellence in teaching,research, service and shared governance; expertise inacademic planning and program development, academicpersonnel and faculty development and research andcreative activity; demonstrated competencies in budgetadministration; personnel management; programplanning, development, evaluation and resourceallocation; decision-making and policy development;excellent written, oral and interpersonal communicationskills; and the ability to maintain collegial relationshipsand work as a team-player.

The position is available July 1, 2011, but the start dateis flexible depending on the availability of thesuccessful candidate. Complete applications mustinclude the following: letter of interest; resume; andnames and contact information for three professionalreferences. Apply directly to: Chairperson, VicePresident Search Committee, c/o Office of thePresident, Kean University, 1000 Morris Avenue,Union, NJ 07083. No electronic submissions. Reviewof applications will begin immediately and continueuntil an appointment is made. Salary is competitive andcommensurate with qualifications and experience.Comprehensive benefits program included. Officialtranscripts for all degrees and three current letters ofrecommendation are required before appointment.

Kean University is an EOE/AA Institution The College of Wooster is an Equal Opportunity,Affirmative Action Employer

The College of Wooster, Ohio:PSYCHOLOGY

Visiting assistant or associate professor,with area of specialty open.

Full description available on the College'sHuman Resources web page:

http://www.wooster.edu/Offices-Directories/Human-Resources/Employment-Opportunities


The University of Wisconsin-Platteville invites applications for teaching positions. One of 13 comprehensive universities in the University of Wisconsin System, UW-Platteville islocated in Platteville, a community of 10,000 in southwest Wisconsin. The University enrolls approximately 6800 undergraduate and 240 graduate students pursuing degrees in agriculture,the arts and sciences, business, criminal justice, education, engineering and technology management. Additional information is available on the web at www.uwplatt.edu.General Information: All of the positions described below begin August 23, 2011 (unless otherwise stated.)Required for Each Position: Qualified candidates are to send a letter of application addressing the requirements and highlighting qualifications specifically related to the positiondescription, university transcripts, a current resume or vitae, contact information for three professional references, and other supporting material requested below to: UW-Platteville, 1 University Plaza, Platteville, WI 53818-3099. The letter of application for all positions must address the applicant’s commitment to increasing campus diversity. For moredetails concerning individual positions, see the web site: www.uwplatt.edu/pers/employ.htm. Employment will require a criminal background check.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS, INDUSTRY, LIFE SCIENCE AND AGRICULTURE

Marketing (Assistant Professor)QUALIFICATIONS: Minimum of a Master’s in a business or marketing field containingextensive coursework in marketing with a focus on e-commerce. Excellent verbal, writtenand presentation skills required. Two years of college level teaching or four years ofbusiness experience preferred. APPLY TO: LaVon M. Blum, Department of Business &Accounting, [email protected]. Review of applications will begin March 1, 2011.

Business Administration-Management (Assistant Professor)QUALIFICATIONS: Specialization in management. Minimum qualifications are: 1) amasters degree in business; 2) excellent verbal, presentation, and written communicationskills; 3) demonstrated commitment to or experience with diverse populations; 4) at leasttwo years of college level teaching or four years of related industry experience; 5)willingness to teach students in the classroom and at a distance using alternative deliverymethods; 6) a record of outstanding performance. All qualifications must be measurableand demonstrable. Preferred qualifications: 1) Doctorate in business; 2) ability to teachbusiness law, small business, and/or international business; 3) experience using educationalsoftware; 4) experience teaching students at a distance using alternative delivery methods;5) four or more years of progressive management experience. APPLY TO: LaVon Blum,Business & Accounting Department, [email protected]. Application materials must bereceived by March 1, 2011.

Business Administration-Supply Chain (Assistant Professor)QUALIFICATIONS: An MBA or its equivalent with at least three years of related jobexperience in supply chain management OR a doctorate in business or a closely relatedfield; specialization in Supply Chain Management, Operations, or Logistics; stronginterpersonal skills; excellent verbal, presentation and written communication skills;excellent computer skills; a record of outstanding performance; and a willingness to teachin both traditional classroom and distance environments. APPLY TO: LaVon M. Blum,Search and Screen Committee, [email protected]. Deadline for application materials isMarch1, 2011.

Business Administration (Assistant Professor)QUALIFICATIONS: Specialization in Human Resource Management. Minimumqualifications are 1) a Masters Degree in a human resource management related field; 2)excellent verbal, presentation, and written communication skills; 3) ability to teach human

resource management and international human resource management courses; 4) at least 2years of college level teaching or four years of field experience. Preferred qualificationsare: 1) Doctorate in Human Resource Management related field; 2) experience usingeducational software; 3) willingness to teach students in the classroom and at a distanceusing alternative delivery methods; 4) PHR or SPHR certification. APPLY TO: LaVonBlum, Business & Accounting Department, [email protected]. Deadline for applicationmaterials is March 1, 2011.

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

Mechanical Engineering (Assistant Professor)QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor’s and doctoral degrees in ME or a closely related field arerequired. The doctoral degree requirements must be met by May 30, 2011. The successfulcandidate must be willing and able to teach a broad spectrum of ME courses. The successfulcandidate will also demonstrate a genuine interest in teaching undergraduates and possessexcellent written and oral communication skills. Teaching experience, industrialexperience, and professional registration are desirable. APPLY TO: Send applicationmaterials in electronic form (Adobe PDF or MS Word e-mail attachment) to Dr. John Mirth,Search and Screen Chair, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,[email protected]. Review of applications will begin immediately.

COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND EDUCATION

Criminal Justice (Assistant Professor)QUALIFICATIONS: A Ph.D. in criminal justice, criminology, sociology, or closely relatedfield is required; specialization in law enforcement is desired. ABDs will be considered butPh.D. must be completed prior to consideration for tenure. Applicant must have some fieldexperience and/or prior university teaching experience. The applicant must have excellentskills in oral and written communications. In addition he or she must have observableenthusiasm for professional engagement with students in and out of the classroom and abilityto work in teams in a collegial environment. The applicant may be required to teach coursesthrough alternative delivery methods. Applicants must have evidence of a strongcommitment to undergraduate and graduate education, evidence of a willingness tocollaborate with both students and faculty, and evidence of involvement in universityservice. It is expected that the candidate remain professionally active in the criminal justicecommunity. APPLY TO: Aric W. Dutelle, M.F.S., chair, Search Committee, Department ofCriminal Justice, [email protected] screening will begin February 28, 2011.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville, an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, seeks to build a diverse faculty and staff and encourages applications from women andpersons of color. The names of nominees and applicants who have not requested in writing that their identities be kept confidential, and of all finalists, will be released upon request.

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PresidentGlendale Community College

Maricopa Community Colleges Chancellor, Dr. Rufus Glasper, and the Search Committee invite nominations and expressions of interest for the position of President, Glendale

Community College, located in Glendale, Arizona.

Please visit:

for a comprehensive Position Profile and application instructions.

Electronic transmissions are strongly encouraged.

All inquiries, expressions of interest, nominations and applications are to be directed to the search consultant and are strictly confidential.

Contact Information

2415 East Camelback Road, Suite 700 Phoenix, AZ 85016

[email protected] 602-553-1066

The Maricopa Community Colleges are EEO/AA institutions.

“CULTURAL COMPETENCE...”

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Oakton Community College employs individuals who respect, are eager to learn about, and have a willingness to accept the many ways of the world.

Oakton serves the near northern suburbs of Chicago with campuses in Des Plaines and Skokie.

Individuals with a commitment to working in a culturally competent environment and who reflect the increasing diversity of Oakton’s student body and community are sought for the following tenure track faculty position for the 2011-12 academic year:

Dean, Science and Health Careers

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PERALTA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT

EOE

COLLEGEPRESIDENT

The Chancellor of the Peralta Community College District is pleased to announce the official search process to identify and select a College President for College of Alameda. The Chancellor will consider educational background, professional experience, accomplishments, reputation, and character in the search for the President of College of Alameda. Leading candidates will have demonstrated success in entrepreneurial and innovative approaches to addressing the challenges and opportunities at the college. Salary placement is commensurate with education and experience.

Application Deadline Dateis March 1, 2011.

For a detailed job descriptionand application procedures,

please visit us online at:

www.peralta.edu/jobs

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This is a 12-month, tenure-track position in theDepartment of Animal Sciences, Institute of Food andAgricultural Sciences, at the University of Florida. Theposition has a 60% research and 40% teaching assignment.The major duties of the position are to develop andimplement a strong research and teaching program infermentation microbiology and related subject areas thatwill benefit the Florida livestock industry. The researchfocus may include utilization and metabolism of nutrients,anaerobic and aerobic microbiology, bioconversion offeedstocks to biofuel, or other related disciplines. Thefaculty member will be expected to recruit and advisegraduate students, develop a nationally and internationallyrecognized research program, publish study results in peer-reviewed journals, and procure extramural funding. Theteaching program will include graduate FermentationMicrobiology and Microbial Physiology courses andundergraduate Introduction to Animal Science andPrinciples of Animal Nutrition courses. The facultymember will participate in and contribute to extensionprograms as appropriate including the Florida RuminantNutrition Symposium. Compensation is commensuratewith the education, experience, and qualifications of theselected applicant. To view full position description &application instructions, please visit https://jobs.ufl.edu &search for requisition #0806995.

Review of application materials will begin on or beforeMarch 1, 2011. Position will remain open until a viableapplicant pool is determined.

The University of Floridais an equal employment opportunity employer.

ContactAdegbola AdesoganUniversity of Florida/IFAS Department ofAnimal Sciences

Email: [email protected]

Lewis-Clark State College invites applications for two(2) positions due to faculty retirements:SecondaryEducation Coordinator and PACE Coordinator for on-line alternative certification in the Division ofEducation. Both are 10-month positions.

The College offers four-year and two-year degrees,technical certificate programs and outreach programs in avariety of fields. A Doctorate degree in Education orrelated field (advanced ABD will be considered) isrequired. Minimum of three years teaching in grades 6 -12.

Employment to start August 2011. Salary and rank basedon experience and qualifications, up to $51,000.

For complete job descriptions, visitwww.lcsc.edu/hr.

Please send cover letter, resume, and name, address, andphone number of three references to: Human ResourceServices, Lewis-Clark State College, 500 8th Avenue,Lewiston, Idaho 83501; telephone (208) 792-2269; fax(208) 792-2872; email [email protected].

Application review will begin February 7, 2011. Thisposition is subject to the successful completion of acriminal background check.

LCSC is an EEO/AA employer.


POSITIONSARIZONAGlendale Community College 45CALIFORNIACitrus College 40Peralta Community College District 45University of California, Davis 46COLORADOUniversity of Northern Colorado 46FLORIDAFlorida State College at Jacksonville 41University of Florida 42; 45University of South Florida 40IDAHOLewis-Clark State College 45ILLINOISOakton Community College 45NEW JERSEYKean University 43NEW YORKBorough of Manhattan Community College/CUNY 40OHIOCollege of Wooster 43PENNSYLVANIARobert Morris University 43SOUTH CAROLINAClemson University 42TEXASCollin College 42WISCONSINUniversity of Wisconsin-Platteville 44University of Wisconsin-Whitewater 41

*To see all our “Employment and other Opportunities,”including all Web Postings, visit our website at www.HispanicOutlook.com

A D V E R T I S I N G I N D E X

Dean of University LibrariesSearch Extended

The University of Northern Colorado (UNC) https://www.unco.edu/ invites applications and nominationsfor the position of Dean of University Libraries. UNC seeks a collaborative and innovative leader with avision toward the future to lead the University Libraries https://library.unco.edu. The Dean will provideinsight into national and global trends affecting University Libraries and maintain a leadership positionin the Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries; ensure that University Libraries has a long-rangestrategy; interact with regional library personnel and professional library associations as well as stateand federal offices on behalf of University Libraries and establish effective partnerships and alliancesof mutual benefit; maintain fiduciary responsibility for the University Libraries budget; cultivate privategiving; pursue and promote grant and contract funding; and oversee human resource development,providing supportive leadership to University Libraries faculty and staff.

Qualifications: Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited program or equivalent required; minimum offive years of progressive, substantive and successful experience as an academic library administratorrequired; a record of scholarly and professional achievement appropriate to an appointment at the rankof Professor of University Libraries; demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with a wide range ofconstituencies; demonstrated ability to provide strong and supportive leadership for the UniversityLibraries faculty and staff; demonstrated experience in advocacy for academic libraries consonant withan overall perspective of the needs of the University; demonstrated successful fund-raising and/or grantdevelopment experience; innovative responses to the challenges facing academic libraries; excellentcommunication and interpersonal skills; knowledge of information and scholarly technologies;appreciation of diversity and ability to work effectively in a multicultural campus and community setting;experience with shared governance. For a complete profile of the position, please visithttps://careers.unco.edu, position # 0600417.

Applications/Nominations: Please send nominations to the Search Committee chair: Patricia A.Book, Ph.D., Assistant Vice President, University of Northern Colorado, Michener L50, Box 21,Greeley, CO 80639 or [email protected]. Candidates must apply directly online in order to beconsidered for this position at https://careers.unco.edu. The application must include a letter of interest,curriculum vitae, and the names and contact information of five references. References will becontacted only with the permission of the candidate. Review of applications begins March 7, 2011 andwill continue until the position is filled.

The University of Northern Colorado is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institutionthat does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, creed,

religion, sexual preference or veteran status.

SCHOOL OF MEDICINEThe University of California, Davis, School of Medicineis part of a nationally recognized, highly collaborativehealth system that excels in translating scientificdiscoveries and new technology into improved patient careand community health.

Based in Sacramento, Calif., the UC Davis School ofMedicine is seeking talented faculty to join an innovativeenvironment infused with team learning, team researchand team patient care. Academic positions are available atall levels in clinical and basic science departments withresearch, teaching, and/or clinical responsibilities in fiveacademic series.

To learn more about the exciting opportunities UC Davishas to offer, please visit http://provost.ucdavis.edu/jobs/

The University of California is an affirmative action/equalopportunity employer with a strong commitment toachieving diversity in its faculty and staff.

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CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

Three dreaded words, from middle school classroom through grad-uate school: “Group project required.” Most of those who dislikegroup projects have typically done the majority of the work in past

collective efforts. Slackers in group projects are slackers everywhereelse, so for them, a group project is simply an opportunity to let some-one else carry the load while they get the credit. Whether you are doinga social studies project on the original 13 colonies in seventh grade oryou are on faculty planning curriculum, it’s all about group projects.It’s wise to help Latino students quell anxiety and build skill in manag-ing collective efforts well. Those skills are transferable to home andwork, too, so student competence in those areas helps prevent futureangst for many.

Predictably, a Hispanic student’s ability to work well with othersstems from early experiences with family. If parents have taught childrenhow to get along respectfully, work cooperatively, communicate openlyand share the reward with family, group projects are an opportunity todo the same with friends or strangers. If the experience at home hasbeen competitive and unsupportive with volatile arguments or peoplewalking away from conflict, students will feel far less confident aboutcompleting the group assignment. Too often, teachers at all levels assigngroup projects to inexperienced or unskilled students but fail to provideadequate structure and support for helping students understand theprocess of working in a group. If left without guidance about process,students will typically play out their family dynamics in the classroomgroup. Those who are responsible take charge and try to pull the grouptogether, and those who are slackers slack.

Two key skill sets are required for Latinos to effectively completework that requires a collective effort: structuring the task and diplomati-cally working with others through that structure. Instructors can reducethe stress and improve academic quality by helping students become ateam first, articulating and walking through the essential group processskills before starting the group project itself. Forming, storming, norm-

ing, performing and adjourning – allcritical phases of group development– are crucial for students to under-stand first so they can effectively complete group projects later. Studentsthen consciously understand the process and are prevented from sinkingor swimming in a sea of panic, confusion or resentment.

Diplomacy also greases the group process skids. Teaching Latinostudents to become acquainted with others, knowing the differencebetween communicating information and conveying emotion, listeningeffectively, offering helpful criticism, using feedback objectively forimprovement and dealing with conflict are the interpersonal skills thatcan make the difference in a student’s experience and success ingroup projects.

Structuring the work is the second skill set Latino students need foreffectively completing group projects. Defining the task, identifying thegroup’s goal, clarifying expectations and roles, breaking the assignmentinto tasks and assigning group members to complete them, developingtimelines and monitoring progress are all concrete steps in the projectmanagement process that students need to know. If they can manage agroup science project at age 12, they can run a laboratory successfully at40. Given the concrete training in handling people, understanding thetechnical aspects of the work and knowing the steps of project manage-ment, Latino students can succeed more easily. Instruction in bothprocess and content assures that students will have the skills needed todo the group work, instead of assuming they will magically learn themsimply because the group project was assigned.

Finally, continual feedback from and periodic, ongoing consulta-tion with the instructor helps assure that the group-related skills havetaken root and that the process and project itself are graded objective-ly and fairly.

PREPARING LATINO STUDENTS FOR GROUP PROJECTS

PPrriimmiinngg tthhee PPuummpp......

Miquela Rivera, Ph.D., is an author, licensed psychologist,speaker and trainer with years of clinical and early child-hood program administrative and consultative experi-ence. Miquela and her husband live in Albuquerque, N.M.

These articles appearedonline only in the

02/21/11Issue

Arcela Núñez-Alvarez, Ph.D.Facing Hate, Promoting Humanity

by Sylvia Mendoza

In2006-07, hate mail came nonstop to the office of Dr. ArcelaNúñez-Alvarez at California State University-San Marcos (CSUSM).It wasn’t the first time she’d been targeted. But this time, the

response was to her editorial commentary in a local newspaper on animmigration issue. Scathing e-mails and letters attacked her, saying shehad taken advantage of the American system as an illegal immigrant, reap-ing the benefits of education and health care while she grew up here.“They knew everything about me,” says Núñez-Alvarez, a history profes-

sor and civil rights activist. “I didn’t feel safe.”Throughout her lifetime, Núñez-Alvarez has witnessed the bashing of

immigrants, sometimes subtle, often blatant and, on occasion, violent.Racist hate crimes at the University of California-San Diego garnerednational coverage in 2010. And hate messages were written around the CalState San Marcos campus in North San Diego County.“There’s a new sense of fear,” Núñez-Alvarez says. “It seems as if we are

taking so many steps backwards, as if we went back in time.”Addressing that fear and finding ways to restore dignity and pride to the

Latino community is crucial to moving past the injustices. As interim direc-tor of the National Latino Research Center (NLRC) at CSUSM, Núñez-Alvarezis passionate about the center’s commitment to community outreach andawareness. The Oral History Project was launched with the belief that com-munities are built on personal contributions. Latinos’ personal stories vali-date their historical presence in a community. The idea of the Oral HistoryProject is to preserve Southern California’s historic multicultural richnessone person at a time – and Latinos are paramount in this history.With the help of the San Diego County Library, the grass-roots outreach

effort travels from library to library and stays for several months in a givenlocation. Elders in the community are invited to document and record theirpersonal stories, which are captured through audio/video methods, letters,diaries, professional and business papers, photo albums and artifacts. The OralHistory Project also provides an opportunity for cultural engagement whenmuseums, college libraries, city halls, community centers and similar outletspreserve, recognize and exhibit different voices as part of community history.“History can become skewed if told and accepted from only one per-

spective,” she says. Despite negative media coverage, Latinos have tobelieve their individual contributions have helped build communities inthis nation.“Our stories fit into a broader collective history. Inclusion reflects the

multicultural society we live in. We can move away from differences andaim to find connection of humanity.”There is no bitterness when she speaks. Instead, Núñez-Alvarez speaks

with confidence and the assurance that this is a way to validate Latinos’positive presence in this country. “The ‘personal’ is core to history in thiscommunity, in this nation,” says Núñez-Alvarez. “How do we make every-one in our community feel valued? Where does your story fit in the growthof the U.S.? They all matter.”

Skewed PerceptionsIdyllic images of Mexico and California history intertwining are what

Arcela imagined when she was growing up and taking history classes in hernative Guanajuato. Her grandpa lived in the United States; his stories wereall positive – that there was plenty of everything one could imagine, that noone had to worry about anything, that everyone lived in big mansions, hadlots of clothes, and that there were grocery stores on every corner.Núñez-Alvarez believed her own positive impressions after learning

about her homeland in relation to the U.S.-Mexican War. She was taughtthat Mexican citizens would have certain rights and guarantees after theTreaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, and California and Mexico wouldbe positively connected. Culture shock awaited her when she moved toEscondido, a San Diego suburb.“That’s the story I heard there, but here, in high school and college, I

heard the opposite – that Mexicans didn’t belong here, that I couldn’tspeak Spanish, that I wasn’t welcome. History didn’t make sense. As animmigrant in the U.S., I had to figure out why history had been so skewed.”So poor was her family, their only hope was America. Her father had

come many years before them. Her mother struggled. Despite all her labor,it was a desperate time. She sold everything they owned to move. Her fami-ly begged her to leave one or two of her six daughters behind to make thetransition easier; she refused.Her mother inspired Núñez-Alvarez beyond measure. “My mom was actu-

ally the first female to migrate from our hometown. I never saw her have sec-ond thoughts, ever. She said, ‘I’m not going to give up my kids; they’re myresponsibility. We all make it together or we all die together.’ We didn’t ques-tion her. We had no idea where we were going, nor did we have a choice.”Reality hit them even before they arrived. All their luggage was stolen in

WOMEN/PROFILES/LEADERSHIP


Dr.Arcela Núñez-Alvarez (l.), Interim Director,National Latino Research Center, CSUSM, with her mother

Tijuana. They lived with an uncle for a month until they found an apart-ment. Her mother worked 12-hour shifts at a textile factory, walking therebefore sunlight with a purpose, says Núñez-Alvarez. “We were her pur-pose. She made the move and worked that hard for us. She believed wewere here for a good education.”All the immigrants they came with had a connection to each other

because the transition was not easy. At school, Núñez-Alvarez’s older sisterswere placed in the ESL program, but at the elementary school, they did notknow what to do with the incoming students. “A lot of the kids were beingplaced in special ed classes because we didn’t speak the language,” saysNúñez-Alvarez. “Sixth grade was a waste of time. I just sat in the classroomand didn’t understand one thing that was taught.”But she had been a good student in Mexico and had solid math skills.

With supportive teachers, by ninth grade she was placed in all college-prepclasses. “I loved school. There was never a question about doing well. Thiswas the unwritten expectation. We knew that’s why we were here.”Well known as the family of “those six girls” in the district, teachers

and administrators helped them get donations of clothes, shoes and what-ever they needed so they could concentrate on school.Because her dad had been a farmworker here in the late ’50s, Núñez-

Alvarez and her sisters were able to enroll in a migrant education program.It was their first introduction to college. One hundred migrant students fromall over the state took part in a six-week immersion class at the University ofCalifornia-Los Angeles to try a couple of classes and live on campus.“I took Chicano studies, wrote in the newspaper, was introduced to

museums in Los Angeles,” she says. “That changed my life. That’s when Iknew what I would do with my life.”

Skewed Perceptions – MagnifiedAs president of MEChA at her high school, Núñez-Alvarez was asked to

make a presentation to the formal school board on behalf of the Mexicanstudents. Her neighborhood was known as Little TJ (Tijuana), and herschool was known as “the Mexican” school.Another school was about to open on the other side of town. People on

the board said they wanted to redraw boundary lines of the district specifi-cally so that Mexicans could not be bused over to attend the new highschool, says Núñez-Alvarez.She witnessed the “great divide” – lots of Mexican families on one side

of the room and White families on the other side. She saw faces that could-n’t connect to what she said, nor did they acknowledge the Mexican stu-dents as the individuals they had known for years. The controversy andbuildup of hate and prejudice lasted for almost a year.“They said we were lazy and didn’t value education,” Núñez-Alvarez

says. “We were straight-A students and were upset when we got B’s. Theysaid Mexicans would bring violence to the new school. We just wanted togo to the best schools possible. Their perception was uncalled for, unsub-stantiated and humiliating.”That incident opened her eyes to the truths they faced and raised her

consciousness to a new level. Gone were the innocent images of a land ofplenty for everyone.In the end, even though the new school was not segregated, the social

perception of disparity affected Núñez-Alvarez for a long time to come. “Tome, I saw freedom as White middle class and that’s what I wanted – yet therewas such a big divide. It made me ask, ‘Well, where do we fit in here?”

Taking the High RoadToday Núñez-Alvarez attempts to connect teaching with service to Latino

communities through her work and personal convictions. With theNational Latino Research Center educationally proactive in its approach tocommunity enlightenment and advocacy, she has found a sturdy footholdon which change can take root.When the NLRC was chartered in 1990 and moved from San Diego State

University to Cal State San Marcos, she joined the staff to try to develop thekind of research center that could help enable better understanding of Latinocommunities and their needs in useful, meaningful and practical ways.“We wanted to look at broader social contacts to find bigger issues.”

Now it conducts and connects local and national research focused onLatinos. Its programs, projects, classes and outreach efforts have coverededucational equity, partner violence, mental health, transportation prob-lems, health, medical coverage, cultural competency, food stamps, juvenilejustice, environmental justice, civic engagement and naturalization. Thecenter has addressed safety and the issue of parents not sending kids toschool for fear of repercussions, of being deported, of being targeted.Once the center takes on a project, it gathers quantitative and qualita-

tive data and aspects of the given problem, works with agencies and com-munity reps to solve that problem and provides copies of NLRC reports andfact sheets to legislators for action at the next level, when appropriate.Opposition is almost always expected for any given problem, says

Núñez-Alvarez. For example, a community effort was once made to provideinternationally recognizable identification cards issued by this country forMexican citizens.An effort took place at a community church to register people for these

standard ID cards. However, Minutemen lined the street with big Americanflags – but also with horrible signs, yelling the most inhumane and offen-sive things, she says.“Innocent people had to pass by them and be subjected to such hate.

Moms pushed strollers with all the integrity they could muster, wanting tocover their children’s ears. What an impression on a 4- or 5-year-old. Howdo we preserve dignity in the face of that?”Yet her work with NLRC keeps her positive and forward thinking. She

still believes there can be a great level of resilience and optimism. “As badas it is, it’s a big source of motivation for change,” she says. “From anorganizing perspective, these are precise moments we wait for – to exposethe ugliness surrounding us.”Of concern are the many kids who feel disconnected, with no sense of

belonging here or there, explains Núñez-Alvarez. However, many who par-ticipated in the 2006 walkouts, for example, experienced a whole newmovement. Students are in a great position to tap into their potential, to fig-ure out their place here and be a positive influence in their communities.In addition, if the younger generation can see its elders’ sacrifices and

contributions in building U.S. communities, they might more readily con-nect the best of both worlds to their roots. Validating Latinos’ contributionsto United States history through efforts such as the Oral History Project isone way to strip away prejudices, straighten skewed perceptions and getdown to basic facts. Despite the hatred and heartache, ideally there ispotential for a bigger sense of human connection.“This is a teaching moment in history,” says Núñez-Alvarez. “The divide

teaches bigger lessons, expects more of us as individuals and will leave alegacy of civil rights.”

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LLiitteerraattuurree aann EEnndduurriinngg PPaassssiioonn ffoorr PPrrooffeessssoorr EEsstteerr GGoonnzzáálleezzby Clay Latimer

Itwas an ordinary day for most students at Johns Hopkins University.Classes, exams, meetings – the routine routine.But there was nothing mundane about it for Ester Gimbernat González,

a young, ambitious literature student from Argentina.Filled with anticipation, she stepped for the first time into the campus

library, a vast place where every section was lined with books she wantedto read or catch up on.“When the doors opened, I was so happy, I couldn’t leave,” she said. “I

was in heaven.”

That was 1971. In time, González would enroll at Hopkins, earn a Ph.D,form lifelong friendships with her literature classmates and then embarkon a career that eventually led her to the University of Northern Colorado(UNC), where today she shares her enduring passion for great books asprofessor of Hispanic studies in the School of Modern Languages andCultural Studies.Her résumé is filled with honors. In 2000, the school picked her for

the Lucille Harrison Award, its highest honor, for a long career of profes-sional excellence in teaching as well as in professional activity and service.In 2007, her Introduction to Hispanic Literature was named one of the

top 10 Spanish literature courses in the nation by the College Board

Advanced Placement’s course study conducted by the Educational PolicyImprovement Center. The course has been a model for National AdvancedPlacement high school courses, both for content and teaching practices.The class introduces students to prominent contemporary writers andincludes theater, novel, short story and poetry in translation.“I’ve taught this course a long time. I didn’t realize it was something

different. So I was surprised,” she said.“In my class, we read and talk and write about Spanish literature. It’s a

very demanding class. I choose one novel they have to read that is writtenin Spanish. They cannot take a novel that has been translated into Spanish.They have the final exam on that novel.“That adds something to that course. It’s a big, big change. They start

the class, and the first two weeks they hate me. They finish the class, andthey love me, saying, ‘Please send me a list so I can read more like this.’”González has also written four books on writers in Argentina, Cuba, the

Dominican Republic and other Latin American countries and contributedto two other books. To promote their works, she has invited them to UNCand other western campuses.And she is editor of Confluencia, a Hispanic magazine of culture and

literature. Not only has González used her contacts with poets and noveliststo bolster its reputation, but she also has encouraged young writers andartists to publish therein, achieving a mix that now includes contributorsfrom Asia, Europe and Australia.“The journal was very small and modest when I took over in 1993,”

she says. “I believe it’s come a long way. We don’t have a lot of subscrip-tions, but you can read it in many ways,” including online.“It’s an important part of my life.”González isn’t the only academician in the family. After studying at the

Universidad Nacional de Cuyo in Mendoza, Argentina, in the early 1970s,her husband, Luis Jorge González, enrolled in the Peabody Conservatory inBaltimore, Md. (Ester earned a Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins). He taught for afew years at Peabody and in Austin, Texas (Ester taught at the University ofTexas), before accepting a position with the College of Music of theUniversity of Colorado (CU)-Boulder in 1982 as a professor of composi-tion and music theory (Ester took a job at Northern Colorado).During Luis Jorge González’s distinguished career, he has won the coveted

International Wieniawski Composition Competition with his UnaccompaniedViolin Sonata. He received a Guggenheim Fellowship (1978-79) and hasreceived commissions from the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, ColoradoMusic Festival, American Guild of Organists, Cosanti Foundation, Austin MusicFestival, and many universities and performing ensembles.The Gonzálezes’ son is a Ph.D. candidate in literature at CU as well as a

musician.

WOMEN/FACULTY


Ester Gimbernat González, Professor of Hispanic Studies, University of Northern Colorado, at the Senior Banquet last April

“He developed both of our interests,” Ester said.In 1971, Luis had accepted a 10-month fellowship to study at Peabody

and, because he lacked a visa that allowed him to return to Argentina andleave again, the Gonzálezes didn’t plan on staying in the U.S.“My plan was to stay in Argentina,” Ester said. “In Argentina, there

were hard times politically. It was dangerous.”Instead they stayed in the U.S., a change in plans that altered their lives,

setting Ester González on course to become an American academician, aprocess that began with her first tentative visit to Hopkins’ library.“I couldn’t understand English at all – when I went to the library the

first three or four times, I couldn’t find the books. One day, I got on theelevator and went down to the fourth floor. When the door opened and Isaw all those books ... it was like Dante’s Inferno, you go down, down,down – except that it’s a paradise.“I couldn’t leave the library; I lived there for four years. I was

there from eight in the morning until night. I had my desk, and Istudied and studied. We were a very small group. Just 12 students inRomance languages. They are my family in this country. They are stillvery close friends.”After earning a master’s degree and Ph.D., González accepted a posi-

tion at the University of Texas in the early 1980s, presenting a dilemma forthe couple.“Luis didn’t have a job; he didn’t have a visa. He finished his Ph.D. dis-

sertation and went to Argentina, and I stayed in Texas. I’m a happy person,but it wasn’t a happy situation in Texas.”The decision that changed their lives occurred when Luis accepted a

position in Boulder and Ester took a job at Northern Colorado, about an

hour’s drive from Boulder.“At UNC, I felt right at home from the start,” she said. “I love it here. I

love to teach, and I feel so young.”Meanwhile her husband’s music has been widely performed through-

out the United States, and in South America, Europe and Japan. TheGonzálezes’ Boulder home, however, looks more like a library than aconservatory.“My library has spread to three rooms.”

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Ester Gimbernat González, Professor of Hispanic Studies, University of Northern Colorado, with student at UT-San Antonio

Documents

02/21/2011 Women in Higher Education Issue