03/07/2011 Teaching our students Financial Literacy by Hispanic Outlook on Education Magazine

MARCH 07, 2011

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VOLUME 21 • NUMBER 11

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Carlos D. Conde

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The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine® is a national magazine published 25 times a year. Dedicated to exploring issues related to Hispanics in higher education,The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine® is published for the members of the higher education community. Editorial decisions are based on the editors’ judgment of the quality of the writing, the timeliness of the article, and the potential interest to the readers of The Hispanic Outlook Magazine®. From time to time,The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine® will publish articles dealing with controversial issues.The views expressed herein are those of the authors and/or those interviewed and might not reflect the official policy of the magazine.The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine® neither agrees nor disagrees with those ideas expressed, and no endorsement of those views should be inferred unless specifically identified as officially endorsed by The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine®.

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Article Contributors Melissa Campbell, Frank DiMaria, Thomas G. Dolan, Marilyn Gilroy, Zhaomin He, Stacy A. Jacob, Mitchell A. Kaplan, Clay Latimer, Sylvia Mendoza, Linda Morales, Miquela Rivera, Jeff Simmons, Fernando Valle, Irene I.Vega

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ongratulations to the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) as it celebrates its 25th anniversary. For years, the NHMC has monitored network hiring of minorities and issued report cards, and has filed more than 50 petitions with the FCC on licensing issues. The NHMC also trains talented Latinos to write for television, 10 a year, and many of its graduates now enjoy successful careers. CEO and President Alex Nogales and other NHMC leaders frequently testify before Congress on urgent matters such as the dangerous concentration of media ownership into fewer and fewer hands, and the dangerous rise in immigrant bashing across the nation. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) won a lawsuit against Tuscarora Yarns, a North Carolina company whose plant manager “brutally attacked” employee Lilia Ixtlahuaca Martínez, repeatedly. An SPLC report calls sexual harassment and violence “a constant threat for many immigrant women working in the United States.” Thank you to Ms. Martínez for her courage in bringing the lawsuit and to participating lawyer Geraldine Sumter of Ferguson, Stein, Chambers, Gresham & Sumter. The Feb. 8 Guardian, a British daily newspaper, carried an article by Dr. Roberto Cintli Rodríguez on Arizona’s banning of MexicanAmerican studies and other Arizona moves against both immigrants and the indigenous. One proposed bill would try to exempt Arizona from international law! Research by Indiana Wesleyan University found that “nearly two-thirds of adult college students in the U.S. drop out prior to graduation.” A study by InsideTrack, a coaching company, claims that “difficulty balancing commitments” is the chief reason adults do so, and that only 7 percent named academic challenges as a factor. Among students under age 25, nearly a third said financial problems were a chief reason for dropping out. We need some low-cost/no-cost solutions … and soon. ¡Adelante! Suzanne López-Isa Managing Editor

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Letter To HO Dear HO, This Thank You note is way overdue. But I didn’t want time to prevent me from writing to say how moved I was by the poignant story titled “Eyewitness to History: The 30th Anniversary of the Mariel Boatlift,” which was published in HO on Oct. 18, 2010. The first-person account by Patsy Feliciano, of her journey from Cuba to the United States, truly made me realize how very fortunate I was to be born in the U.S.A. The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine responds to a higher calling by consistently publishing relevant stories like Ms. Feliciano’s. Keep the stories coming! Best regards, Rosie Carbo

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Po lit

Baby Doc’s Second Act

i cal Beat

by Carlos D. Conde

You

heard the one about the three biggest lies in the world? “Of course, I’ll still love you in the morning.” “The check is in the mail.” “I’m from the federal government and I’m here to help.” That last one can be applied in a somewhat similar context to JeanClaude Duvalier, the former president of Haiti who showed up unexpectedly in Port-au-Prince in January saying he was so moved by the current plight of his countrymen that he had to come home to help them. Better known as Baby Doc, the son and successor to that monarchic ruler (some would say despot), Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier, arrived in January with his advisor/companion Veronique Roy, ready to do his part again for the people. For some who remember the Papa Doc and Baby Doc regimes, the first impulse is to secure their wallets and check their health insurance, although past and present regimes would be hard-put to cast stones at the father and son’s political impurities. After all, this is Haiti, with a volatile political history that has seen a long list of leaders go down in infamy. Haiti has always been the stepchild of Latin America, tolerable but not one of us, with its Creole lifestyle, and the endemic

economic and political problems and racism that a predominately Black population invites. This country of 10.1 million seems cursed by the Gods, enduring the endless havocs of nature, a spate of corrupted leaders and compliant people inured to their misery. Most seemed dumbfounded by Baby Doc’s appearance, although he had signaled several times that he was homesick – and supposedly broke – and ready to return home. What for is still conjecture. “I’m not here for politics. I am here for the reconstruction of Haiti,” he told the media in a vague explanation. Some of his detractors speculated his real intentions were more than humanitarian. In a prepared statement, he added, “the desire to participate at your side far surpasses the personal hassles I would have confronted.” It was prophetic because shortly after, he was arrested and charged with long-ago crimes of corruption and embezzlement, but later freed. That took care of one theory – that he came to Haiti, not for humanitarian endeavors but to qualify to the $5.7 million he stashed in a Swiss Bank that required him to first establish his legitimacy. He wouldn’t get it if he was deemed a rogue Haitian leader, which the charges against him established and if the journey was premeditated to beat a new Swiss law enacted in February for such miscreants. Five million dollars seems pin money even for perennially distressed Haiti, which is getting millions in assistance from the U.S. and an international coalition for the reconstruction of the country after the 2010 earthquake that devastated Port-au-Prince, killing 230,000 people.

Meanwhile, political leaders in Haiti and the U.S. scrambled to undo the puzzle and expose Baby Doc’s real motives, which he insists are altruistic. Baby Doc was never overthrown in the strict sense of a coup because there was no military to speak of when he willingly abandoned Haiti. He controlled the dreaded Tonton Macoute, the private militia created by his father, who had castrated the military forces as a matter of selfpreservation. Someone, probably his girl friend and political advisor, Ms. Roy, member of a prominent Haitian family, has been telling him the people still loved him and all was forgiven. In 2006, his supporters founded the Francois Duvalier Foundation in Haiti as a first step of his rehabilitation that also touted the good deeds of the Duvalier era. Baby Doc had said he would run for president in 2006 under the Party of National Unity but, for unexplained reasons, didn’t. A former prominent Haitian resident said the timing is now right for Duvalier’s return amidst all the current chaos and unbridled political scene yearning for stability and leadership. “He has nothing to lose. He’s flat broke, and he’s a pariah in France, and whether you believe it or not, he’s still a popular man in Haiti. “Papa Doc created a middle class that until then never existed, and the Baby Doc years of 1971-86 were some of the more successful, with more infrastructures like schools and medical facilities.” About the Duvaliers cracking a few heads in the process, “You can’t make an omelet without breaking an egg.” Baby Doc is supposedly rekindling presidential ambitions, but you

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wonder, judging by his past, if he really wants to be president again. He became “President for Life” at age 19 and initially resisted the drudgery of the presidency, eventually growing into the job but still preferring the distractions of a playboy. Whatever happens, you have to factor in the U.S. involvement, which always plays a hand in the affairs of Haiti, charitably open or clandestinely malevolent. Personally, I wish for the Haiti I got to know as a correspondent in the Papa Doc years when, the Tonton Macoute notwithstanding, life seemed pleasant and agreeable. A group of journalists would stop in Port-au-Prince to unwind at a French hostel, the San Souci, with its unbeatable hospitality and French fare, and shop for primitive Haitian art at the Red Carpet Shop or get a haircut, listening to classic music with the barber. On one stop, my wife and I shared the dance floor at the San Souci with María Callas and Aristotle Onassis, who had parked his yacht in the bay for a night out on the town. A fellow correspondent and I once scored an interview with Papa Doc, surrounded by his Tonton Macoute security detail in his office in the gleaming white Presidential Palace. I recall the event more than the interview. I do remember him looking a bit bleary eyed with half-lidded eyes and, most of all, a white, pearl-handled revolver resting on his desk, just in case. Carlos D. Conde, award-winning journalist and commentator, former Washington and foreign news correspondent, was an aide in the Nixon White House and worked on the political campaigns of George Bush Sr. To reply to this column, contact Cdconde@aol.com.

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MAGAZINE® MARCH 07, 2011

CONTENTS Bentley University Business School Puts Money Where Its Mouth Is ... by Melissa Campbell

Page 10

CUNY Celebrates Achievements by Women of All Colors in Decade of Science by Mary Ann Cooper

MOSI: Spurring Love of Science Through Innovation and Awards by Jeff Simmons

Salisbury President Brings Passion for International Study ... by Linda Morales

First Look at Common Core State Standards Shows Minorities Lagging by Marilyn Gilroy

AAC&U Survey Answers the Question: “Do Schools Engage Diverse Viewpoints?” by Michelle Adam

Spanish Journalism Curriculum Taking Root in Los Angeles by Sylvia Mendoza

Writing, a Key Component at Binghamton University’s Boot Camp by Frank DiMaria

University of Illinois at Chicago’s Luis Alberto Urrea: From Despair to Acclaim by Clay Latimer

Online Articles WSA Program Proving that Children Born into Poverty Can Succeed Academically by Thomas G. Dolan To view this and other select articles online, go to our website: www.HispanicOutlook.com.

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DEPARTMENTS Political Beat

by Carlos D. Conde

Baby Doc’s Second Act

In the Trenches ...

by Fernando Valle, Stacy A. Jacob, Zhaomin He

Helping Latino/a Students on Their Voyage to Success

Scholars’ Corner

Uncensored

by Irene I.Vega

by Peggy Sands Orchowski

Interesting Reads and Media... Book Review

by Mitchell A. Kaplan

Multicultural Aspects of Disabilities

High Sch oo l Fo ru m

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Hispanic High Schoolers Taking More AP Courses by Mary Ann Cooper

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

Hispanics on the Move

Targeting Higher Education: Young Latino Realities

by Gustavo A. Mellander (Online only)

Priming the Pump...

by Miquela Rivera

Preparing Latino Students to Effectively Use a Syllabus Is Critical to Their Academic Success

Back Cover

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Page 30 Cover photo courtesy of Bentley University

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FINANCE/TUITION

Business School Puts Money First-Year Students

by Melissa Campbell

etting into business school doesn’t necessarily mean you automatically will acquire strong personal financial management skills. But by the time you graduate, they would certainly be a valuable asset. Sadly, though, many college students earn a diploma and begin their careers lacking this critical skill set. But Bentley University in Boston, Mass., is changing that. From the moment students set foot on the classic New England campus just minutes from Boston, they are exposed to the tenets of personal finance – and through the required first-year seminar. This one-credit course for incoming freshmen has been in place for about 12 years and covers a variety of topics related to adjusting to college life such as time management, academic resources available to students, diversity and making healthy choices, but just last fall the university introduced a new component to provide students with both instruction and tools to find effective financial solutions to their individual situations. As with most interesting stories, a number of interrelated parts came together at the right time to bring this effort to fruition. For some time, Gerry Stenerson, associate dean for first-year programs at Bentley University, had been fielding financial questions from students about how to pay off debt or pay for a study abroad program. “In the early 2000s, we had included in the first-year seminar a component related to credit cards, during the height of the marketing efforts targeting college students,” said Stenerson. “But with today’s economic climate, coupled with the increasing costs of college, it just made sense for us to offer them a more robust module on money management. Students need to learn how to budget their money and the costs associated with higher education, and they need to start thinking about the topic earlier rather than later as many will be dealing with substantial debt when they graduate. Ultimately, this is about teaching them how to make good finan-

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cial decisions.” Another element in play was a strong indication that parents were concerned about their children’s lack of financial literacy. The Merrill Lynch Affluent Insights Quarterly, which in June 2010 surveyed 1,000 Americans with investable assets of at least $250,000, found that 51 percent cited “financial know-how” as the most important life lesson to share with their children. In addition, alarming statistics from the Department of Education’s National Postsecondary Student Aid Study show that students are graduating from college with significant debt loads. At private four-year colleges, the median loan debt for bachelor’s degree recipients was $22,375 in 2007-8, up 5 percent from $21,238 four years earlier. Even more alarming, only 34 percent of those who received bachelor’s degrees from any institution graduated with no debt. A recent survey from Western Union reveals the cumulative effect of debt on people in their 20s and 30s: • Nearly 30 percent of Gen Y’ers report having difficulty managing their spending, and 35 percent have borrowed money from friends or family members. • Half of Gen Y respondents reported feeling increased stress about financial obligations in the last six months. • More than one in three members of Gen Y say that their financial situation has worsened in the last six months. • About 27 percent of Gen Y survey participants have been turned down for a loan or line of credit. • Sixty percent of Gen Y’ers have not seen their credit score in the past year, and 44 percent have never seen their credit score. Keying into these concerns, Bentley partnered with financialfootprint.com, a new Web-based personal finance education and guidance service

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aimed at connecting young people, ages 18 to 30, with their very own personal finance expert. Financialfootprint features educational content, online tools and one-on-one access to experts in personal finance who educate and provide guidance across a range of topics pertinent to college students – including budgeting, banking, checking/savings, credit cards, the broader financial aid process, and employee benefits. And here is where the story gets really interesting: financialfootprint was co-founded by Bentley alumnus Dave Kittredge, who turned to the school when he wanted to test his idea at Bentley’s Center for Marketing Technology (CMT). To validate the business concept and go-to market strategy, a team of Bentley students, led by CMT Director Ian Cross, conducted market research to understand students’ knowledge of personal finance. They explored the need for advice among students, the type of advice they were looking for, and how they wanted to receive that advice. Students from Bentley and a wide range of business and liberal arts students from colleges throughout the Northeast were among the survey participants. “Results showed that students are very intimidated by the act of managing their own finances, and they typically only get help from their parents,” noted Cross of the findings. “There is a definite need for this kind of service. If students at Bentley – a school with a strong background in accounting, finance and business – need help, then the need is likely even greater at other colleges.” In addition to providing an effective handson learning opportunity for students working in the CMT, Cross viewed the relationship with financialfootprint as an extension of Bentley’s commitment to social responsibility – supporting start-up businesses and also helping students and families as they chart a financial course through college and into the work force.

Where Its Mouth Is by Providing with Financial Planning Instruction Kittredge, who has worked in the financial services industry for 25 years – most recently as senior vice president for Lincoln Financial Group in Philadelphia – says that while the industry is familiar with financial planning for baby boomers, it does a poor job of providing help to young adults, particularly students. “The one-to-one personalized service that we’re delivering is our core-value proposition, and we’ve wrapped our website around that,” he said of financialfootprint. “What we’re offering young adults is access to experts in personal finance who educate and provide guidance across a range of topics pertinent to this age demographic.” Financialfootprint offers objective personal finance guidance and education and does not sell any products. The company generates revenue via subscriptions at a cost of $120 per year and provides a money-back guarantee. Incoming Bentley freshmen receive a free subscription to the service for one semester. Additional pricing models include institutional subscriptions for the benefit of the student body. “Our mission is to empower young adults through education to make smart financial decisions,” said Kittredge. Approximately 950 students entered Bentley this fall and were enrolled in 40 sections of the discussion-based first-year seminar. Led by staff and upper-class students in leadership positions, the money management sessions incorporated information from a curriculum template that included walking students through the process of creating a personal budget as well as introducing them to the financialfootprint product. After the first semester of the financial management curriculum, the reviews are mixed. According to Stenerson, some students seemed receptive, others did not. Approximately 10 percent of the students accessed the financialfootprint website, and about the same number signed up for a second semester of the subscription. Undeterred, Stenerson likened the situation to getting younger

Financial management seminar to the first-year seminar program

children to eat their vegetables. As with all things that are “good for you,” students eventually come to the realization that it was worth their time. “In my experience, many upper-class students look back on the first-year seminar and reflect on things that resonated with them – maybe not at the time, but later on,” he explained. “I feel good knowing that students have been exposed to a resource and some advice that they can rely on in the future.” According to Stenerson, most Bentley students are not the first in their families to go to college and receive a good deal of financial support and money management advice from their college-educated parents. But the reality of the $45,000-per-year bill to attend Bentley means that many students will be dealing with student loans. Learning solid personal wealth management techniques will make a big difference in establishing their financial footing after college. Ultimately, the addition of the financial literacy program expands upon the first-year seminar’s goal of helping students cross the bridge into

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adulthood. “Exposure to all of these topics helps students to grow and mature,” said Stenerson. “After the seminar, they come away with the beginning of an understanding that the decisions they make right now will impact them down the line.” A similar approach at Texas Tech University called Red to Black provides financial planning education to students through opt-in seminars and presentations, as well as individual financial counseling and planning advice. While the service is not part of a required academic course as at Bentley, access to Red to Black is free to all students. And a new one-credit elective at William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J., called Budget Resources offers students information on budgeting, timing of purchases and how to make the most of coupons and online promotions. While not many schools are currently incorporating personal finance into required courses, Stenerson believes that the trend will grow. “Considering the number of students who come out of school with significant amounts of debt, I think this will become a growing area of concern.”

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CONFERENCES/CONVENTIONS

Celebrates Achievements by Women of All Colors in Decade of Science

Dr.

by Mary Ann Cooper

Ellen Ríos, president and CEO of the National Hispanic Medical Association, and author Cornelia (Cory) Dean, senior science writer for The New York Times, were the keynote speakers at the City University of New York’s (CUNY) sixth annual Women’s Leadership Conference. The conference also featured a panel discussion by six distinguished CUNY scientists doing groundbreaking research. It was an opportunity to showcase CUNY’s Decade of Science, launched in 2005 and running until 2015, and the strong women, minority and otherwise, participating in this high-profile program. The scientists and chemical engineers on the panel discussed the challenges they have faced as women in the fields of science and engineering. Panelists included Dr. Jill Bargonetti, professor of biological sciences, Hunter College, who is investigating the impact of chemotherapy drugs on target genes; Dr. Mande Holford, assistant professor of chemistry, York College, working on venomous toxins for drug development; Dr. Christine Li, professor and chair of biology, City College of New York (CCNY), studying genes implicated in neurodegenerative disorders; Dr. Gillian Small, CUNY vice chancellor for research, whose field of research is peroxisome biogenesis and molecular regulation of lipid metabolism; Dr. Maribel Vázquez, associate professor of biomedical engineering, City College, studying brain cancer infiltration; and Dr. Eleanore Wurtzel, professor and chair, CUNY Plant Sciences, Ph.D. Subprogram, Department of Biological Sciences, Lehman College, whose field is genomic development of high-vitamin food crops. City College President Lisa Staiano-Coico, a nationally prominent researcher in microbiol-

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ogy and immunology, served as moderator. The consensus of the women attending the event, echoed during the panel discussion, was that all women, including minority women, face unique obstacles to higher success in the fields of science and engineering – from the difficulty getting their voices heard and research published and the gender bias they face in their labs, to the value of having a mentor and being a mentor to other women in the field. Panelist Vázquez summarized the Women’s Leadership Conference exclusively to HO and described the positive impact the event made on her and other participants. “The message was that although barriers for female scientists remain, many of us are succeeding and working very diligently to make the path easier for younger generations of female researchers. The feedback from attendees was great. Many young ladies were very excited about my particular answer to the age-old question: What do you say to the guy in the lab who thinks females get job offers and scholarships that are rightfully his solely because of gender? I always put the guy in his place by promising to find him later in life for the sole pleasure of ramming my Nobel Prize down his throat.” Being a Latina from a single-parent home, Vázquez was inspired by her mother, who served as her mentor and support in the pursuit of her science career. “I am a Mechanical Engineer by training, but became a founding member of the CCNY Biomedical Engineering department in 2001. My inspiration has always been technology, as I enjoy fabricating new devices and seeing how they work, fail, break, etc.” Vázquez draws a distinction between being Latin American-born and being U.S.-born, as she

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was. “My family is from the Dominican Republic. I have visited there many times with my family, and also alone on vacation, though I have not been back there in over a decade – graduate school was too busy and a pre-tenure position is very stressful. I believe that being Latina in science has the added difficulty of preconceived stereotypes. I have found that, interestingly enough, if people assume I am Latin Americanborn – and hence went to school there, etc. – that it is viewed as more positive than being U.S.born. I feel this has a lot to do with the prejudice some have against affirmative action in this country, and how minorities struggle to illustrate that we have indeed earned our degrees just like everyone else. Our Ph.D.s were not bestowed as gifts because of race or gender. So this difficulty is one that is absent from a Caucasian female, but nonetheless, all women still struggle against the gender stereotype – from both sexes! “I was encouraged to consider engineering by my high school calculus teacher, and supported/inspired throughout this journey by my mom. She was a single mother with two girls who learned to speak English, complete a GED and graduate with a B.A. and M.A. from CCNY during the time that I was in middle and high school. I do not think I have done anything to compare with that!” Vázquez stresses that important work is being done by women in the science and engineering departments at CUNY and describes what she is working on now. “My laboratory develops microfluidic devices and nanotechnology to study the migration of glial cells in the brain. We work with neurosurgeons and neuropathologists to measure the concentration profiles of chemicals in specific regions of the

brain, and then re-create these environments within microchannels to stimulate and examine cell migration.” While much discussion during the conference centered on opening doors at the highest levels of academia for women, Vázquez offers this idea about how society can attract more women – specifically Latinas – into the science careers. “I believe that it is never too early to introduce young people to fun math and science activities. Too many people are afraid of math and pass along their own insecurities to the younger generations. One way to diversify these fields is for teachers of nursery through high school classes to work with scientists and engineers to develop age-appropriate math lessons for their students. While seeing role models is great, it does not compare to the excitement students feel when they can predict what will happen next in an experiment, or use math to describe how something works.” Another panel participant, Dr. Gillian Small, in her capacity as chancellor for research at CUNY, encourages and supports females in the science and engineering professions. In the Fall 2010 CUNY Research Newsletter, Small reported there was good news and bad news for women scientists and engineers. She noted, “Women still comprise less than 10 percent of full-time, employed doctorates in engineering.” But she also expressed a brighter side to the larger picture in higher education. “Nevertheless, over the last two decades women have moved in larger numbers into leadership positions at academic institutions across the country. In fact, in 2007 women occupied approximately 23 percent of college and university presidencies in the U.S. This number was only 9.5 percent 20 years ago.” She specifically cited CUNY as a place where important progress is being made for women. “It is noteworthy that, of the 23 CUNY campuses and schools, nine are currently being led by women presidents or deans. Women are also leading the charge in industry, with executives such as Deborah Dunsire, president and CEO of Millennium Pharmaceuticals, and Tina Nova, cofounder and CEO of Genoptix Medical Laboratory.” Still, Small noted that challenges still exist for women in the science and engineering fields. “The opportunities for women to excel in a career in science are vast and varied. However, we should also bear in mind that only 15 of the 72 members elected to the National Academy of

“I was encouraged to consider

engineering by my high school calculus teacher, and supported/inspired throughout this journey by my mom.” Maribel Vázquez, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, City College Sciences in 2010 were women, and that between 1901 and 2009, the Nobel Prizes were awarded 537 times to a total of 802 individuals – yet only 40 women in total have been awarded the Nobel Prize.” (Marie Curie received the award twice, in 1903 and 1911.) In this same newsletter, Small cited a 2008 report on why women leave science and noted that “the average age that a women receives her Ph.D. is 34; therefore, the five to seven years she then spends moving towards tenure fall right in the middle of her peak years for starting and raising a family.” On the CUNY website, Chancellor Matthew Goldstein explains the mission of the decadelong program. “Breaking boundaries in science at the City

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University of New York, distinguished women scientists at all CUNY colleges are making history all year round by conducting pioneering research in fields that are critical to our nation’s future. Through CUNY’s ‘Decade of Science,’ they are teaching and working with outstanding students in laboratories and classrooms in cuttingedge areas of applied and basic science. Vice Chancellor for Research Gillian Small and Vice Chancellor for Facilities Planning, Management and Construction Irisi Weinshall are working together on the programming and construction of the new CUNY Advanced Science Research Center at City College. World-class faculty. Breaking boundaries. Making history. All year round at CUNY.”

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Smoldering Embers of Fiery Gender Debate The annual Women’s Leadership Conference was also an opportunity for White and minority female scientists to get tips on how to flourish in science and gave one keynote speaker an opportunity to correct the misconceptions that have been the fig leaf providing a rational explanation for the relatively low number of women represented in tenured positions in science and engineering at top universities and research institutions. Keynote speaker Cornelia (Cory) Dean, former Shorenstein Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, from 2004 through 2008, taught graduate and undergraduate courses at Harvard’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences on the public’s understanding of science. She is the author of Am I Making Myself Clear? – a book aimed at educating scientists on how exactly to make themselves clear talking to a reporter, going on television or lobbying legislators. She is at work on a book about the misuse of scientific information in American public life. Dean’s address offered women scientists pragmatic advice on how to succeed in a sometimes unreceptive environment, and took aim at the speech Larry Summers made in 2005 that ignited a firestorm that is smoldering to this day. Summers, then president of Harvard, came under fire at that time for, arguably, seeming to trivialize women’s participation in the sciences. While acknowledging that there are “patterns of passive discrimination and stereotyping in which people like to choose people like themselves, and the people in the previous group are disproportionately White male,” he dismissed this as “hardly pervasive” and not the “dominant explanation” for the lack of women in high-powered science and engineering positions. He also expressed doubt that there are high numbers of women who are being held back from these high-powered roles. Summers said, “If it was really the case that everybody was discriminating, there would be very substantial opportunities for a limited number of people who were not prepared to discriminate to assemble remarkable departments of high-quality people at relatively limited cost simply by the act of their not discriminating, because of what it would mean for the pool that was available.” Dean took issue with Summers’s assertion that gender was a minor concern in the fields of science and engineering by chronicling other predominantly male careers that have become more gender neutral once gender consideration was removed from the hiring equation. One example she cited was orchestra auditions where the gender of the applicant was unknown. The so-called “blind auditions” (where applicants audition behind screens) resulted in a dramatic rise in females being given orchestra positions. Her most dramatic example, however, was the story of transgender scientist Ben (aka Barbara) Barres, who has documented his experience having his work published. He related that he had much more success as Ben than he had as Barbara. Dean also asserted that studies have shown that there is an increase in their funding when females are permitted to nominate themselves for research awards. Summers also dismissed the disparity of women scientists and engineers with the supposition that what the disparity all boils down to “is the general clash between people’s legitimate family desires and employers’ current desire for high power and high intensity, that in the special case of science and engineering, there are issues of intrinsic aptitude, and particularly of the variability of aptitude, and that those considerations are reinforced by what are in fact lesser factors involving socialization and continuing discrimination.” Dean deals with this argument by pointing out that the math SAT gap between high school girls and boys has shrunk considerably over the past 10 years. She also pointed out problems that women face that aren’t even considered by Summers in his argument. Those problems include what is referred to as the Two Body Problem, in which women more often than not are hampered in their attempt to secure a tenure track position because they have a spouse with an established tenure-track path, which limits the wives’ geographic options. Women also are often designated child and parent caregivers, which make career moves more problematic. Dean concluded by offering the women scientists and engineers suggestions to succeed in establishing their own strong career paths. Among her tips were first and foremost do good work, but also, when considering a job offer, assess whether it is located in a place where other women have flourished and excelled. She also suggested developing good negotiating skills, be willing to accept a helping hand – and have alternative plans in place if your first plan doesn’t work out.

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In the Trenches... by Fernando Valle, Stacy A. Jacob, Zhaomin He, Texas Tech University

“The goal is not to sail the boat, but rather to help the boat sail herself.” – John Rousmaniere merican sailor John Rousmaniere’s words speak of the ability of a learned sailor to guide and direct a boat to all of her possibilities. In many ways, our country’s colleges and universities act as skilled sailors guiding our students on voyages to their full potential. While many wish to work to ensure a safe passage for all, there are still students about whom we know too little to be effective. Unsure of exactly how to help all students, we create programming to toss our students a line; however, what we really need to do is learn more about these students and build better boats to serve them. One of the populations we should discover more information about is our Latino/a college students. In 2007, Latinos/as accounted for 15 percent of the United States population. However, the same report showed that only 7.5 percent of bachelor’s degrees awarded were represented by this group. The pipeline gets even narrower as it goes upward – by 2007, only 5.8 percent of the Latino/a population attained master’s degrees, and the proportion dropped to 3.4 percent when it came to doctoral degrees. College degree attainment for Latinos/as, the fastest-growing demographic in this country, is disgraceful at best when compared to the demographics. The Changing Tide: From Access to Completion Historically, higher education has addressed the issue of low degree attainment of Latinos/as by emphasizing the need for access to higher education over degree attainment. In the last two decades, institutions have erroneously assumed that greater access would equal greater degree attainment. According to the forward by Santiago in Kelly, Schneider and Carey (2010), “serving the Hispanic population in higher education means more than just enrolling them in colleges and universities – serving students well also requires improving the chances that they complete a degree.” One early strategy for creating access was the recognition (and government funding) of colleges attempting to help Latino/a students. These colleges and universities are known as Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI). The invention of HSIs “was grounded in the theory that institutions enrolling a large concentration of Latino students would adapt their institutional practices to serve these students better.” Yet this promise has not been realized. Perhaps the notion of HSIs should be reconceptualized to reward institutions with high graduation rates for Latino/a students rather than reward them for enrollment. However, the tide is changing. Big foundations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Lumina Foundation for Education are starting to call for increasing Latino/a degree attainment. The current administration also has begun to urge increased degree attainment for Latinos/as. President Barack Obama has called for “the United States to reclaim its position as the nation with the highest concentration of adults with postsecondary degrees in

Helping Latino/a Students on Their Voyage to Success

the world.” One way we can do this is by increasing Latino degree attainment. Adjusting Our Sails to the Wind: Understanding Latino/a Students So how do we help Latinos/as attain college degrees? First we must fully understand a host of barriers that limit their success. These include but are not limited to: language, social economic status (SES), immigration issues, lack of preparation for college, financial access, social and cultural capital. Although several passionate researchers have started to adopt these challenges, the research is still woefully limited. In addition to increasing the now limited research on Latinos/as, we also need to critically understand their college choice, the best ways to institutionalize help for these students, how to involve students’ communities in their education, how to build trust between these students and their college or university personnel, how to help them persist, how to nurture their internal resilience, in short – understand what makes these students prevail in the face of many odds. Have We Missed the Boat? Programmatic vs. Systemic Change Currently in higher education, we attempt to raise Latino/a degree attainment through programmatic assistance rather than through systemic change in our institutions. We have established a variety of programs aimed at helping Latino/a (and other underserved) populations attain college degrees. The most popular function as “pullout programs.” In other words, they are programs in which we require students to attend things such as summer bridge programs, extra classes, mentoring sessions, lectures, study sessions and group meetings. Assessments show they are helpful to students; however, they are stand-alone programs that do not necessarily touch all students who might need help navigating a successful college career. What we need is a better understanding of our Latino/a students and for that understanding to be threaded throughout the majority of our college and university offices, the programming of those offices, and entry-level classes (i.e., recruitment, admissions, orientation, financial aid, writing 101 classes, etc.). Conclusions We need scholars, administrators and practitioners to adjust sails and begin to work on both scholarship and transformation of organizations that will lead to more Latino/a completion of college. To achieve this change, we need to recognize that Latino/a access to college does not equal completion, understand the issues Latino/a students face, and we must move from programmatic intervention to systemic organizational change. Those of us who are serious about social justice and equity in our society can no longer afford to plug holes in our boats with gum. We must build better ships that can offer all of our students a safe passage on their voyage to a college education.

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MOSI

INNOVATIONS/PROGRAMS

Spurring Love of Science Through Innovation and Awards

It’s

by Jeff Simmons

the largest children’s science center in the nation, but when students – no matter what age – step into the Tampa, Fla.-based Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI), they will be able to learn if they embrace one cardinal rule. “They have to have fun,” said Alicia SlaterHaase, MOSI’s senior vice president for marketing and development. “MOSI is a fun place, and everything is hands-on. Nobody comes to MOSI simply to learn; they come to MOSI to have fun, and the learning happens while you are here.” Now in its 53rd year, MOSI is a nonprofit, community-based institution focused on fostering a greater awareness and understanding of science and industry. MOSI, at its current location on 74 acres in North Tampa since 1980, provides public programs and exhibits, and includes a 190,000-square-foot science center with Florida’s only IMAX Dome Theatre, extensive permanent and temporary exhibition galleries, a welcome center, planetarium, nature center, classroom space and a public library. A key ingredient of its mission is making science tangible for youth, and particularly for Hispanic and African-American youngsters and teenagers. That goal is the outgrowth of longstanding ethnic disparities among students attaining higher education degrees, and particularly those who pursue careers in science and engineering. Aware of this ethnic divide, in 2009 President Obama launched the Educate to Innovate initiative aimed at bolstering participation of the nation’s students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or what is commonly referred to as STEM. The initiative more specifically was geared toward equalizing the playing field for traditionally underrepresented groups, such as Hispanics. Traditionally, Hispanics, as with women and African-Americans, have held few jobs in STEM fields in the country. A Bayer Facts of Science Education report issued last year, for instance,

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found that more than three-quarters of those it polled say significant numbers of female and underrepresented minorities were absent from the U.S. STEM work force because they were not identified, encouraged or nurtured to pursue STEM studies early on. Additionally, nearly twothirds believed that such underrepresentation by women and minorities in STEM threatens the nation’s global competitiveness. Factors connected to the underrepresentation involved larger socioeconomic issues. The survey found that a lack of quality science and math education programs in poorer school districts, stereotypes about female and minority involvement, financial issues and a lack of communication to attract such groups all contributed to the low involvement. Coupled with this have been lower graduation rates and other trends exposing wider gaps between White and Hispanic enrollments on higher education campuses. Those numbers are a driving force behind MOSI’s annual awards that celebrate accomplishments in science, technology, engineering and mathematics by Hispanic professionals. For the last 10 years, MOSI has conferred the Hispanic Scientist of the Year Award on accomplished Hispanic leaders in their fields, recog-

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nizing outstanding national Hispanic scientists who promote a greater public understanding of science and motivate Hispanic youths’ interest in science. “The goal of the awards is to inspire students to stay in school, get an education and pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics,” Slater-Haase said. “We need to stay competitive with the rest of the world, and we need our students to receive an education in those careers. Students need to stay in school and get an education to be successful in their lives.” “Hispanic students need mentors and role models to inspire them to stay in school, and this program is providing that,” Slater-Haase added. “They are seeing outstanding Hispanic role models who are sending them the message that ‘if I can do it, you can do it, too.’” In 2010, MOSI honored Dr. Dan Arvizu, one of the world’s leading experts on renewable energy. Arvizu currently serves as the director and chief executive of the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the department’s primary location for energy efficiency and renewable energy research and development. The son of Mexican immigrants, Arvizu is

the first and only Hispanic ever to become a director of a national lab in the United States. In 2004, President George W. Bush appointed Arvizu to a six-year term on the National Science Board, the governing board of the National Science Foundation and the national science policy advisory body to the president and Congress. He testified before Congress four times, delivered state-of-technology presentations at three congressional caucus briefings, and keynoted 12 major national and international conferences. “The technologies being developed at NREL are the future of energy in this nation and around the world. It’s an honor to celebrate the tenth anniversary of this award by hosting a Hispanic leader at the forefront of that research,” MOSI’s president, Wit Ostrenko, said in a statement. “Dr. Arvizu has been key in promoting a greater public understanding of renewable energy resources and serves as an inspiration to today’s youth, who are growing up at a time when these energy solutions are most important.” Arvizu joined a prestigious roster of accomplished Hispanic leaders who not only received the award, but paid it forward by mentoring youth: 2009: Dr. Nils Díaz, former chairman, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Díaz is from Cuba. He was a nuclear engineering professor and chairman at the University of Florida. 2008: Dr. Lydia Villa-Komaroff, a molecular biologist and CEO of Cytonome Inc., a company that was building the first optical cell sorter of human cells for therapeutic use, as well as a founding member of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science. She is Mexican-American. During her more than 20-year research career, VillaKomaroff held positions at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, University of Massachusetts Medical School and Harvard Medical School. 2007: Dr. Louis A. Martin-Vega, dean of engineering at North Carolina State University, and of Puerto Rican descent. He was the first Hispanic to serve as acting head of the Engineering Directorate at the National Science Foundation and director of its Division of

Design, Manufacture and Industrial Innovation. 2006: Dr. Inés Cifuentes, a seismologist from England, Ecuador and America. Cifuentes helped establish the Carnegie Academy of Science Education, which trains teachers in science, mathematics and technology, and served as its director for 10 years. In 2005, she became manager of education and career services of the American Geophysical Union. 2005: Dr. Edmond Yunis, professor of

2010 MOSI awardees

pathology at Harvard Medical School and a member of the Department of Cancer Immunology and AIDS at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Yunis, a renowned researcher and immunologist, is from Colombia. 2004: Dr. Antonia Coello Novello, first woman and first Hispanic to serve as U.S. surgeon general, from 1990 to 1993. Novello, who had been a vice admiral in the Public Health Service Commission, was born in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. 2003: Dr. Mario Molina, who won the 1995 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his role in elucidating the threat to the Earth’s ozone layer of chlorofluorocarbon gases. The Nobelist is from Mexico, and one of the world’s leading authorities on pollution and the effects of chemical pollution on the environment. He is a faculty

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member at the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California-San Diego. 2002: Fernando “Frank” Caldeiro, NASA astronaut born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. From 1985-88, Caldeiro worked as a test director during the production and flight test of the Rockwell/USAF B-1B Bomber and was then transferred by Rockwell to the Kennedy Space Center as a space shuttle main propulsion system specialist. NASA hired him in 1991 as a cryogenics and propulsion systems expert for the safety and mission assurance office. NASA selected him as an astronaut candidate in 1996. He passed away in 2009. 2001: Dr. Alejandro AcevedoGutiérrez, marine biologist who conducts research on the behavioral ecology of marine vertebrates, was raised in Mexico City. He was featured in the movie Dolphins. He currently is an associate professor at Western Washington University. Novello conceded that she was initially unfamiliar with the award and its importance when she was first selected as an honoree. But she noted, “MOSI’s president was so convincing, and made it sound like a loss if I was unable to attend. When I learned there had been a Nobel Laureate, a NASA astronaut, and a marine biologist who had won before, I knew I had better show up!” Proceeds from the awards gala, held each October, fund scholarships that will employ Hispanic teenagers involved in the program. As part of their agreement to give back, National Hispanic Scientist of the Year honorees take part in Meet The Scientist Day, an annual event in which honorees deliver inspiring lectures and meet with hundreds of students, many from underserved communities in neighborhoods near MOSI. For Novello, that engagement made MOSI’s recognition even more poignant. Novello, who also served as commissioner of health for New York state, has since encountered a number of the attendees later in life, and was moved by the fact that many received scholarships and pursued education in science or technology. “I remember looking at all of the faces and

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thinking ‘my goodness,’” Novello said, recalling her remarks to three groups of students, about 1,200 in total. “You are supposed to tell them about your life, what you accomplished, where you came from, and more than anything make them understand that despite poverty and isolation, or not having parents with the highest education, that you can be somebody. “I told them, ‘You have to have good grades, you have to have consistency, you have to respect your parents and your teachers, and give more than what is expected of you,’” she said. Spurring student interest in the field – and in continuing their education – was crucial, Novello said, given that the Hispanic population has been steadily growing, yet Hispanic involvement in higher education has lagged behind that of other groups. As she addressed students, her hope was that they would think, “‘I saw it, I tasted it, I know I can do it.’ Maybe that is why I do this so often. As much as the kids learn from each person, so do we.” “I believe that if you are taught well, you will always want to give back,” Novello said. “The MOSI board is continually making this the best event every year, and I am in awe of who they find. The moment that is the biggest is not in getting the award or meeting the professionals, but it is the faces of the children, that some of these children will later come up to me and say, ‘remember me?’” In the audience at these events are often students involved with a successful MOSI program called Youth Enriched by Science, or, the YES! Team. Started nearly two decades ago, the YES! Team is a career and educational enrichment program designed to help at-risk 13- to 17-yearold students (in seventh through 12th grade) by providing tiered mentoring and career-ladder and vocational training to give students a chance

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MOSI provides

public programs

and exhibits, and

includes a 190,000-

square-foot science center with Florida’s only IMAX Dome Theatre.

to develop self-confidence and build self-esteem, communication and leadership skills. Vivian McIlrath, a Yes! Team graduate, did more than benefit from its services. She returned to MOSI to serve as its youth programs coordinator. McIlrath, the oldest sibling in a Hispanic family, said she only enrolled in the program as a 14-year-old to keep an eye on her brother, who clamored to be part of it. The tables turned, though. Her brother moved on to other endeavors, and her experience with the Yes! Team prompted her shyness to wane and self-confidence to build. She not only became excited about public speaking, but then successfully pursued a college degree in commu-

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nications at the University of South Florida. “I had so much fun in the program,” she recalled. “It built up my confidence. I had very little to none, and my self-esteem was just shot. When I joined, I was finishing up middle school, where I was not involved at all, and then I became super-involved in high school.” About 75 percent of the Yes! Team students are Hispanic. Now as she works with the Yes! Team’s current group of 15 students, she communicates at their level, understanding the distractions from mass media, new technology and peer pressure. “The biggest challenge has to be fighting the stereotype that if you are going to a science museum you are a geek or a nerd,” said McIlrath, whose team meets on weekends and all summer long. MOSI leaders note that 90 percent of the students involved with the YES! Team move up to college, and 87 percent become mentors to new team members. And even more encouraging, nearly 82 percent of the team members pursue careers in math and science. Of the current group, McIlrath said, three have expressed desires to become engineers; four want to become doctors; and another, a physicist. That’s the career trajectory that MOSI hopes to spur, and could possibly even lead to a Yes!

Team graduate under consideration for a National Hispanic Scientist of the Year award down the road. “We look for engineers and scientists who have had pretty notable careers and have been involved in education in their careers in some way,” Slater-Haase said. The honorees “have done volunteer work and recognize the value of education.” So, for instance, the most recent honoree, Arvizu, has devoted considerable attention to engaging with students to heighten their interest.

“He often works with student groups and stresses the importance of getting a career in science,” Slater-Haase said. The ceremonies haven grown in size and stature over the last decade, attracting more attendees interested in celebrating the accomplishments of Hispanics in the field. Additionally, the number of nominations coming in from across the nation continues to escalate each year. “The number of nominees in the beginning was not a large number,” she said of the open nomination process. “This year, we

have close to 20 people who were nominated. Anybody is welcome to nominate a candidate for the award, and we have a committee that reviews those nominations.” Slater-Haase was attending ceremonies even before she started at MOSI four years ago. “To me, as a scientist and someone who is passionate about education, having an opportunity to meet these people was worth it,” she said. “I’m not into movie stars; I’m into scientists and engineers.”

Scholars’ Corner My experience with the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE) began in the summer of 2005. I was living in Washington, D.C., completing the last couple of weeks of a fellowship with the Bert Corona Leadership Institute, a nonprofit organization that provides civic education and political empowerment programs for immigrant and migrant youth. As I prepared to transition back to Arizona, I received a phone call from one of the professors in the master’s program that I would be entering that fall. We discussed an employment opportunity as a graduate assistant; I would be helping plan the first annual meeting of an organization that formerly had been the Hispanic Caucus of the American Association of Higher Education. That professor was Dr. Alfredo G. de los Santos Jr., someone I came to know as a devoted mentor and student advocate before I knew of his extraordinary legacy as a higher education leader, especially in community colleges. That organization was the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education, and I was helping to plan the first meeting held in San Antonio, Texas, in March of 2006. Admittedly, I had accepted the opportunity more because it was a job and I was a graduate student than because I had any idea that this was a turning point in my early career. When I was selected to be a graduate student fellow at the 2010 conference in Costa Mesa, Calif., I was simultaneously honored and humbled. While I knew that the program brings together graduate students from different disciplines who are doing research on issues related to Hispanic education, I could not have expected the character with which it does so. Yes, the program creates a supportive space for intellectual exchange and productive collaborations. However, in my experience with the graduate fellows program, its true exceptionality is in the familismo that permeates interactions among those involved, especially graduate students and faculty fellows. For instance, during our weeklong meeting, graduate students had the opportunity to present research in progress at a symposium where faculty fellows provided quality and critical feedback without the detachment that characterizes similar activities at other conferences. This and other experiences during my fellowship week confirmed the impressions I was left with after observing the graduate fellows at the first conference in San Antonio, Texas – this fellowship program fills a void that many Latina/o graduate students (and faculty members) sense in academe. Our insightful conversations around issues of isolation and estrangement from community and family that often accompanies our journeys through graduate school and the professoriate were as important as discovering our shared experiences. Now, as a thirdyear doctoral student in educational policy and social context at the University of California-Irvine, I continue my research on race and gender inequality in urban education, and I feel tremendously fortunate to have access to the personal and academic resources of my AAHHE academic family.

By Irene I. Vega Doctoral Candidate, Educational Policy and Social Context, University of California-Irvine, 2010 AAHHE Graduate Fellow

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LEADERSHIP

Salisbury President Brings Passion for International Study – and a Transformative Love of Hispanidad – to Maryland Shore by Linda Morales

Dr. Janet Dudley-Eshbach, President “I am stronger because I bear in me not my little life, but all the lives, and I walk steadily forward because I have a thousand eyes.” – Pablo Neruda

2000, Dr. Janet Dudley-Eshbach became president of Salisbury University (SU) on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. A Latin American literature and Spanish-language scholar, she was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Indiana University who had earned her Ph.D. from El Colegio de México. The “Shore” is part of a peninsula stretching along three states – Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. She knew it well, having been born outside Baltimore and growing up in Wilmington. As a child, she vacationed at Delmarva’s beaches with her family and had come to love getting “sand between her toes.” A few weeks after her arrival at Salisbury, a

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university then of some 6,400 students (now 8,400) with a solid reputation for undergraduate teaching and learning, the 47-year-old president addressed the inaugural meeting of a newly formed campus group, Bienvenidos a Delmarva. Bienvenidos was established by BEACON (Business, Economic And Community Outreach Network), which is part of the university’s Perdue School of Business. BEACON’s director, Dr. Memo Diriker, had done research even before the 2000 Census and realized that the Shore was facing a new and unprecedented influx of immigrants from Latin America. Delmarva’s rural communities were unaware and unprepared. Bienvenidos was founded to bring together community and service organizations that could assist these new residents, from hospitals and boards of education to nonprofits and businesses that were hiring and selling. As Dudley-Eshbach addressed representatives of some 70 groups assembled, she began

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speaking to them in Spanish. “She got it,” said Diriker, himself an immigrant from Turkey. “She understood and was supporting us. A leader sets the tone, and she did just that.” In the coming decade, the documented Latino population on the Shore would double, even triple in some areas. Bienvenidos, whose membership has been recognized with the Maryland Governor’s Hispanic Heritage Award, continues to serve. And Dudley-Eshbach continues to open doors of consciousness between her university and the world. A recent celebration marking the 10th anniversary of her presidency saluted “A Decade of Distinction.” Many speakers noted national rankings in guidebooks, new buildings, increased enrollment, expanded academic programs and improved community relations as signs of achievement – and they are. But one particular point of pride is the diversity of faces, thought and culture that now permeates SU. Two weeks before her inauguration, DudleyEshbach addressed the University Forum, a governance group of students, faculty and staff. A major theme of her speech was the need to create a campus that looked more like Maryland and the world. At that time, SU was not a very diverse community (only about 10 percent of the students were minority). Dudley-Eshbach wanted an enrollment strategy “whereby we balance the need for high standards in admission policies with a commitment to student access and diversity.” In her inaugural address, she reiterated this commitment: “In a world that is growing even smaller and becoming increasingly integrated through technology, my plans include greater emphasis on globalization and diversity issues.” True to her vision, within a year she announced new initiatives that included more funding for recruitment and scholarships for minority students. She created an Office of Diversity and hired its first director, who report-

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A booster of international engagement by faculty, this past year SU was

recognized as a top

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Scholars in the nation.

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ed directly to the President’s Office, making the position one of the highest and most visible on campus. She was steadfast in her priority of creating a diverse campus culture. This academic year, more than 23 percent of SU’s freshman class is from diverse families, and in the past decade, the number of minority students at SU has more than doubled. The number of Hispanic students has tripled. One effort that garnered headlines was a fiveyear pilot study that began in 2007 to make SAT/ACT testing optional for applicants with a GPA of 3.5 or better. At SU, the greatest indicator of success has been high school grades. “Among Hispanic applicants, as with those from other backgrounds, there are some with varying English ability and access to test-preparation resources,” said Aaron Basko, admissions director. “The test-optional policy allows us to work with anyone who has a consistent record of high classroom achievement.” “President Dudley-Eshbach wanted us to be able to consider the whole student,” he added. “Students know that factors including work ethic, level of involvement and even the cultural experience they can share on campus are valued – not just test scores. This encourages a broader range to apply to SU.” Salisbury was the first and so far only public university in Maryland to pilot such a policy. For Dudley-Eshbach, diversity also has included people with disabilities. Her cousin, Rick Dudley, who was born with cerebral palsy, was among those impressed by the award-winning barrier-free campus. Following his death, he bequeathed to SU the first scholarship endowment fund in the University System of Maryland for graduate students with disabilities. Diversity among faculty and staff also has been important. Dudley-Eshbach worked to increase and retain those from diverse backgrounds, including Dr. Leticia Ortega, an education professor, to serve as role models and mentors to students. “Janette, tú eres más mexicana que las mexicanas.” The years Dudley-Eshbach studied in Mexico as an undergraduate at Universidad Ibero-Americana and then at El Colegio were, using her word, “transformational.” These experiences led her to become a champion of international education. Upon reflecting back on her time living in Mexico City and traveling throughout the country, she says: “I ‘wore’ Mexico as if a garment of clothing, and it fit me like a glove. I absorbed Mexico, and I became at least a little bit Mexican.” One roommate told her that she talked in her sleep in Spanish. Local friends said her Mexican-Spanish – modismos and accent – along with her worldview, passionate nature and

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gusto para la vida made her seem more Mexican than the Mexicans! The impact that study abroad had on her life was something she knew students at Salisbury would need to experience. “Think globally” was more than a bumper sticker. She hired the university’s first director of international programs in 2001. Five years later, she cut the ribbon on the Center for International Education (CIE). This academic year, she opened an English Language Institute. During the decade, the number of students studying abroad more than doubled. According to CIE Director Brian Stiegler, each year some 12 percent to 14 percent of SU’s students now engage in international study, exceeding the national average of 9.4 percent. More than 20 percent choose Latin America; the number studying for a full semester or longer has increased sixfold. Because the president did not want concerns over finances to prevent students from participating, she personally donated $10,000 to create a scholarship for students seeking immersion experiences in any Spanish-speaking country of Latin America. She also supported CIE’s creation of Salisbury Abroad: Ecuador, one of four programs that allow students to learn in other countries for the same tuition, room and board costs as in Salisbury. She often has accompanied students on international trips, particularly those involving community service. Most recently, she joined a group in Aguascalientes, Mexico, to partner with social workers on clean water, sanitation and health projects for residents. “Janet sat by grandmothers who were caring for their grandchildren and listened to their stories,” said Dr. Laura Marasco, trip leader and education professor. “She would hold the children as the women talked to her, woman to woman, mother to mother. They were astonished that a president from an American university would want to know them personally.” “Our students were able to see their president interacting fully with the people.” Her model “made them want to learn a language and volunteer again for a service experience,” Marasco said. SU has expanded its academic offerings in Latin America. In addition to Spanish and Hispanic culture, students may study coral reefs at Roatan Island in Honduras, business in Buenos Aires, the Amazon rain forest in Brazil, and the geography of the Caribbean in Puerto Rico, to name a few. A new Latin American studies minor became a model for similar European and East Asian programs, created with DudleyEshbach’s blessing. The Modern Languages and

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Intercultural Studies Department also began teaching a wider variety of languages such as Chinese and Arabic. New support services on campus include a Center for Student Achievement, which offers tutoring and workshops on such topics as time management and study skills. A recent $1.2 million TRIO grant will help first-generation college students (many of whom are Hispanic), as well as those with low income or disabilities. The university also received a $1 million Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) grant focused on serving underrepresented groups and expanding access. Nursing grants of $1.7 million also are helping in work force development, including scholarships for minority nursing students. The admissions office builds bridges to students’ high school counselors and advisors in community-based organizations. Counselors are invited to serve in an advisory capacity. The office arranges bus trips for students from diverse backgrounds and sends current students to represent the university at college fairs and schools. The goal is to build partnerships supporting Latino student success. The Salisbury University of 2010 is very different from that of 2000. Socially, Hispanic culture has blossomed. When singer Lila Downes performed, Dudley-Eshbach hosted a pre-concert dinner to honor the southern Mexico native and later introduced her to the audience. During a lecture series devoted to Latin American Nobel Laureates, Dudley-Eshbach read and discussed the work of Octavio Paz. With the president’s support, Cultural Affairs Director June KrellSalgado has been able to attract such artists as guitarists Manuel Barrueco and Javier Calderón, and the Ballet Hispanico. Last fall, the president’s office financially sponsored a Latin American Cultural Immersion Day in Washington, D.C., and Dudley-Eshbach recently enjoyed a performance by Ballet Folklórico de Veracruz on campus. Latino Heritage Month and Cinco de Mayo celebrations have grown in popularity, particularly the dining services’ menus for ethnic dinners. The university also has invited such distinguished educators as Dr. Sonia Nieto to lecture and work with future teachers. The world of Hispanic art and thought are being woven into the fabric of campus life. Ashley Ramírez, a marketing and management major from New Jersey who is an admissions office guide, enjoys the personal touches the president brings to her role as leader – from helping students build a snow sculpture of the SU mascot to her own son attending the university. One favorite story: At open houses, Dudley-

Eshbach will ask students and parents what they think is good preparation to become a university president. Their replies suggest degrees in business, psychology or education. The president will then tell them she majored in Spanish and Latin American studies. With a twinkle in her eye, she also shares that her mother worried she would never find a job. The important thing, says Dudley-Eshbach, is to follow one’s passion. This commitment has had an impact on students. Breanna Núñez, an education major from the Washington, D.C., suburbs, is the Student Government Association’s vice president for diversity, a position created during Dudley-Eshbach’s tenure. “She’s really supportive of our events; she shows an interest in me,” said Núñez. “I love that she’s so passionate about diversity, and I know that I can ask her for advice and talk about new ideas, and she’s going to back me 100 percent.” One hundred percent is a good way to describe Dudley-Eshbach’s leadership. For years, she has worked with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities as a mentor for new presidents at Puerto Rican institutions and is now on its International Education Committee. She also has served on its board of directors. As a member of NAFSA:

Association of International Educators’ delegation to Cuba, she explored faculty and student exchanges with Cuban universities and brought the Cuban people needed school and medical supplies. A booster of international engagement by faculty, this past year SU was recognized as a top producer of Fulbright Scholars in the nation. Statewide, she has been named one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women three times and was inducted into the program’s Circle of Excellence. Dudley-Eshbach’s desire to have SU become the premier Latino-serving institution in Maryland is visionary. There are four Historically Black Institutions in Maryland, but none that are committed to addressing the needs of the state’s most rapidly growing demographic group. During campus Latino Heritage Month celebrations, U.S. Assistant Attorney General Tom Pérez, one of the highest-ranking Latinos in the federal government, told her, “This university is one of the crown jewels of the University System of Maryland, and that’s due in large part to your leadership. I could not agree more that the commitment to excellence and the commitment to diversity go hand in hand.” Novelist Toni Morrison once referred to Bill Clinton as America’s “first Black president.” At

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SU, many think of “Dr. Janet” as SU’s first Hispanic president. That makes her smile. About the Author: Linda Morales first met Dr. Janet Dudley-Eshbach in 1994 at the State University of New York (SUNY)-Potsdam. Morales counseled students through an Educational Opportunity program; DudleyEshbach chaired the Modern Languages Department. “Profesora Dudley-Eshbach” helped Morales and her Latino advisees as they planned that campus’ first Hispanic Heritage Month event. Both left Potsdam, Morales for SUNY-Binghamton, where she established its first Multicultural Resource Center. Fast forward 16 years. The two former colleagues reconnected, and Morales was invited to serve as interim chief diversity officer for DudleyEshbach, who was well into her second presidency at Salisbury University. Morales, who coordinated SU’s first Latino Heritage Month celebration, feels as if she is working with mi gente when she speaks with the president, something hard to find for many Latinas in traditional higher education settings.

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First Look at Common Core State Standards Shows Minorities Lagging

by Marilyn Gilroy ispanics and other minorities have more ground to make up than their dents should know and be able to do by the end of high school, it is White counterparts if they are to meet the common core academic stan- important for them to understand their students’ level of college and dards now adopted by more than 40 states and scheduled to be fully career readiness today,” said Cynthia B. Schmeiser, president and COO, implemented in the 2014-15 school year. A new report, released by ACT Education Division, ACT Inc. “This report is our first attempt to provide (American College Testing) Inc., aimed at assisting states as they begin transi- states with the best data and information available so they can make tioning to the Common Core State Standards, shows that Hispanics and African- informed education policy and practice decisions moving forward.” Americans are lagging in most college and Schmeiser calls the new core stancareer-readiness benchmarks. dards one of the most significant educa“These results indicate that we must tional reforms in recent history. begin immediately to strengthen teachBecause ACT played a role in developing ing and learning in all areas of the comthe standards, the company decided to mon core with particular focus on rais“open the books” and provide as much ing college and career-readiness rates of real data as possible to give states a African-American, Hispanic and other starting point for realigning curricula underserved students,” states the report. and providing teachers with professionTitled A First Look at the Common al development tools to help students Core and College and Career succeed. Readiness, the research report uses “We have got to get students through ACT data to show where high school stuthe education pipeline and get them dents currently stand when measured ready for work and college,” said against the recommended core skills in Schmeiser. “This report gives educators reading, writing and mathematics. a place to start as they face the question: The snapshot presented in the report What can we do to get our students is not a pretty picture. At this point, only ready?” one-third to one-half of the nation’s The report analyzed the test results 11th-graders have the skills deemed of more than 250,000 11th-grade stunecessary to be successful in entry-level dents who were administered select jobs or to take college-level courses. forms of the ACT exam relevant to the The research also shows that minorities new standards, as part of states’ 2010 are not performing as well as White stuannual testing programs. The students dents. For example, in understanding were not self-selected, as is the case for fundamental mathematical practices those who take college admissions related to making sense of problems exams. They also span a range of abiliand persevering in solving them, only 19 ties and college aspirations, are from a percent of Hispanics and 11 percent of Cynthia B. Schmeiser, President and COO, Education Division, ACT Inc. variety of communities and schools, and African-Americans meet the standards include those tested under standard as opposed to 42 percent of the Caucasian sample. conditions and accommodations. In essence, say ACT officials, the students But officials hope the report will be seen as an opportunity to close the in this report are a typical representation of students in high schools gaps in the next three years, before actual assessment of the standards around the country. begins. To this end, the report also provides recommendations for local The report provides data to answer basic questions, including: educators and state and federal policymakers that could help states moving • What is the best estimate of current student performance across the from adoption to implementation of the common standards. various domains, strands and clusters of the Common Core Standards? Most observers say states have extensive work to do. • What are students’ overall current strengths and weaknesses on the “If states are to be successful in raising the expectations for what stu- standards, and how do these data break down among ethnic subgroups

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that were measured in the sample? work must be done in mastering the foundations of mathematics. Only 34 The report’s last section makes recommendations urging state and dis- percent of students performed competently in the category of number and trict leaders to begin targeted instructional strategies to support student quantity, which are the skills used to understand the meaning of numbers, learning in four key areas of the Common Core State Standards: text com- operations, and arithmetic expression and to use that understanding to plexity, language and vocabulary acquisition, number and quantity, and solve problems and reason about mathematics. For Hispanic and Africanmathematical practices. American students, 16 percent and 10 percent performed competently “The results of this study suggest that far too many of today’s students compared to 42 percent of their White counterparts. will graduate from high school unprepared for college-level work or “Students need more work with ‘hands-on’ mathematics,” said Wilhoit. career-training programs without some type of remediation in English-lan- “They need to develop that foundation in the early grades so they can go guage arts or mathematics,” said Schmeiser. on to more complex mathematical processes.” Gene Wilhoit, executive director of the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), which has been coordinating the common core initia- What’s Next? tive, agrees that schools need to develop new strategies. Given the weaknesses identified in the report, the authors offer several “We can’t reach our goals by doing things the way we have been doing courses of action to help classroom teachers, educational administrators them,” he said “We have got to figure out what needs to be done and re- and policymakers who want to use the next three years to improve student deploy our resources.” performance. One of the areas the ACT report singles out for attention is students’ “The period between Common Core adoption and Common Core ability to read and understand comimplementation offers an important opporplex text. Relative to the common tunity to evaluate and reframe education core, only 31 percent of all students policy and practice at all levels,” states the and 18 percent of Hispanics are perreport. forming at a college and careerPerhaps the most important recommenready level in understanding comdations involve the front lines, which are plex text. This is especially true in the teachers who will have primary responscience, where an even lower persibility for moving students to the perforcentage of all students, 24 percent, mance levels outlined in the core stanare able to read, write or communidards. The report strongly encourages discate in the language of scientific districts to provide teachers with the support ciplines. and curricular tools that will help them “We aren’t just talking about meet these challenges. However, with fundprint textbooks,” said Wilhoit. “We ing for education stagnating and even need students to be able to work declining in some states, it won’t be easy. with information in all kinds of “I do not foresee more resources commedia and in different formats, such ing from state and federal government,” as maps, diagrams and other primasaid Wilhoit. “This means we have to come ry sources.” up with strategies and tools that might not The ACT report suggests that exist yet.” more emphasis must be placed on The report suggests teachers will have language and vocabulary developto have access to model lessons and ment. Specifically, recommendations instructional units aligned to the standards. call for measures to ensure students But it does not mean telling them how to are reading progressively more teach, said Wilhoit. complex texts as they advance “Although setting standards for what through grades. And, as the core students need to know is perfectly approstandards state, students need to priate, we have to give teachers flexibility Gene Wilhoit, Executive Director, develop sufficient literacy skills, and creativity in the classroom,” he said. Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) including vocabulary that is comLooking beyond the classroom, the mon to history, science and technireport encourages states to get ready for cal subjects. To do this, teachers must use their own subject-area expertise the shift to standards and prepare for the changes that will occur over the to help students learn to communicate effectively in these fields. In other next few years. This means embracing the challenge of “clearer, higher words, there is a shared responsibility for students’ literacy development. standards,” helping communities understand them, and improving “Teaching the English language is not just the domain of English teach- accountability systems. All of this needs to be done with an eye toward ers,” said Scott Montgomery, ACT assistant vice president, who has been reframing what students and schools are expected to accomplish, especialinvolved in the project. ly since states currently set and define their own proficiency levels. When it comes to mathematics, the results indicate more intensive “This is a baseline study that raises some important issues for policy-

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makers at the state level,” said Wilhoit. Some worry that rather than step up to the challenge, states will be tempted to undercut the new standards. If the current gaps in core mandates and student performance are left unaddressed, states and districts might be encouraged to adopt weaker definitions of college and career readiness, says the report. Instead, both Wilhoit and Schmeiser say states need to act by getting “a leg up” and moving forward before the common assessment begins in the 2014-15 school year. And even though ACT says its findings are instructive, they caution that the analysis only measures student readiness before any attempt has been made to teach to the new standards. That is precisely why officials believe the study is a good place to start. “We feel the states can help these students now,” said Wilhoit. Still, there are those skeptics who say the new standards and subsequent assessment will be a “bonanza” for testing companies such as ACT, which played a critical role in development of the common core. But Schmeiser says ACT actions were based on what it felt was a responsibility to share in the process of creating the standards and to provide information that would shed light on current achievement gaps. ACT has released related reports, such as Mind the Gaps: How College Readiness Narrows Achievement Gaps in College Success, which concludes that underrepresented minority and lower-income students will be better prepared for postsecondary success through a rigorous high school curriculum and better educational and career planning. Schmeiser says these types of studies can be a factor in reducing inequities by identifying critical steps that will maximize success for all students. “The bottom line is that we believe that one of the roles of our organization is to provide data to help the schools,” she said. “We are sharing the data and the research that states can use in the next three years to begin reforms to help students perform better.”

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by Peggy Sands Orchowski

LAME-DUCK SURPRISE! COMPETES ACT PASSES – Remember all the legislative maneuvering that Tennessee Congressman Bart Gordon had to go through to pass the COMPETES Re-authorization Act (H.R. 5116) in the House last fall (see Uncensored November 2010)? The bill would double research budgets at some of the nation’s top science institutes, increase STEM education funds and spur regional manufacturing innovation programs. But no one really thought that it would pass the Senate in the final days of the 111th Congress. No one except Gordon. After an American Competitiveness event at the Center for American Progress late in the year, Gordon, who did not run for re-election, told me he was sure it would pass before he left Congress. Throughout the long day and night sessions in the final weeks, the Lame Duck focused on the DREAM Act and Don’t Ask Don’t Tell legislation – the COMPETES Act was never a subject of the press. But amazingly, on Friday Dec. 17, it was passed unanimously by the Senate. President Obama signed it into law the first week of January. “It is an example of the good bipartisan work,” said Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, the new Democratic “ranking” member.

REPUBLICANS CHANGE HOUSE ED COMMITTEE – A change of majority always impacts congressional committee structure, and hence, potentially, the legislation that comes out of them. This year is no different as the House changed to a Republican majority. Besides the usual switch of chairmen and minority/majority offices, Republicans also have reduced the total size of each committee. In fact, the number of committees each congressman has to serve on has been reduced from three to two: “Members cannot be asked to become more engaged if they sit on three different committees and more than a handful of subcommittees,” House Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio said in late December. He also reduced House members’ office budgets overall by 5 percent. Republicans also changed (once again!) the name of the Education and Labor Committee: back to the Republican’s favorite name: Education and the Workforce Committee.

SURPRISE NEW IMMIGRATION SUB-COM CHAIRMAN – One big midterm election assumption did not happen. Everyone had predicted that if the Republicans won the majority in the House, Iowa’s Steven King would be chairman of the House Judiciary Committee’s Immigration Sub-Com. Immigration policy experts such as Demetrios G. Papademetriou called King “the most knowledgeable” congressman about immigration on the Hill.” But much to everyone’s surprise, Speaker John Boehner chose Californian (Santa Barbara County) Rep. Elton Gallegly to head the committee with primary jurisdiction for immigration legislation.

Gallegly headed the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus and is as tough on increasing immigration enforcement as was King. But unlike King, his first priority probably would not be reinterpreting the 14th amendment to exclude the U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants. More likely, Gallegly’s priorities will focus on border enforcement, E-Verify (the electronic verification system that works like a credit card check) and an easier agricultural jobs temporary visa program. Some of this may be traded for passage of a limited DREAM Act.

MILITARY, SPORTS, BOYCOTT RHETORIC – CAUSING VIOLENCE? – In the days after the shooting of Arizona’s moderate Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in early January, there was much breast beating in the media about how heated partisan rhetoric might have caused a “toxic” environment that could drive “people on the psychological edge” to violence. Harsh military rhetoric is pointed to – especially that used by Sarah Palin during the campaign that literally and figuratively “targeted” the congresswoman. Maybe violent sports rhetoric in elections should be included as well. And certainly Rep. Raúl Grijalva’s passionate calls all last year to boycott Arizona can be questioned. His post-shooting pleas for civil rhetoric and policies rang just a wee bit hollow after his threat to shut down his constituents’ livelihoods.

PROS AND CONS OF GRADING – Many college professors not so secretly feel that grading papers and projects is a pain. It takes time, often requires difficult subjective judgments, and students can be very anxious about the results. But grading is also extremely important for both teacher and student. In a recent discussion about grading, several community college professors in California asked, “How can the student learn if they don’t know what they are getting right or wrong? And how can the teacher teach if they don’t know what the student has learned or not, or learned incorrectly? Only by grading student work can that be discovered.” But there were problems with Internet grading. While the student may get instant corrections, the teacher is often excluded. “In fact, the professor has no way of knowing what and how the student is learning and, consequently, how effective they and their (sic) methodologies are as a teacher,” one professor concluded. Margaret (Peggy Sands) Orchowski was a reporter for AP South America and for the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. She earned a doctorate in international educational administration from the University of California-Santa Barbara. She lives in Washington, D.C., where she was an editor at Congressional Quarterly and now is a freelance journalist and columnist covering Congress and higher education. 0 3 / 0 7 / 2 0 1 1

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AAC&U Survey Answers the Question:

“Do Schools Engage Diverse Viewpoints?”

by Michelle Adam uring a time in American history when opinion and politics have become increasingly polarized, the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) is asking its colleges and universities to examine their effectiveness in building a nation better able to dialogue and work across diverse viewpoints. Is higher education teaching and supporting students’ opportunities to weigh multiple viewpoints and examine different perspectives as part of its overall mission, or have our institutions limited themselves to teaching content within a narrow setting that ill-prepares students for the diversity of the real world?

The answer to this question – or an examination of diversity within colleges and universities – became available in September, when AAC&U published its report, Engaging Diverse Viewpoints. The culmination of campus climate surveys of 33,000 faculty, students, student affairs professionals and academic administrators on 23 campuses that chose to be a part of this large undertaking – it is the most recent of numerous reports and surveys conducted by AAC&U as part of its larger project, Core Commitments: Educating Students for Personal and Social Responsibility. The overall Core Commitments project has

set out to reclaim and revitalize the academy’s role in fostering students’ development beyond basic academic learning. It has looked on campuses at ethics and academic integrity, social contributions, and social and personal responsibility on campuses. “Core Commitments is designed to help campuses create learning environments in which all students reach for excellence in the use of their talents, take responsibility for the integrity and quality of their work and engage in meaningful practices that prepare them to fulfill their obligations as students in an academic community and as responsible global and local citizens,”

Caryn McTighe Musil, Senior Vice President of AAC&U

Bruce Keith, Professor and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, West Point University

Marilyn Kurata, Director of Core Curriculum Enhancement at UAB

Only about one-third of students (32.5 percent) and a similar proportion of professionals (33 percent) “strongly agreed” that their institutions currently made perspective-taking a major focus.

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explained Caryn McTighe Musil, senior vice president of AAC&U. “People agree that in our diverse, complex and global context where competing values clash and there are global consequences to unethical and irresponsible behaviors, it is not sufficient simply to acquire knowledge or prepare for professional lives that do not also consider the ethical and moral dimensions of applying knowledge and making choices in one’s work and civic lives.” Engaging Diverse Viewpoints takes this commitment a step further, addressing aspects of the college experience that promote engaging difference and appreciation for multiple perspectives. It is about looking closely at how well students on campuses nationwide take seriously the perspectives of others and learn to be informed by what others think, as an integral part of a liberal education. “Perspective-taking is a prerequisite for learning. Being well educated is not simply a matter of realizing that differing viewpoints exist. It is a matter of engaging with such viewpoints, even if you might disagree with them,” said Musil. “Understanding and being informed by differing viewpoints is an invaluable resource for learning, citizenship and work. As one student in the PSRI survey explained, “Even just being in college with many new perspectives is very eye- and mind-opening because there is much diversity here, much more so than in my high school.” Another commented, “I have not necessarily changed my beliefs, but now I am aware of different ways to look at a situation.” To determine to what degree campuses are actually engaging diverse viewpoints, AAC&U first asked colleges and universities to apply for grants to be a part of the full Core Commitments study. Twenty-three campuses nationwide ultimately obtained these grants from the Templeton Foundation and became involved in a very comprehensive process of discovering exactly how well they fared in ethics and academic integrity, social contributions, and social and personal responsibility. Within the surveys, AAC&U focused on four constituent groups: students, faculty, student affairs staff, and academic administrators.

The results of the most recent survey on Engaging Diverse Viewpoints revealed that the large majority of people within all constituent groups believed it was important to engage diversity on campus. Yet despite this belief, most schools seemed to be less effective in proactively doing so as an integral part of their campus curriculum, social offerings or a clearly stated intent that is fully acted upon. More specifically, 93 percent of students and 97 percent of academic administrators, faculty and student life professionals agreed either “strongly” or “somewhat” that preparing students to take seriously the perspectives of others should be an essential goal of a college education. In addition, nearly three-fifths of students (58.4 percent) and more than three-fourths of campus professionals (77.3 percent) “strongly

agreed” that helping students recognize the importance of taking seriously the perspective of others should be a major focus on their campuses. Yet only about one-third of students (32.5 percent) and a similar proportion of professionals (33 percent) “strongly agreed” that their institutions currently made perspective-taking a major focus. Among campus professionals, fewer than

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29.6 percent of student affairs professionals strongly agreed that their institutions actually help students recognize the importance of taking others’ perspectives seriously, as compared to 36 percent of academic administrators and 33.2 percent of faculty. Also, among students, seniors were more likely to strongly agree (63.9 percent) that campuses should make perspectivetaking a major focus of college, compared to 58.1 percent of freshmen. But freshmen were more likely to strongly agree than seniors that campuses were doing this (41 percent compared to 26.3 percent). When it comes to faculty advocating the need to respect different perspectives, nearly twofifths of students said that faculty frequently publicly promoted the importance of respecting different perspectives. Fewer students believed that other campus professionals did so as much as their faculty. The AAC&U survey results also revealed student attitudes and behaviors. As to whether students were respectful of diverse perspectives, only 7 percent of campus professionals strongly agreed that they were, compared to students themselves, 63.1 percent of whom strongly agreed that they entered college having respect for different viewpoints. The majority of campus professionals and students strongly agreed that students did develop in this area during college. Interestingly, only 35.6 percent of students strongly agreed that it is safe to hold unpopular positions, and fewer seniors than first-year students felt that this was the case. In addition, more students of color (36.6 percent) than White students (30.9 percent) strongly agreed that their campus made helping students recognize the importance of taking seriously the perspectives of others a major focus. And more students of color (69.5 percent) compared to White students (59.8 percent) strongly agreed that they came to college respecting diverse viewpoints. When reviewing the overall data in the AAC&U report, it’s hard to tell exactly how this translates to individual schools. But when interviewing with schools involved in the survey, it became clear that the study results were similar on the ground level – and that the study is merely the beginning of a long process of building a

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campus environment that fosters learning from diverse viewpoints. At the University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB), a team has been working with the Core Commitments study for about five years now. The school chose to join the project because it was already working on making core values such as diversity an integral part of its curriculum for all students. The university had already begun to provide freshmen with handbooks emphasizing the importance of working with differences, and had established discussion groups and classroom curriculum that would provide students with methods for appreciating and understanding differences in discussions. The data gathered on UAB’s campus through the AAC&U survey provided the school with feedback on how well it was doing in teaching students how to work with diverse viewpoints. The results experienced were similar to those nationwide. “The report reaffirmed for us that at UAB, as at all the universities, there was a big gap between what people said was a priority and what actually was a priority,” said Marilyn Kurata, director of Core Curriculum Enhancement at UAB. “Many students said that diverse perspectives should be a priority more than they were a priority.” Since the survey results became available to UAB a couple of years ago, the school has been able to see an improvement in its effectiveness in engaging diverse viewpoints. “There was a huge increase between 2006 and 2009 between freshmen and seniors reporting that diverse perspectives were included in classroom discussions, and in the amount they had serious discussions with students of other groups,” said Kurata. “The seniors had a higher percentage of pluralistic beliefs than students at other Southern universities or schools nationwide.” Kurata pointed out that despite the fact that her school has been touted as one of the most diverse schools in the U.S. (by Princeton Review) – and despite the fact that we live in a diverse society – “communities are often segregated. ... This is why universities need to provide that transition,” she said, “into students becoming interactive and engaged and a vital part of society. It’s not just about living next to someone different, but about becoming friends, co-workers and colleagues. Universities need to instruct people on civil discourse, on how to listen to what other people have to say.” At West Point University in New York, survey results were again comparable to the nationwide results. “What we found was that our students

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were much lower than our faculty in reporting the importance of perspective-taking and moral reasoning. Only 57 percent of our students rated that perspective-taking should be an institutional priority versus 72 percent of our faculty,” said Bruce Keith, professor and associate dean of academic affairs. “It was surprising. Ethical and moral reasoning is a bedrock of our curriculum at West Point, but these results caused us to wonder why there were such differences in emphasis,” said Keith. “Our graduates need to be very good at perspective-taking. They will be deployed internationally within a year or year and a half after graduating and will be engaged in conversations with people with different experiences than their own.” In looking at why the low emphasis on perspective-taking as an institutional priority (similarly to schools nationwide, and especially among students), Keith attributed some of this to the workload placed on students. “We wonder if they were low in these areas because they are overwhelmed with the amount of content they need to learn within 47 months (the average length of time for a typical college student is in excess of five years),” he said. The survey results have provided West Point and other participating schools an opportunity to improve their ability to engage diverse viewpoints and expand the benefits of this on campus. “We have spent a lot of time trying to look at how to draw connections between different curricula components. We had the history and foreign language departments agree to work together and include ways of looking at history based on the people there that spoke different languages,” said Keith. “We have also been setting up cultural awareness goals and imbedding these into more institutional initiatives.” In addition, West Point has created summer experiences by which students get to experience a village scenario in which they simulate a military operation in Afghanistan with Dari speakers in traditional dress. “We are also trying to create international immersion experiences. Five years ago, the number who participated in these was about four or five students a year, and now we are sending about 150 students abroad,” said Keith. Other universities involved in the AAC&U project have developed initiatives and programs to improve their capacity to engage diverse viewpoints. For example, Sacred Heart University, a private Catholic university in Connecticut, has created a new Common Core in its general education curriculum that is built around a series of questions that invite different viewpoints. It has

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organized four different courses across disciplines that every student is exposed to that pose enduring questions such as what does it mean to be human, or to forge a more just society for the common good. The University of Alabama-Birmingham has opted for a QEP (quality enhancement plan) for accreditation to develop a comprehensive and effective program that integrates academic instruction with diversity, respect for others, responsible dialogue and decision-making skills. Michigan State University is using a Chautauqua format and team-taught courses on big issues to engage a series of open dialogues across campus, exploring personal, social and institutional responsibility within issues such as environmental change, the political process, social justice, war and peace, and artistic freedom of expression. The co-curricular and course work include a transresidential college capstone course that mixes students from different programs to study the multidimensionality of professional and civic responsibility. Increasing the availability of these kinds of programs and others on campuses is the first step toward closing the gap between the ideal campus that engages diverse viewpoints and actual environments that revealed themselves in the AAC&U report. The key, it seems, is that colleges and universities not only attract a diverse group of students, but also create an overall climate in which students are invited to engage differing viewpoints and learn from a variety of perspectives – whether inside the classroom or in the dorms. And beyond, students should be encouraged to participate in community activities, which proved to help expand student access to differing perspectives, in the AAC&U report. While this Engaging Diverse Viewpoints report – and actions taken from the results of this report – are a step in the right direction toward building a more diverse and inclusive population, it is just that – a step. AAC&U has disseminated the report broadly, provided it on its website, and has further follow-up plans. Oct. 13 to 15, at Long Beach, Calif., it will host its second Educating for Personal and Social Responsibility national network conference. The organization is also involved in national and international civic initiatives to reinforce the importance of perspective-taking. But for now, Musil hopes that “Many will make use of AAC&U’s findings to increase the opportunities for engaging diverse viewpoints at their institutions.”

Interesting Reads Allies at Odds By John Charles This book seeks to set the record straight about the role of native Andeans who mediated contact between Catholic authorities and indigenous communities that shaped the Spanish cultural values, and the success of evangelization in Lima. It covers the years 1583 to 1671. 2010. 296 pgs. ISBN 978-0-8263-4831-9. $27.95 paper. University of New Mexico Press. (505) 277-3291. unmpress.com.

The Latino Migration Experience in North Carolina By Hannah Gill In the face of heated rhetoric surrounding the issue of immigration, this author puts a human face on the migration experience in North Carolina. She also details how North Carolinians are dealing with one of the fastest-growing Latino populations in the nation. 2010. 224 pgs. ISBN 978-0-8078-7163-8. $18.95 paper. The University of North Carolina Press. (919) 962-0475. www.unc.edu.

Splendors of Latin Cinema By R. Hernández-Rodríguez This book analyzes the most important films to come out of Latin America in the last three decades, including the experimental films of the 1960s and 1970s as well as the stage-setting movies from the 1940s and 1950s, beginning with Spain’s past and ever-present influence on all Latin cinema. 2010. 203 pgs. ISBN 978-0-313-34977-5. $44.95 cloth. Praeger Press. (800) 368-6868. www.abc-clio.com.

and Media...

Antoni Gaudí

Over the course of his career, Antoni Gaudí translated the gothic revival style that established him as a leader within the Spanish art nouveau movement. Using location footage, drawings, and archival photos and film, this program features Colonia Güell, Parq Güell, Casa Batlló, Casa Milá, and Sagrada Familia. (Spanish with English subtitles, color) 2000. 49 minutes. ISBN 978-1-4213-6390-5. $169.95 DVD. Films for the Humanities and Sciences. (800) 257-5126. www.films.com.

Multicultural Aspects of Disabilities: A Guide to Understanding and Assisting Minorities in the Rehabilitation Process, Second Edition by Willie V. Bryan Charles C Thomas Publisher LTD, Springfield, Illinois 2007 348 pages list $69.95 hard ISBN 978-0-398-07708-2 list $49.95 paper ISBN 978-0-398-07709-9

illie V. Bryan is professor emeritus of health promotion sciences at the University of Oklahoma. He has been a vocational rehabilitation counselor for the state of Oklahoma and director of personnel and rehabilitation services for Goodwill Industries of Oklahoma. His book takes an insightful look at the significance of culture in the medical rehabilitation process. Written as a resource for health care and human service professionals who want to provide culturally competent clinical services, the book provides some new perspectives on the important role of cultural understanding in the planning and implementation of program services designed to accommodate the rehabilitation needs of clients and patients from diverse cultural backgrounds. Bryan strongly believes that persons with disabilities occupy a unique place in American society, different from that of other minorities in our culture. He argues that, unlike cultural minorities whose group identity is connected primarily to social characteristics associated with their race, ethnicity, gender, age, socioeconomic status and religion, persons with disabilities from culturally diverse backgrounds have a dual identity that is linked to the larger American culture not only by their external group attributes but also by the internal individual physical and intellectual capabilities that define their level of social functioning. He points out that persons with disabilities represent an emerging cultural minority that is growing rapidly as life expectancy in our society continues to rise. He argues that as greater numbers of Americans live longer thanks to advances in medical technology, the social visibility of persons with disabilities in our culture is becoming an increasingly more common part of everyday life. This is especially true for individuals from culturally diverse backgrounds such as Blacks and Hispanics whose impoverished social living conditions often increase their vulnerability to the onset of life-threatening medical conditions that could result in permanent disability or death. He contends that as persons with disabilities from different cultures seek greater participation in all aspects of American life, the demand will rise for service providers with the skills and cultural knowledge to develop culturally sensitive strategic interventions that can effectively help these clients reach their social and vocational goals. In Chapter 13, one of the most informative in the book, Bryan reviews basic psychological theories associated with building therapeutic relationships with persons with disabilities. He offers practical advice to rehabilitation professionals about how they can adapt these principles to provide culturally competent clinical services to disabled individuals from myriad cultures. In sum, Multicultural Aspects of Disabilities is an outstanding, well-written text that should be placed on the reading list of university faculty teaching postgraduate courses in rehabilitation counseling, social work, psychology and rehabilitation medicine. Reviewed by Mitchell A. Kaplan

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INNOVATIONS/PROGRAMS

Spanish Journalism Curriculum Taking Root in Los Angeles

by Sylvia Mendoza

hen Pablo Baler was asked to join an international geophysical team studying the Himalayas as a journal keeper, he knew the opportunity to travel and document the findings would be a dream job. A University of California (UC)-Berkeley doctoral student then, Baler saw value in the written word to connect communities, educate and enlighten – and open a window to another world. “They took me [along] as a sidekick,” says Baler. “It became the highlight of my life.” In journal keeping, Baler wrote and stories unfolded. In return, his passion for travel and cultures, education and writing intertwined. “Traveling around is the only way to get a real education.” He has traveled to the Middle East, Latin America, the Far East – but also earned a Ph.D. in Hispanic languages and literature from UC-Berkeley, a master’s in Latin American literature from Stanford and a B.A. in philosophy and Spanish literature from Hebrew University in Jerusalem. With extensive journalistic experience in his homeland, Argentina, his communication skills came to fruition writing for a variety of publications, including the Buenos Aires Herald and the Clarín, and included a stint as a newswriter for Univision in San Francisco. Writing became a way of life, and expanded to poetry, novels, screenplays. Always there is a story, he believes, stories that need to be told. When travel is not an option, becoming immersed in a community and listening to and documenting people’s stories is a great option. “Being exposed to other cultures and opening your mind to world views is very enriching for journalists, politicians, everybody.” The “everybody” now includes Baler’s students. Baler joined the faculty at California State University-Los Angeles in 2006 in the Department of Modern Languages and Literature, teaching Spanish, 20th-century Latin American literature and creative writing. With his journalistic background, however, he homed in on the largely Hispanic community in the heart of L.A., especially young people, who needed a voice. He looked at his brilliant Spanish students. He knew that they needed to connect. He saw the very real need for quality journalism to reflect the community, providing news cover-

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age in print, broadcast, radio and online – all in Spanish. He brainstormed with Jon Beaupré, associate professor from Cal State’s communications department and news director of The University Times, to develop a Spanish journalism curriculum, determined to bring hands-on journalism training to students. Beaupré, who earned an M.F.A. from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, has extensive experience as a radio producer, reporter and contributor to internationally syndicated programming. Their combined expertise, accomplishments and passion with the media fueled their efforts. The Spanish journalism program was launched in 2009 with two classes, theory and fundamentals, followed by a hands-on immersion. The response was amazing, and the classes were full, Baler says. The ultimate goal is to offer a B.A. in Spanish journalism at Cal State L.A., the first such program in undergraduate studies, Baler believes. Florida International University offers a Spanish-language master’s degree in journalism and multimedia. There is no guarantee that a bilingual journalism major can write or produce quality content in Spanish, Baler explains. Many journalism schools offer a perspective of Latinos in the English media. But none, as far as Baler knows, offer journalism courses training students in Spanish, improving the quality and scope of their work. Neither the quality of Spanish journalism nor the quantity of Spanish-speaking journalists in the U.S. has kept up with the staggering growth of Spanish-language media outlets and their audiences, says Baler. “We are strategically located in the L.A. basin. If there is a place in the United States to do this, it’s Los Angeles. Latinos prefer to hear, read, and see the news in Spanish, but the quality of Spanish-language coverage has to improve.” Laura Cortez, born and raised in Los Angeles, was a Spanish major when she took the practicum. “It’s imperative that we do this in Spanish in Los Angeles. The population and demographics support this. I don’t understand how we cannot. Even if people who live in the area speak and understand English, if Spanish is their first language, they can relate more to coverage in Spanish.”

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Future journalists must be able to adapt to the accelerating pace of a changing competitive media. The demand for a very specific, wellrounded type of journalist is evident: someone who can multitask, such as generating stories, producing, fact checking, writing, reporting, editing and Web designing. A Spanish journalism major will provide the much-needed edge for graduates entering into such a competitive market, especially in Los Angeles, says Baler. “Even though English-based journalism and media in general is dwindling, the Spanish-language media equivalent as the source of news is exploding because of the demographic explosion,” he says. According to statistics provided by Baler, there were 342 Spanish-language TV stations operating in the U.S. in 2009. Spanish-language dailies have surpassed the two million mark in combined circulation. The U.S. Spanish-language print media boom has been even more remarkable, given the challenges facing Englishlanguage print market, which dropped nearly 10 percent to less than 56 million. The Spanish-language market has grown with the population because advertisers like McDonald’s – no longer just mom and pop places – now have an interest in reaching this audience. In addition, radio, for example, is following the American format. Now there’s news talk, sports talk and a variety of music stations featuring a variety of music, from rancheros to hip hop, to reggaeton to oldies. Radio stations account for 11.1 percent of listening, outpacing the overall market in revenue and audience growth. The online Spanish-speaking market is nearly 20 percent of the Internet market today. In the first class, theoretical fundamentals are taught, such as identifying trends, genres, video and audio content, and also includes learning to write objectively and more concisely. With Baler’s contacts around the world, he brought in accomplished speakers, colleagues and journalists from Spain, Argentina and Mexico to tell of their journalism experience firsthand, sometimes through Skype hookups. “Students were excited to study a real profession in a language that is core to the community,” Baler explains. “The idea of having an actual profession, of something to do with their language, was very appealing to students.”

The second class put them to work with hands-on training, including providing content, choosing stories, interviewing, writing, editing and uploading to the website, queondas.org. Coolstatela.com and the University Times were already established through the communications department. Queondas.org was born as the sister website, translating certain works, but also providing content that was more applicable to the Hispanic population and perspective. “I’m very hands-on,” says Baler. “I want students to go to East L.A. and write a vignette on something they see, edit it and upload it onto queondas.org. They need to see they can have an impact and give a voice to those who don’t have one.” Cortez agrees. One of her favorite research pieces she wrote was on women who are going back to school and getting educated but have kids at home. “A young woman’s voice as a mother is underrepresented,” she says. “There are people who want to be heard, so I need to get out there.” What Cortez liked best about the course was the liberty Baler gave students in choosing which topics to cover. “He trusted us in what we believed was important. He would tell us, ‘You know what’s affecting your community, your culture. Pick your topic and do in-depth investigation.” The freedom to discuss all kinds of topics grew them as a family. “These issues are core to all of us,” says Cortez. “We could talk about anything.” In addition, she saw their role in the future of journalism. Newspapers that have been around for decades, like La Opinion, don’t always reflect younger voices, the college student, or the new voices of today, says Cortez. “We need to hear more voices,” she says. “We are doing a bigger service in our community in the way we relay information now.” According to careerjet.com, there are numerous job postings for journalists with Spanish/bilingual needs. Speaking or writing Spanish does not guarantee journalistic excellence in covering news. “It’s our responsibility to turn this into high-quality journalism from the language perspective,” says Baler. Baler has greater projections for coming decades as the Spanish journalism curriculum unfolds. As an alternative, Cal State can offer a B.A. in Spanish with emphasis in Spanish journalism, he says. Either way, Baler knows that his students, trained to be professional Spanish journalists in the U.S., will start a much-needed trend. “The media feels that if it covers the Hispanic community, that is enough. But it’s not. We don’t want Spanglish. We see this effort coming together in both languages. We want to enrich both

languages, not impoverish each of them. There is lots of room for growth here.” The only negative aspect of a career in journalism is the pay, says Baler. The reality is, top anchors on top Spanish-language television stations make one-third the amount of money as top English-speaking anchors, he says. When Baler left Berkeley, he was offered the position at Cal State L.A. and one at Univision. The difference in salary was sad. Perhaps, he says, by the time his students become professionals, their pay scale will reflect their talent value. “How do you reward their hard work, quality and mission?” he asks. “It has to trickle from producers and writers. We will also train students to get Latinos into these decision-making positions.” In addition, he believes gigs at local stations as interns and becoming tech savvy will also help students. The internship structure is a god-

ology or become a translator; either way, the skills she learned in the Spanish journalism classes built her confidence and made her step out of her comfort zone. She believes all her fellow students have taken away something of value. “We will be more competitive in the work force,” says Cortez. “Even if they go into an English-language journalism market, their quality bilingual ability at all levels will make them an asset.” With the budget crisis in California, everything is on hold for implementing the B.A. in Spanish journalism – except for Baler. He moves forward in his ideas and in his mission. “I go back and forth with all the different hats I wear.” As a writer, he is working on a script, a book of short stories, and editing a 21st-century anthology of new trends in the art world. As a professor, he finds his students inspire him. In

Cal State Los Angeles Professor Pablo Baler and student working on their online journalism venture queondas.org showing news and perspectives from Cal State Los Angeles in Spanish

send, he says, but students need to feel that their time investment now will pay off later. There are other hurdles to get over as Spanish journalism takes root. “I don’t like to be a traditionalist, but I have to wrap my mind around changes and make sense of them,” says Baler. “I have to rethink how we process news. News is fast, no doubt about it, more immediate. Access to it in 15-second clips is the norm now. The challenge is to make people read to the end of longer pieces and keep their attention in all journalistic endeavors. There is a fine line there, but maybe we can have a historical, transitional place in producing quality journalism that audiences relate to and want to read, see or hear.” Cortez will pursue a master’s degree in soci-

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five years, he wishes to have a full-fledged Spanish journalism program with media outlet partnerships in L.A. for internship opportunities that can lead to employing his students. When his students reflect the voices in the Latino community, they realize their connection and commitment to that community. “There is a method to the madness, I suppose,” Baler says. “We will prepare students to do business in a diverse, global marketplace in which Hispanics have significant influence. To fill these outlets with quality journalists will be a win-win situation.”

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INNOVATIONS/PROGRAMS

Writing, a Key Component at Binghamton University’s Boot Camp

by Frank DiMaria ome high school seniors are academically well prepared to attend college. Others are woefully underprepared but demonstrate promise. So where do these underprepared students turn to earn a college degree and make their contribution to society? In 1967, Binghamton University, part of the State University of New York, established its Educational Opportunity Program to provide college access to students inadmissible through the traditional admissions process, and to

increase the school’s retention rate. During the ensuing 43 years, the program has graduated more than 55,000 students and boasts an 84.5 percent first-year retention rate, which outranks the national public average by 11.5 percent. Randall Marie-Jacques Edouard, director of Binghamton’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), says that students are coming to college underprepared. “We believe that high schools just don’t seem to be in concert with the colleges and universities with regard to adequate prepa-

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ration for college- and university-level writing,” he says. Binghamton University offers its EOP to fulltime students who are New York state residents and meet both academic and income requirements for program consideration. EOP candidates must be ineligible for admission under traditional standards, but demonstrate potential for completing a college program and be in need of financial assistance, within established income guidelines. Binghamton gives priority to applicants from historically disadvantaged backgrounds. The goal of Binghamton’s EOP is to help students develop reading, writing and mathematical skills, not for the sake of those skills alone, but to combine them as more general critical-thinking and problem-solving skills they can apply to their freshman coursework and beyond, and to broader social situations and issues as well. EOP also helps students develop general skills and academic work habits and helps them form a connection with EOP as a community and a resource on which they can rely. The program helps students in subsequent semesters by promoting greater EOP student achievement in majors and programs of first choice, especially those programs involving math proficiency. Lastly, the EOP encourages students to pursue graduate or professional studies and, toward that end, promotes greater EOP student achievement in the GRE, LSAT, GMAT, MCAT and other tests. EOP works closely with Binghamton’s admissions to ensure that the entire student is evaluated, not just the test scores, because, according to Edouard, scores alone are not a great predictor of overall success in college. “We have found that other experiences that may have both occurred personally and academically, as well as extracurricular activities and leadership experiences, tell us much more about a student’s drive, self-determination, ambition and ultimately their overall potential to succeed,” says Edouard.

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All students who enroll at Binghamton through EOP must attend Binghamton’s Enrichment Program, a four-week summer program often referred to by students and faculty as Academic Boot Camp, and for good reason. Once on campus, students in the enrichment program cannot receive visitors or leave the campus, even on weekends, and must obey a Sunday through Saturday curfew of 12:01 a.m. Edouard says that the operative word in the program is “academic.” “The program’s fundamental purpose is to instill academic discipline within all of its students,” he says. He made the program mandatory because “we, as a program, admit the ‘nontraditional’ student; this is a student who is deemed both economically disadvantaged and academically disadvantaged. Our students, because of their financial backgrounds, cannot afford to pay for college; they also fall slightly below the academic criteria needed to attend Binghamton through traditional admission.” Edouard contends that it is critical for EOP students to prepare themselves, during its academic boot camp, for the academic rigors of an institution like Binghamton. “This essentially gives us only four weeks to level the academic and social playing field and prepare underprepared students to be successful at an academically great institution known as Binghamton University. This is why we make it mandatory for our students; we do it for the sake of their overall success,” says Edouard. While in the Binghamton Enrichment Program students are required to take mathematics, writing, and a chosen career track course, which is a course taught by representatives from given schools at the university. “This is designed to give our students, during the summer program, an academic taste and/or experience of being in a desired discipline. This allows students to make better decisions about their academic careers for the future. So our students are required to take three courses during our Binghamton Enrichment Program,” says Edouard.

Writing Course Most Critical According to Edouard, of all the courses students can take during the enrichment program, the writing course is by far the most critical. And because of its importance, Edouard has made it a requirement. Edouard believes that writing is the important tool that college students will use overwhelmingly in the majority of courses at any institution of higher learning, both at the undergraduate and graduate level. Edouard contends that when students have confidence in their writing skills, that confidence spills over into other disciplines. “We also believe that in every discipline, one must be able to express in writing whatever is desired to be expressed about a given discipline. We believe that education seldom occurs without such communication in our academic culture,” he says. Binghamton’s writing course, which is called Seeing and Writing the World: Observing, Exploring and Analyzing, is a four-credit course designed to develop writers’ ability to observe, discover topics and develop material – thus to explore, interpret, analyze and express their experiences. Through a variety of narrative and expository papers, students develop fluency, distinguish form and genre, and build upon a base of exploratory writing, with an emphasis on drafting and revision. The students’ writing is assessed using portfolio grading. This past fall, students continued the endeavors of observing, exploring and analyzing the world in writing that they started during the summer – by engaging in a regime of rigorous writing classes that will last the entire school year. From the feedback Edouard receives from students and course professors about these endeavors, “Things are going very well. As far as leveling the playing field, I believe that our EOP students are getting a lot of writing – and we believe the only way that a student becomes a better writer is by writing. Based on that, although it’s much too early to know for sure, there is great reason to believe that the playing field is being leveled,” says Edouard. To aid in their development as college students, each EOP student is assigned a professional academic advisor or counselor and a peer counselor, both interested in the personal growth, goals and overall academic success of the student. EOP’s academic counselors serve as academic advisors, counselors and mentors throughout each student’s enrollment at the university.

Students are usually assigned to a specific academic counselor based on their areas of interest and intended majors. The student and the academic counselor then work together to achieve the academic and personal goals set from the beginning of their relationship. The peer counselor is assigned to be a mentor to the pre-freshman student specifically during the Binghamton Enrichment Program. Strict Discipline Keeping with the “boot camp” theme, students are not allowed to bring with them any items that may become a distraction to achieving the overall goal of the Binghamton Enrichment Program, which is to adequately prepare the students to be successful at Binghamton University. “We only have four weeks to prepare our students, which we believe is a tumultuous task. As a result, we need to maximize every second, minute, hour, day and week that we have with our students.” And on the weekends, the discipline continues. The EOP’s rigorous schedule is designed to teach students time management, and it stresses the importance of having an appropriate balance between social life and academic life in a campus setting. “It is a fact that if our students do not combat distractions appropriately, they are invariably not successful. Therefore, we do not allow students to have cell phones in their possession during our summer boot camp. This is in an effort to teach our students that there will be times when they need to focus on academics and will need to put the cell phone away or turn it off, on occasion, in order to pay undivided attention to their academics,” says Edouard. When they are forced to go without their cell phones, students soon come to realize, says Edouard, that contrary to the belief of much of today’s youth, they will not “die” if they cannot talk, text or send and receive e-mails for any period of time. To keep the enrichment program’s freshmen safe, no student is allowed to go off campus at any time without a professional staff member. “This is done to maximize the probability that our students will be safe during their stay with us in our summer program. We do not allow students to bring cars on campus for both reasons. We don’t want our students to be distracted, and we want our students to be safe. We believe that having students possibly joy riding in each other’s vehicles presents unforeseen danger that is avoided with our regulation. We are very stu-

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dent-oriented, and we believe that we must look out for our student’s best interests by any means necessary within the realm of reason,” says Edouard. As part of the EOP admission process, the student’s high school record and test scores (if required) are reviewed, as well as information about clubs, hobbies, jobs and any other experiences that made an impact on a student’s education. This information helps college counselors evaluate the student’s potential for success in a college program. EOP students may receive support services, such as academic, career and personal counseling, as well as tutoring and supplemental instruction. As part of a student’s overall financial aid package, EOP provides financial assistance for nontuition-related expenses such as books and supplies. Students are eligible for EOP as a transfer student provided they have been enrolled in EOP, College Discovery, Higher Education Opportunity Program, Search for Education, Elevation and Knowledge or any similar academic and financial support program at another college. If a student’s previous college did not offer an EOP or a similar program, a transfer student still may be considered for transfer eligibility.

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University of Illinois at Chicago’s

FACULTY

Luis Alberto Urrea: From Despair to Acclaim

by Clay Latimer

was February 1982 and Luis Alberto Urrea, 26-year-old University of CaliforniaSan Diego graduate, was doing full-time relief work with shanty dwellers in Tijuana’s wretched city dump. Surrounded by surreal squalor during the day, Urrea slept on relatives’ couches in Southern California at night, broke and depressed and worried about his future. Desperate to start over, Urrea wrote Lowry Pei, his college writing instructor who was now at Harvard, and asked for help. “I told him I couldn’t take it anymore. I asked him, ‘Could I get a gig out there, just as a janitor, for six months or so?’ He wrote back and offered me a job – as a writing instructor. “I was totally shocked.” As it turned out, the Harvard job helped launch Urrea on a remarkable career as an acclaimed writer and teacher – he is currently professor of creative writing at the University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC) – a path that has given his readers and students unusual insight into the tortured relationship between the U.S. and Mexico and the border that runs like a scar between the two countries. “Growing up divided in half by a barbed wire fence has made me see a border everywhere I turn,” he said. Today Urrea is the best-selling author of 13 books, and his award-winning fiction, nonfiction, poetry, essays and short stories come from both sides of the border. His first book, Across the Wire, was named a New York Times Notable Book and won the Christopher Award. He won a 1999 American Book Award for his memoir, Nobody’s Son, and in 2000 he was voted into the Latino Literature Hall of Fame following the pub-

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lication of Vatos. The Devil’s Highway, his 2004 nonfiction account of a group of American immigrants lost in the Arizona desert, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, won the Lannan Literary Award and was named a best of the year by the Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, Chicago Tribune and many other publications. “Luis Urrea writes about U.S.-Mexican border culture with a tragic and beautiful intimacy that has no equal,” the Boston Globe said. In 2005, Urrea published The Hummingbird’s Daughter, a sweeping historical based on the true story of his great-aunt Teresa, a Yaqui Indian woman believed to be a saint. “Urrea has created a classic, a tribute and love song to the colorful and vibrant heart of all things Mexican,” said the San Francisco Chronicle. Urrea also has flourished as a teacher. After Harvard, he taught at Massachusetts Bay Community College and was a writer in residence at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette before accepting a tenured position at UIC. During his long journey from a Tijuana dump to Harvard and international success, one fact remains unchanged: borders are an ugly reality for Urrea – as well as a powerful metaphor for his work. Born in Tijuana to a Mexican father and a Bohemian society girl from New York, Urrea straddled cultural and psychological borders from an early age. Over time, his mother rejected her son’s Mexican origins, declaring: “You’re not a Mexican! Why can’t you be called Louis instead of Luis?’” The family lived in extreme poverty until Luis was 4, when he contracted tuberculosis and they moved to a San Diego barrio. In fourth grade, a man with a switchblade chased Luis, convincing the family to move again, this time to a suburb where Luis – a blond, blue-eyed MexicanAmerican – waded into another clash of cultures. But at Clairemont High School, where filmmaker Cameron Crowe researched Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Urrea discovered literature, the balm that would insulate him from misery. “I spent my allowance on books or records,” he said. “I loved the arts.” At the University of California-San Diego, Urrea started out as a theater major and ended with a degree in writing. But when his father was mur-

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dered in Tijuana – after withdrawing his savings to pay for graduate school for his son – Luis slipped into a major nosedive. He worked on night crews doing janitorial work. He lived in abject poverty. He bounced from apartment to apartment. Concerned friends set him up with a well-known youth minister, Pastor Von, who did charity work in Tijuana. Slogging through mountains made of trash, Urrea took food, water and medicine to the stooped figures that picked through tons of garbage, befriending many of them. “One day, the pastor said to me: ‘Nobody who lives among these people writes books, and you have an inside view of something no one ever sees in America. You should write about it.’” With a writing career in mind, Urrea set off for Harvard in 1982, a disorienting journey for a man who had never been east of Yellowstone National Park. “It was so far beyond my comprehension. I was so astonished to be there,” he said. “It was so alien. My first day, my host took me to Memorial Hall and said: ‘this is your classroom.’ It was like being taken to Notre Dame. It had gargoyles on it. I’d never seen anything like that. “The first class was wild. I was 26, very boyish, had long hair. I remember standing in the hallways where all the students were asking, ‘What’s the dude like?’ I realized they didn’t realize I was the teacher. I said, ‘I’m the dude.’ “We didn’t have a rulebook. We did crazy things like designating ‘Show and Tell’ day. People would bring some insane thing to show and tell. Or we would requisition cars, and we’d head off to Walden Pond to discuss Thoreau. It was really wonderful stuff. “I was astounded to find out I was getting incredible evaluations. Being Harvard, my high evaluations made me suspect to my boss. He’d say: ‘Your evaluations are way too high for you to be teaching the course properly. They are having too much fun; you’re not teaching anything.’” In a used bookstore on Beacon Street, Urrea discovered a book about Teresita Urrea, the halfIndian child of a wealthy Mexican landowner. Teresita was both a leader of the silent poor and an accused witch whose followers were massacred. After five years at Harvard, Urrea took on a

full-time teaching load at Massachusetts Bay College. When his mother died in 1990, he returned to San Diego to take care of family business. “I came out knowing that I could teach, that when I had everything together – my wits and energy – I was unbeatable.” After writing for an alternative weekly in San Diego for a while, Urrea headed off for graduate school at the University of Colorado, where he discovered a passion for hiking. “I’d always been fascinated by the Rockies. For physical beauty, it was the best. It changed me forever,” he said. “But also there were writers there I wanted to be closer to. Linda Hogan, Lorna de Cervantes ... I was very lucky because I think it was kind of a golden age that I stumbled into.” Urrea’s career took off in the 1990s with the publication of his nonfiction border trilogy: Across the Wire, By the Lake of Sleeping Children and Nobody’s Son. The books stemmed from his relief work in Tijuana. Urrea moved to Arizona in 1995 to do field work on Hummingbird’s Daughter. Discovering an Indian branch of his family he hadn’t known about, he immersed himself in Yaqui history, herbalism and other eclectic subjects, yet couldn’t freely write about “the medicine magic stuff” until Linda Hogan, a Native American writer, helped him. In his early 40s, Urrea made another move, taking a teaching job at the University of Southwest Louisiana in Lafayette, where he lived next door to author Earnest Gaines. After Nobody’s Son claimed the 1999 American Book Award, job offers poured in, including a tenured position at University of Illinois-Chicago. During his teaching career, Urrea has rarely seen Hispanic faces in his classroom. “There just aren’t a lot of Latino students who get in writing programs,” he said. “I’ve had a couple here who were extremely talented, but it’s a tough row to hoe. We have a very working-class population, and they have much more practical matters in mind. It’s much more difficult to make that leap to creative writing programs. “But everywhere I go, I’m talking to lots of Latino students. We’re getting into the next wave of education; they’re starting to expand out into literature and the arts and into writing.” Many of those students no doubt look at Urrea as a role model. “I think I have a long history of escape,” he said. “I tell people I spent most of my early life feeling like a skunk trapped in someone’s kitchen looking for a window to jump out of. When you’re trapped in a place with hopelessness and with huge dreams until you’re 26 – once they spring the door, you don’t want to stop. I had a lot of energy to keep running for a long while.”

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HIGH SCHOOL FORUM

Hispanic High Schoolers Taking More AP Courses

For

by Mary Ann Cooper the past 10 years, there have been many different initiatives in a variety of states to encourage minority and low-income high school students to take Advanced Placement (AP) courses and tests. The College Board’s 6th Annual AP Report to the Nation reports on the state of AP testing as well as the two initiatives that have resulted in successfully narrowing achievement gaps between White and non-White and low-income students. The report underscores the fact that more students than ever before have scored 3 or higher on AP exams. In fact, 15.9 percent students across the United States had that result in 2009. The College Board has determined that a score of 3 or higher is predictive of academic success in college. Contrasting the numbers from 2004, this level of success represents a more than 3 percent improvement. Additionally, in 2009, on a state-by-state basis, 18 states equaled or exceeded the national average percentage of 15.9. Numbers are up for African-American, Hispanic and Native American students participating in AP. In 2009, Hispanic students represented 15.5 percent of the AP examinee population. African-American students represented 8.2 percent, and American Indian or Alaska Native students represented 0.6 percent. But these numbers only represent those taking the exams, irrespective of their scores. Minority and low-income students comprise a smaller percentage of students who have successful AP scores than White students. The College Board reports that the gap between these students is narrowing. The report notes that significant improvement has occurred among underserved low-income students in the AP program in just one year. It reveals that 18.9 percent of AP examinees in 2009 were low-income students. That number is up from 17 percent in 2008 and 13.7 percent in 2004. Low-income students made up 14.7 percent of the students experiencing success in AP from the graduating class of 2009, compared to 13.4 percent from the class of 2008 and 11.7 percent from the class of 2004. The 6th Annual AP Report to the Nation singles out a few states for their marked improvement in 2009. Maryland ranked first in the nation for having the largest percentage of a state’s students receiving at least one score of 3 or higher on an AP exam during high school. Maryland held that distinction last year as well. Florida, which has the fourth-highest number of students taking AP exams in the nation, experienced the largest single-year increase in the percentage of its student population receiving at least one score of 3 or higher on an AP exam during high school (3.1 percent). And for the first time since the College Board has been compiling this report, Virginia saw the largest five-year increase of any state in the percentage of its student population receiving at least one score of 3 or higher on an AP

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Exam during high school (5.8 percent). While the College Board credits schools and teachers for stepping up preparation for AP course work, other factors have added to success or lack of success in certain states. California, for example, has consistently been one of the leaders in the percentage of high school students who take and pass AP courses and exams. However, budget cuts have changed that landscape. AP class sizes have been increased, and in some instances, certain classes have been reduced to being offered only in alternate years. On the other hand, in Florida a standard has been established requiring all students to take at least one AP course sometime during their high school experience. In its report, the College Board also described the results of two initiatives designed to help schools make progress toward closing achievement gaps – the National Governors Association’s Advanced Placement Expansion Project and the National Math and Science Initiative. National Governors Association’s Advanced Placement Expansion Project In 2005, the National Governors Association for Best Practices (NGA Center) collaborated with the College Board to establish the Expansion Project as a way to help high schools close the achievement gap between White and non-White and low-income students. Fifty-one pilot schools in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine, Nevada and Wisconsin received funding to expand AP courses to allow more minority and low-income students to participate. The Expansion Project concentrated in one urban and one rural school district in each of the six states to increase exposure and access to AP courses among minority and low-income students as well as create incentives for schools and students to meet benchmarks. Each state came up with its own method and game plan to accomplish these goals. These methods include ones that were student-centered and facultycentered. In Georgia, student leaders such as athletes or cheerleaders were called upon to encourage other students to take AP courses. Kentucky, as well as other states, offered students perks for participation. In some cases, students were offered an extra grade point for participation. Kentucky was cited as the most aggressive in offering incentives to students and schools for improving AP course participation. Gov. Steve Beshear signed legislation that created financial inducements for public schools to make AP science and math courses available, and provided supplemental college scholarship awards for low-income students based on their AP exam scores.

Nevada and Wisconsin focused on instruction to improve their AP numbers. These two states put in place a weeklong, statewide summer institute for teachers. Maine set up a mentoring program for new AP teachers as part of a larger effort to build what it referred to as a “collegegoing culture.” Nevada, Alabama and Kentucky employed “virtual learning technology” to expand access to AP courses and exams in rural areas. In two years, the number of students taking AP courses in the 51 schools participating in the Best Practices program increased by 65 percent, and the number of minority and low-income students taking AP exams more than doubled. The percentage of the student population taking an AP course and scoring a 3 or higher increased from 6.6 percent in 2005-06 to 8.3 percent in 2007-08. Approximately 3,500 more students were taking AP courses in 2007-08 than at the start of the project in 2005-06; minority students comprised approximately 2,500 of the 3,500 students. The National Math and Science Initiative The origin of the the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) is the training and incentive program launched in Dallas, Texas, in 2000. Because Dallas reported an increase in the number of students taking and scoring a 3 or higher on AP math, science and English exams, and in expanding access to traditionally underserved students during the years the program was in place, the NMSI rolled out this same program in six states in the 2008-09 school year. NMSI’s state affiliates partnered with 67 public schools in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Kentucky, Massachusetts and Virginia to study its effect on public high schools each year over the next five years. The essentials of the Dallas plan include active student recruitment and counseling to instill the confidence and support students need to take AP courses, and financial incentives such as partial scholarships for students who pass AP exams. It also incentivizes teachers with stipends and bonuses for putting in extra time for AP instruction. In addition, schools in the program have improved their supplies and updated their equipment so students can learn in state-of-the-art learning labs. The results of this program, the College Board reports, include a 71.5 percent increase in the number of successful AP exams in math, science and English for African-American and Hispanic students in participating schools. In these same schools, there was a 52 percent increase in AP test scores of 3 or higher in math, science and English from May 2008 to May 2009. Finally, the College Board has gone through some alterations in its scoring policy. Subsequent to the 6th Annual AP Report to the Nation, it announced new changes that will make AP exams less stressful and more user friendly. Beginning in May 2011, the College Board will no longer base test scores on the total number of correct answers minus a fraction for every incorrect answer. The SAT already doesn’t do this. The College Board has also announced course redesigns that promise “an increased emphasis on conceptual understanding and discipline-specific skills, resulting in fewer and more complex multiple-choice questions.”

Native Speakers and AP Language Exams In 2008, according to the College Board’s Status and Trends in the Education of Racial and Ethnic Groups report, Hispanic students took about 338,700 AP exams. The most common exam taken by Hispanic students was Spanish language, which had the highest scores for this group. Some students have questioned the fairness of having to compete in these classes with native speakers. School officials and native speakers defend the practice by explaining that verbal fluency is only one part of AP language course requirements. They claim that grammar use and writing skills challenge students as well. And though Hispanics took 57,200 Spanish-language exams in 2008, they also took 40,300 exams in English language and composition as well as 39,400 exams in U.S. history during that same period. The College Board acknowledges the questions raised about native speakers, particularly Hispanics, taking AP Spanish Language courses and exams in its 6th Annual AP Report to the Nation this way: “Although 16 states have closed the equity and excellence gap for Hispanic or Latino students, when you exclude from the successful AP examinee population Latino students whose only AP exam score of 3 or higher was on the Spanish Language Exam, the number of states who have eliminated the gap shrinks to six. AP Spanish Language often serves as a gateway course for Latino students, providing students with a rigorous and confidence-inspiring experience that leads them to take AP courses in other subjects. Even so, much work remains to increase access to and foster Latino student success in AP courses beyond Spanish Language, as looking at these gaps illustrates.” Teachers also point out that having native speakers in AP language classes actually improves the classroom experience for non-native speakers. Native speakers bring a cultural flavor to the classroom as well as a language-immersion experience that aids the learning process. But perhaps the biggest benefit of allowing Hispanics and other native speakers to take an AP language and literature course and test is that it may prompt otherwise reluctant students to take additional AP courses and tests. This is especially important with students whose first language is not English and who might be wary of taking science or math AP courses because they are not confident that they will be successful. Being successful in one AP course is the building block of confidence to take other courses.

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The Hispanic Outlook In Higher Education

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ACE: Recent Graduates Say Degrees Are Worth Time, Money Spent WASHINGTON, D.C.

The more than 2.4 million students who receive an undergraduate degree in the United States each year have college experiences that are individual and diverse, but the students are nearly unanimous in their opinion of the value of their degree. An American Council on Education (ACE) survey of recent college graduates (25-39 years old) of two- and four-year institutions found that 89 percent believed their education was worth it – even after considering the time and money required to attend. Individual institutional responses ranged from 80 percent to 97 percent agreeing that their college education was worth that time and money. Nearly 80 percent of young alumni reported that they would attend the same institution, though this finding was slightly more likely at four-year institutions than at their two-year counterparts.

New AERA Research Volume Focuses on Diversity in Teacher Education WASHINGTON, D.C.

The American Educational Research Association (AERA) announced the release of its new volume, Studying Diversity in Teacher Education, published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Inc., on behalf of AERA. Although there is a considerable body of knowledge on diversity in education, research focusing on diversity in teacher education is sparse. This book points to promising directions of future research. AERA President-elect Arnetha F. Ball of 38

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Asked how useful they found their college education and experiences in preparing them for the work force and to meet future societal challenges, 81 percent of alumni felt that, overall, they were prepared by their college or university, and 85 percent felt their undergraduate experience had prepared them for their current job. However, in the national sample, only 62 percent reported they believe colleges in general were preparing students for demands of the modern work force. Responses ranged from 59 percent to 72 percent of alumni reporting that individual institutions are preparing students for the modern work force. Alumni were asked what they thought was the most important role of colleges and universities. Not surprisingly, 28 percent reported “preparing students for employment.” However, 31 percent reported “teaching students how to think critically,” and 17 percent selected “preparing students to solve problems that face our country.” Even with the increased attention to career preparation, alumni clearly still identify fundamental

problem-solving and inquiry skills as core values of their undergraduate education. Graduates also have concerns about the price of higher education. Regardless of overall opinions on college prices, 76 percent of alumni report that their institution charged a fair price for their education. Graduates of public institutions are more likely to report that their own college or university charged a fair price for their education – 77 percent to 90 percent. While graduates of private institutions were more concerned about price, they still overwhelmingly reported that the investment was worth it. Alumni were asked who they believe should be primarily responsible for funding higher education. Students and families was the most common response, 40 percent; followed by the federal government, 30 percent; and state government, 20 percent. There was some variability in the institutional responses, with community college graduates indicating more responsibility for financing should rest with state and federal governments.

Stanford University and Cynthia A. Tyson of Ohio State University, the volume’s co-editors, along with 31 contributing scholars, provide a solid research-based foundation on diversity in teacher education and how research can inform its consideration. Ball and Tyson hope that the research and issues examined in this volume can add to considerations of how to “accelerate educational parity across sociocultural and sociopolitical barriers” and “overcome the legacy of academic failure that plagues so many diverse students.” They stress that some of the book’s significant insights come from the contributing scholars who themselves represent diverse

backgrounds and “who are anthropological members in the communities they study.” These scholars “feel some sociological affiliation” with the communities in which they are working. Research on diversity in teacher education has only emerged since the 1980s, with thoughtful literature being produced in these recent decades. This research shows that teacher educators need to be challenged to create a new, interdisciplinary model for multicultural teacher education – cultivated as a field with issues of equity at its core.

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The Hispanic Outlook In Higher Education

NCES Analyzes the Price of College WASHINGTON, D.C.

Eighty percent of all full-time undergraduates received some combination of grants, loans, work-study, or other type of aid in 2007-08. What Is the Price of College? Total, Net, and Out-of-Pocket Prices in 2007-08, a Statistics in Brief, is a product of the National Center for Education Statistics at the Institute of Education Sciences, part of the U.S. Department of Education. The report describes the annual price of education among undergraduates enrolled

Annual Report Finds More States Using High School Exit Exams; Poor and Minority Disproportionately Face Requirement WASHINGTON, D.C.

Twenty-eight states required high school exit exams in the 2009-10 school year, and public schools in those states enroll 83 percent of the nation’s students of color and more than three-quarters of the country’s low-income pupils, the Center on Education Policy (CEP) said in a recent report. The high participation rate by students of color and low-income students is noteworthy because research concludes that high school exit exams might have a negative impact on these student populations, though the report notes that direct relationships between exit exams and high school completion are hard to make and more research is needed. State High School Tests: Exit Exams and

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in U.S. postsecondary institutions in 200708. The data come from the most recent administration of the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study. Other findings include: • In 2007-08, the average total price of attendance for full-time undergraduates (tuition plus living expenses) varied widely by the type of institution attended, ranging from $12,600 at public two-year colleges to $18,900 at public four-year institutions, $28,600 at for-profit institutions and $35,500 at private nonprofit four-year institutions. • Students at for-profit institutions are shown to receive federal grants and student

loans at considerably higher rates than those at other types of institutions. Even with such high percentages of Pell Grant and Stafford loan recipients, low-income students at for-profit schools still face the highest average out-of-pocket net prices compared to all other postsecondary institutions. The average out-of-pocket net price was $11,700 among low-income students at for-profit institutions, but the average for those enrolled elsewhere ranged from $6,000 to $9,800. To view the full report, visit: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp? pubid=2011175.

Other Assessments, CEP’s ninth annual report on state high school exit exams, focuses on the impact of exit exams across the nation as well as on new developments in exit exam policies since CEP’s 2009 report. For the first time, the report also includes information about graduation requirements in states that do not require exit exams. “States continue to use high school exit exams as a policy lever for school reform,” said Jack Jennings, CEP’s president and CEO. “But until states can provide more reliable and consistent longitudinal data, researchers will continue to struggle with identifying how exit exams impact student achievement and high school completion rates.” With the addition of Oregon and Rhode Island, 28 states had exit exam policies in the 2009-10 school year. Of those 28 states, 25 withheld high school diplomas based on the exams. Three states – Oklahoma, Oregon and Rhode Island – required the exams but have not yet begun withholding diplomas. In addition, North Carolina and Tennessee have

significantly altered their exit exam requirements beginning with the graduating classes of 2011 and 2012, respectively. In the 2009-10 school year, states with high school exit exams enrolled 74 percent of the nation’s students and 83 percent of students of color. Additionally, 78 percent of the nation’s low-income students and 84 percent of students who are English-language learners attended public schools in states with exit exams. “Exit exams are most likely in states that are not happy with the quality of education and student outcomes, especially for students of color,” said Jennings. “Policymakers still feel these tests can make a difference.” The research also found that there is a trend toward greater use of end-of-course exams that assess subject-level mastery rather than longer multisubject comprehensive exams. The number of states requiring end-of-course exams to earn a diploma has increased to seven states, and an additional 10 states plan to use them.

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Hernández Named President of Edmonds C.C. Edmonds Community College (Wash.) recently appointed Jean Hernández as college president. Hernández, with close to 30 years experience in higher education, was the vice president for instruction at South Seattle Community College, where she had served as interim president and vice chancellor from March to July 2010. She has a doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies from the University of Washington, master’s degree in counselor education and bachelor’s in secondary education from the University of North Texas.

In California, the Rio Hondo College Board of Trustees recently elected Trustee María Elena Martínez, who represents the Pico Rivera area, president for the year 2011. Martínez was first elected to the board of trustees for the Rio Hondo Community College District in 1991 and has been re-elected ever since. Martínez has a master’s degree from Pepperdine University, bachelor’s from California State University-Los Angeles and an associate degree from East Los Angeles College.

Colby College Recognizes Corchado

Raúl Magdaleno was honored recently as MillerCoors 2010 Lider of the Year. Magdaleno was among eleven other Hispanic national leaders recognized for their contributions to their communities and featured in a national advertising campaign. He is currently the special assistant to the dean and director of diversity and community outreach for the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.

Alfredo Corchado, Mexico bureau chief for the Dallas Morning News, received the 2010 Elijah Parish Lovejoy Award for courageous journalism from Colby College in Maine. Corchado is regarded as the most intrepid reporter on the Mexican drug war beat, according to members of the Lovejoy Selection Committee.

The Hispanic Outlook Is Now Also Available As A

Digital Magazine!

Vargas Llosa Receives Honorary Degree from CCNY

Briarcliffe College President Dr. George Santiago Jr. was recently honored by the Long Island (N.Y.) Chapter of the March of Dimes during its 14th Annual Golden Apple Awards dinner. The organization recognized Santiago for

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Lehman Professor Given Keys to Miami

Magdaleno Named MillerCoors 2010 Lider of the Year

Santiago Honored by March of Dimes

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Staiano-Coico said. “It is a privilege for us at the City College to host one of his first public lectures since he was awarded the Nobel Prize.”

The Mayor of Miami, Fla., recently awarded Dr. Gerardo Piña-Rosales of Lehman College’s (N.Y.) languages and literatures department the keys to the city. PiñaRosales, whose academic interests include 19th- and 20th-century Spanish literature and Hispanic literature in the U.S., has a doctorate from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.

Martínez Elected President of Rio Hondo College Board of Trustees

his contributions as “an outstanding individual making a difference through a commitment to education.” Santiago has a doctorate and master’s degree in educational administration from Penn State University and a bachelor’s in geography and Spanish from Rutgers University.

Mario Vargas Llosa, 2010 Nobel Laureate in Literature, delivered the City College of New York’s (CCNY) President’s Lecture in November and received an honorary Doctor of Letters. “Mario Vargas Llosa has been a literary giant in the Spanish-speaking world for decades, with his critically acclaimed writing across different genres,” CCNY President Lisa

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for additional information

HI S PAN I C S O N T H E MO VE

ounded in 1956, the University of South Florida is a public research university of growing national distinction. The USF System is comprised of two separately accredited institutions, USF and USF St. Petersburg. USF consists of the main research campus in Tampa, which includes USF Health, the College of Marine Science in St. Petersburg, and two regional campus-USF Sarasota-Manatee, and USF Polytechnic, located in Lakeland. USF is one of only three Florida public universities classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in the top tier of research universities. More than 47,000 students are studying on USF campuses and the University offers 228 degree programs at the undergraduate, graduate, specialty and doctoral levels, including the doctor of medicine. USF is a member of the Big East Athletic Conference. And, USF is listed in the Princeton Review as one of the nation’s 50 “Best Value” public colleges and universities. The university is currently recruiting for the following positions; the number in parentheses 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 Director of Housing Facilities (Student Affairs)

Faculty Positions: College of Arts and Sciences

College of Business

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

Assistant Professor (2) Assistant/Associate Professor (1)

Engineering

Academic Affairs

Professor/Chair (1) Professor (1)

Associate Professor (1)

Education

Assistant Professor (2) Assistant/Associate Professor (1)

Marine Science

PolyTechnic Campus

St. Petersburg Campus

Assistant/Associate Professor (6) Assistant Professor (7) Sr. Associate Vice President (1) Dean (1) Assistant/Associate Full Professor (1)

Assistant/Associate Professor (2)

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

College of Medicine

Assistant/Associate Professor (10) Professor & Program Director (1) Associate Professor/Professor (1) Associate Professor/Professor (1)

Associate Professor (2) Academic General Surgeon (1) Assistant Professor (12) Professor and Chair (1)

College of Nursing

Assistant/Associate Professor (2) Associate Professor/Professor (1)

Assistant Professor (2) Associate Dean (1)

For a job description on the above listed positions including department, disciple and deadline dates: (1) visit our Careers@USF Web site at https://employment.usf.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/Welcome_css.jsp; or (2) contact The Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity, (813) 9744373; 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 03/07/2011

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Dartmouth Dean of the College

Dartmouth College is conducting a nationwide search for a Dean of the College, the chief student affairs officer of the institution. Dartmouth invites letters of nomination, applications (letter of interest, resume/CV, and contact information of at least five references), or expressions of interest to be submitted to the search firm assisting the College. Confidential review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the appointment is made. It is preferred, however, that all nominations and applications be submitted prior to April 1, 2011. For a complete position description, please visit the Current Opportunities page at www.parkersearch.com. Daniel F. Parker, Sr., President Laurie Wilder, Senior Vice President 770-804-1996 ext: 102 lwilder@parkersearch.com Dartmouth College is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Five Concourse Parkway Suite 2900 Atlanta, GA 30328 770.804.1996 parkersearch.com

Assistant/Associate Director of Admission & Coordinator of Multicultural Recruitment This is a full-time, 12-month salaried position responsible for the development, implementation, and evaluation of programs designed to increase recruitment and improve the retention of students from multicultural backgrounds. A minimum of a bachelorÂ&#x2019;s degree and three years of admission experience recruiting multicultural students are required. For details about this and other positions, visit the DePauw University website at: www.depauw.edu/admin /hr/jobannouncements.asp DePauw University is an equal opportunity employer. Women and members of under-represented groups are encouraged to apply.

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ANTICIPATED FACULTY OPENINGS FALL 2011

Anticipated Faculty Positions 2011-2012 Kean, a comprehensive New Jersey state University, is committed to excellence and access and to developing, maintaining and strengthening interactive ties with the community. Kean University takes pride in its continuing effort to build a multicultural professional community to serve a richly diversified student population of almost 16,000. The University sits on three adjoining campus sites covering 180 acres, two miles from Newark Liberty International Airport and thirty minutes from New York City. All open faculty positions are at the rank of Assistant/Associate Professor. Positions are ten-month, full-time tenure-track assignments, effective September 1, 2011 unless otherwise indicated. Teaching assignments and related responsibilities may include day, evening, weekend and online courses. Courses are taught at the Union campus but some positions may include assignments at Ocean County College in Toms River, New Jersey or other locations. All faculty are expected to demonstrate a commitment to teaching excellence and an on-going program of research and publication or creative and performance activity. Participation in curriculum development, student advisement and service at the departmental/ school, college and university level is also required. Interest or experience in using advanced instructional technologies to improve the teaching/learning process is highly desirable. All positions are subject to availability of funds, due to financial exigencies. College of Business and Public Management Criminal Justice (Two Positions) Accounting Finance Management, Marketing and International Business (Three Positions) - Organizational Behavior and Development and Human Resource Management; Strategic Management; Marketing College of Education Curriculum and Teaching Physical Education, Recreation and Health (Two Positions) - Physical Education; Recreation Administration/Therapeutic Recreation Special Education and Literacy Global Education and Innovation (Spanish)

Bergen Community College, the third largest college in New Jersey, serving a diverse student body on its suburban campus, anticipates a number of faculty vacancies for the 2011-2012 academic year. Please log on to www.bergen.edu/ facultyopenings for more specific information about these positions. Successful candidates must be able to teach both day and evening classes, be committed to assessing student learning outcomes and accept assignments at any of our three locations (Paramus, Hackensack and Lyndhurst).

• American Language Program • Biology • Dental Hygiene • Economics • English Basic Skills • Graphic Design/ Computer Graphics

• Hospitality • History (Women’s History) • Library (Reference/Instruction) • Nursing (Adult) • World Languages

To ensure full consideration, application materials must be received by March 21, 2011. All interested candidates should send a letter of intent (including the job codes listed on our website), curriculum vitae, copies of transcripts, salary requirements and three professional letters of reference with current contact information. Send materials by email with the appropriate job code in the subject line to employment@ bergen.edu, or by fax to 201-251-4987, or mail to: Bergen Community College, Human Resources Department 400 Paramus Road, Suite A-316, Paramus, NJ 07652

College of Natural, Applied and Health Sciences Nursing (Two Positions) - Faculty/Graduate Program Coordinator; RN-BSN/Graduate Program Nathan Weiss Graduate College Counselor Education (Two Positions) Educational Leadership Doctoral Studies in Psychology/Psy.D. Graduate Management Studies (Two Positions) Global Information Management; International Management Occupational Therapy

EOE/Smoke-Free and Drug-Free Workplace

Application, Salary and Benefits Information on All Positions

Enjoy a fulfilling teaching or administrative career in Bend, Oregon, an exceptionally attractive location on the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains. COCC serves nearly 8,000 students in a variety of programs and seeks to be a leader in regionally and globally responsive postsecondary education. The College is committed to developing a diverse faculty/staff/student body and to modeling an inclusive campus community which values the expression of differences. In keeping with this commitment, the College welcomes applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds.

For detailed job descriptions and application information, please visit: http://www.kean.edu/about_facultypositions.html. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until position is filled. Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience. Comprehensive benefits program included. Contingent on Budgetary Approval and Appropriated Funding. Kean University is an EOE/AA Institution

The College is seeking exceptional instructors and staff for 2011/12. Please visit our website at https://jobs.cocc.edu to apply online for open positions. For questions, contact HR at 541-383-7216. COCC is an EEO/AA employer.

03/07/2011

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State Center Community College ge District

Fresno, o, CA

Sta Center Community College District is announcing the search for: or: State

ANCELLOR, VICE CHANCELLOR, NCE AND FINANCE ADMINISTRATION ADMINISTRA ISTRA ATION State Center Community College District seeks a fiscally fiscall cally State managerr with a record of strong leadership ship responsible budget manager serve as its next Vice Chancellor ellor, and accomplishments to serve Chancellor, Administration.. The District is a well esta blished hed Finance and Administration. established tedd in the heart of California’s California’s Central ntral multi-college district loca located Valley. Currently Currently this financially financiall ally stable stable District has two colleges ges Valley. four centers and anticipa pates the addition of a third college ege and four anticipates strict provides comprehensive and in the near future. The District innovative educational educational prog rams ams to several diverse communities ities innovative programs region’s economic development. and is critical to the region’s APPLICATION PROCESS APPLICATION Nominations and applications applications ions will be accepted until the Nominations arget date for applicationss is position is filled. The target Mondayy, March 28, 2011.. Monday, information onn the Vice Chancellor profile and For detailed information information on how to aapply pply please visit www.scccd.edu. www.scccd.edu. information Application ma terials should be submitted to: Application materials Mr andy Rowe, Mr.r. Randy Associate V ice Chancellor ncellor Human Resources Vice State Center Community mmunity College District Weldon 1525 East W eldon Avenue Avenue nue Fresno, CA CA 93704-63988 Telephone: Telephone:: (559) 244-5972 Electronic copies may may be submitted bmitted to: vicechancellor.search@ vicechancellor.search@ ch@ scccd.edu For additional information, information, nominations nominations or confidential inquiries, contact ct Larry Larry Carrier, Carrier, Senior Partner, Partner, The ELS Group, roup, lcarrier@ elsgroup.org, elsgroup.org, Phone: (209)) 840-0125 or Sallie A. Savage, Savage, Senior Partner, Partner artner, The ELS Group, ssasavage@sbcglobal.net, ssasavage@sbcglobal.net, bal.net, Phone: (831) 241-8379. Fax: (831) 333-0384 An ELS Group Search

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Equal Opportunity Employer ployer OUTLOOK

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03/07/2011

Department of Mathematics University of Wisconsin-River Falls Applications are invited for an assistant professor tenure-track position beginning Fall 2011-2012. Earned doctorate in statistics with a strong background in applied statistics required. Duties include teaching 12 credits per semester, departmental and interdepartmental collaboration in statistics curriculum development and research, directing students in undergraduate research, campus-wide and departmental service, and academic advising. Salary dependent on experience. Online applications are required at: http://jobs.uwrf.edu/ applicants/jsp/shared/. Send the following documents to complete your application: resume (curriculum vitae); cover letter (letter of interest specifying qualifications and experience); unofficial transcripts (from master’s and doctoral-granting institutions); diversity statement (statement addressing your ability to contribute to the enhancement of student awareness and appreciation of diverse cultures); and references (names, addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses of three references who can specifically comment upon your teaching ability, experience, and professional preparation). Inquiries should be addressed to Don Leake (don.leake@uwrf.edu), Math Department, UWRiver Falls. Review of Applications will begin on April 1, 2011. For full consideration, applicants should submit all required materials by this date.

WEST DES MOINES COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT West Des Moines Community School District, located in West Des Moines, Iowa, seeks an individual with visionary leadership and strong administrative skills to lead a district of 8,800 students. Salary for the successful candidate will be in the range of $200,000, plus an excellent comprehensive benefits package. Interested candidates may request an application form by contacting: Ray and Associates, Inc. 4403 1st Avenue S.E., Suite 407 Cedar Rapids, IA 52402-3221 Telephone: 319/393-3115 Fax: 319/393-4931 E-mail: glr@rayassoc.com or Apply online at www.rayassoc.com Application Deadline: March 17, 2011 Do not contact the Board or District directly.

The Hispanic Outlook Magazine® is also available in a digital format

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL AND LIFE SCIENCES DEAN UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON The University of Wisconsin-Madison, one of the world’s outstanding public research and teaching universities, invites nominations and applications for the position of dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences offers graduate and undergraduate instruction in a wide range of specialties keyed to research, education, business, industry, communications, conservation and natural resources, production, technical assistance in national and international programs, and numerous interdisciplinary studies and research. Many of the basic biological sciences are located in the college. The college enrolls approximately 1,000 graduate and 2,600 undergraduate students. The dean provides leadership to 300 faculty, 600 professional academic staff, 320 civil service staff, 1,000 graduate assistants, and directs a budget of more than $180 million, approximately half of which comes from extramural support. The dean, who reports to the chancellor and the provost, is the chief academic and executive officer of the college with responsibility for personnel, budget, fund raising, community relations, curriculum, academic affairs, and physical facilities. The dean shares leadership across the campus for the basic and applied biological sciences; is responsible for coordinating Cooperative Extension Service programs within the college, the administrative and budgetary control of which is shared with UW-Extension; and also serves as the director of the Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station. The college embodies the university’s land grant mission, which includes extension and outreach to the citizens of the state and beyond. Please see the following web sites for information about the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and UW-Madison:

http://www.cals.wisc.edu/ http://www.wisc.edu/ Major qualifications for this position include a successful record of administrative leadership in higher education; a commitment to advance the quality of undergraduate and graduate instruction, research, public service and outreach activities; a thorough appreciation of the complex issues involving agriculture, environmental, basic and applied life sciences, and economic development. The successful candidate will have the capacity to relate effectively to faculty, staff, students and external constituencies; a demonstrated commitment to increase the diversity of students, faculty and staff, to equal employment opportunity, affirmative action and non-discriminatory practices, and to fostering an inclusive climate. The university seeks individuals with a commitment to public service through dissemination of research, promoting the state’s economic development and supporting the Wisconsin Idea; an understanding and appreciation of the diverse missions and constituencies of a major public research university; demonstrated ability to work effectively in an environment of shared governance; responsiveness to the instructional and research needs of other schools/colleges; and the ability to represent the school and university effectively in educational, governmental, business, alumni, and public forums. Nationally-recognized accomplishments that meet the standards for tenure and appointment at the rank of full professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are a prerequisite for the deanship.

The position is available 1 July 2011. Electronic applications and nominations must be received by 4 April 2011 to ensure consideration. Later applications and nominations may also be considered. The committee particularly encourages applications and nominations of women and persons of underrepresented groups. Applicants should include a current curriculum vitae and a comprehensive cover letter that addresses how their strengths and experience match the qualifications for the position, and what they see as challenges and opportunities of the position, as well as the names, addresses, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers of five references. Candidates will be consulted before references are contacted. Please note that in accordance with Wisconsin statutes the names of nominees and applicants who explicitly request confidentiality will not be made public. However, the university is required to release the names and titles of the finalists who will be interviewed by the chancellor and the provost. A criminal background check will be conducted prior to hiring. Submit applications and nominations electronically to the chair of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Dean Search and Screen Committee at: Ag-and-Life-Sciences-Dean-Search@secfac.wisc.edu

Questions may be directed to the search committee office at (608) 262-1677 or ehanneman@secfac.wisc.edu The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer. www.hispanicoutlook.com for additional information 03/07/2011

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HISPANIC

OUTLOOK

Chancellor, Institute of Agriculture The University of Tennessee is conducting a nationwide search for Chancellor of the Institute of Agriculture. The UTIA Chancellor Search Committee invites letters of nomination, applications (letter of interest, resume/CV, and references), or expressions of interest to be submitted to the search firm assisting the University. The University of Tennessee is seeking candidates who have the ability to contribute in meaningful ways to the diversity and intercultural goals of the University. Confidential review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the appointment is made. It is preferred, however, that all nominations and applications be submitted prior to March 23, 2011. For a complete position description, refer to Current Opportunities on www.parkersearch.com. Gary L. Daugherty, Senior Vice President Porsha L. Williams, Principal gdaugherty@parkersearch.com â&#x20AC;˘ pwilliams@parkersearch.com Phone: 770-804-1996 x 103 Fax: 770-804-1917 The University of Tennessee is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA/ADEA institution in the provision of its education and employment programs and services. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, or covered veteran status. Five Concourse Parkway Suite 2900 Atlanta, GA 30328 770.804.1996 parkersearch.com

Vice President Administrative Operations

The College of Southern Nevada President, Dr. Mike Richards, and the Search Committee invite nominations and expressions of interest for the position of Vice President Administrative Operations. The Vice President acts as a liaison with other senior executive officers and provides supervision of human resources, institutional training, the CSN police department, institutional effectiveness and planning, campus site and center managers, resource development and grants, and leads these functions through subordinate operational administrators. For more details on this position and how to apply, please access our website at: www.csn.edu/jobs/vpao EEO/AA/ADA

VCU V i r g i n i a C o m m o n w e a l t h U n i v e r s i t y

ASSISTANT VICE PROVOST for Academic and Faculty Affairs

The Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University is seeking candidates for a 12month administrative faculty position to serve as Assistant Vice Provost for Academic and Faculty Affairs. Reporting to the Vice Provost for Academic and Faculty Affairs, the Assistant Vice Provost will be responsible for a variety of duties in support of the Office of the Vice Provost to include providing operational oversight and coordination of the University Undergraduate Curriculum Committee; serving as liaison between a variety of University Committees to include the University Grievance Committee, University Promotion and Tenure Policy Review Committee, and Promotion and Tenure Appeals Committee and the Vice Provost; providing leadership and coordination of the Academic Program Approval Process; overseeing the review and development of policies and procedures related to Academic and Faculty Affairs; participating in the audit of the SACS accreditation standards; and providing oversight for the SCHEV outstanding faculty awards program. For a detailed job description and the application process visit: http://www.pubinfo.vcu.edu/facjobs/. The position is located under Academic Affairs. Virginia Commonwealth University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Women, minorities and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

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OUTLOOK

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03/07/2011

Director of Human Resources

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL Chief of the Division of Neonatology Sacramento, California

The University of California, Davis Children’s Hospital is launching a national search for a new Chief of the Division of Neonatology. With more than 120 physicians in 33 pediatric subspecialties, the Children’s Hospital (UC Davis Children’s Hospital or UCDCH) is a 110-bed children’s hospital that is housed within the 645-bed University of California, Davis Medical Center (UCDMC). It is the most comprehensive pediatric hospital in the Sacramento region, and is known for offering compassionate, family-centered care. UC Davis Children’s Hospital is distinguished for its outstanding congenital heart program and for a unique telemedicine program. Within the last five years, UC Davis Children’s Hospital built a new 49-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and is nearing completion of a new 24-bed Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). To learn more about UC Davis Children’s Hospital, please see www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/children. This is a unique opportunity for an accomplished clinical executive to lead the Division of Neonatology to new levels of excellence and impact in patient care, research, and teaching across Northern California and beyond. The Chief of Neonatology will be instrumental in addressing several key priorities, which are as follows: build a vibrant clinical service through proactive outreach within and outside UCDMC; define and implement a standard of clinical excellence; continue to invest in and develop the Division’s faculty, nurses, and administrative staff; broaden and strengthen the regional and national impact and contribution of the Division with emphasis on patient care, research, and teaching; and further develop the resources necessary for a world-class service. The successful candidate for this position will be a board certified M.D. with a distinguished record and reputation of excellence in leadership, clinical care, teaching, and research, and must be able to meet the requirements for appointment as associate or full professor in the clinical investigator series at the University of California. Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. Applicants should send a detailed letter of application, a curriculum vita, and contact information for five references to 4152@imsearch.com. Electronic submission of applications and correspondence is strongly preferred. Inquiries and nominations should be submitted to the same e-mail address or one can contact the search firm representatives David Bellshaw and Denise O’Grady Gaffney, Isaacson, Miller, 649 Mission Street, Suite 500, San Francisco, CA 94105-4128, Phone: 415.655.4900, Fax: 415.655.4905. A full profile describing the role is available upon request. The University of California, Davis, is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer with a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of diversity.

The Director of Human Resources reports to the Vice President for Financial Affairs and recommends strategic objectives, policies and procedures as they relate to the Human Resources of Union County College. Lead a team of six individuals in performing both strategic and transactional duties such as labor relations, including contract negotiations and administration, compensation, benefits, recruitment, employee relations and training. In this role the Director of Human Resources will: • Create a “best in class” Human Resources department. • Oversee functions and strategies that lead to the successful retention, training, recruitment, and satisfaction of high-caliber and service-oriented staff & faculty. • Interpret and apply College Human Resource policies and Human Resource related to federal and state laws and regulations and provides guidance and recommendations for issues regarding benefit programs, compensation, employment & classification systems, workers' compensation, records management, employee assistance program and other issues under administrative programs. Ensure successful completion of duties related to: • Administration of, and compliance with, bargaining unit contracts including dispute resolution through either Grievance or Arbitration mechanisms as appropriate. • Good faith contractual negotiations with the College’s six bargaining units. • Wage and salary administration including all aspects of compensation analysis. • Benefits administrations within the context of bargaining unit contracts & under The School Employees Health Benefits Program (SEHBP) subject to NJ State rules and regulations thereof. Qualifications: • Strong Organizational Behavior and Human Resources Disciplines. • Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing. • Strong, organization, prioritization and interpersonal skills. • Good working knowledge of state and federal laws and regulations, especially as they relate to the community college system in New Jersey. • Ten years of progressive Human Resource responsibility, including exp in bargaining unit negotiations, preferably in an educational environment & demonstrated exp with Human Resources strategy development and execution. • M.S. in Human Resource Management and Development or significant relevant exp incl Senior Professional in Human Resources certification from the HR Certification Institute.

To apply for this position, email your resume with cover letter (in WORD format) to: HRJobs@ucc.edu and reference job #06-11 in subject line of the email.

Union County College is an equal opportunity affirmative action employer committed to diversity.

ADVERTISING INDEX POSITIONS ALASKA

University of Alaska Anchorage

CALIFORNIA

California State University, San Marcos State Center Community College District University of California, Davis

44 41; 44 47

FLORIDA

Pasco-Hernando Community College University of South Florida

42 41

INDIANA

DePauw University

IOWA

West Des Moines Community College District

MASSACHUSETTS

Northeastern University

MINNESOTA

St. Catherine University

NEVADA

College of Southern Nevada

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Dartmouth College

NEW JERSEY

Bergen Community College Kean University Union County College

43 43 47

NEW YORK

Columbia University

OREGON

Central Oregon Community College

PENNSYLVANIA

Temple University

TENNESSEE

University of Tennessee

VIRGINIA

Virginia Commonwealth University

WISCONSIN

University of Wisconsin-Madison University of Wisconsin-River Falls

45 45

*To see all our “Employment and other Opportunities,” including all Web Postings, visit our website at www.HispanicOutlook.com 03/07/2011

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HISPANIC

OUTLOOK

P.O. Box 68 Paramus, NJ 07652-0068 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

P ri min g the Pump. .. PREPARING LATINO STUDENTS TO EFFECTIVELY USE A SYLLABUS IS CRITICAL TO THEIR ACADEMIC SUCCESS

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

You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else. – Albert Einstein

lbert Einstein’s advice is good for Latinos. The rules of the classroom are detailed in the course syllabus (and if they aren’t, the student should inquire to clarify expectations). Students taking online classes rely more heavily on a class syllabus for guidance since the face-to-face interaction with the teacher is limited. The more that students understand how the course runs, the more they can participate and excel in it. Latino students must first know that the syllabus is an agreement between teacher and student, spelling out each party’s responsibilities and the consequences if the terms are not met. Middle and high schools increasingly use syllabi, but teachers should review the document sufficiently so that students understand it. While the course logistics (title, time, location, textbook and schedule) are evident, the course goals and objectives, attendance policy, grading criteria, rubrics, late/makeup policies for assignments and exams, code of student conduct and additional course resources need detailed explanation. While it might seem like a waste of valuable time on nonsubject matter, it will facilitate learning and minimize later attempts by students to negotiate if they fail to follow the rules. Students also need to know how grades are determined, not only in terms of the items required, but how the percentages figure into the overall grade. Too often, Latino students do not understand the weight certain activities or assignments carry. They either give everything the same emphasis (when, in fact, they should be focusing more on other elements) or they minimize the requirements they should emphasize. Teaching students specifically how grades and grade point averages are calculated is also crucial since they can then strategically plan to invest their time and energy.

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Office hours are typically listed in a class syllabus, too, but Latino students do not always realize that office hours are a resource specifically intended for them. While many students might not fear talking to a coach or boss on the job, it does not occur to them to talk with the instructor of a class. Since student engagement is a strong predictor of academic retention and success, professors and Latino students alike should use office hours to build a relationship, ask and answer questions or offer and receive additional help. It might also be advantageous for Latino students to consider supplemental readings listed on the syllabus as personal, self-imposed fixed requirements since those readings will provide more information and a broader context in which to understand lectures, group projects, class discussions, lab sessions and assignments. Besides learning to follow the syllabus, Latino students should be taught to use the course textbook and supplemental materials. Skimming the book to understand its format and organization, emphasis, concurrence with the syllabus, and learning aids it offers helps the student use the text more effectively. Latino students with limited funds often try to save money by not buying the textbook. For many, this is a major mistake, especially if the professor relies upon the student to read for conceptual or theoretical background information before attending class. The responsibility for obtaining the textbook remains with the student, and options that include renting, sharing, borrowing or using texts on reserve can be exercised. The student who chooses to go without a textbook is left to deduce theory from what is discussed in class – usually not a good option for many Latino students who are contextual learners. Latinos skilled in using a syllabus and the textbook can attest that knowing where to look for information about assignments, resources and evaluation criteria beats guessing, hoping for the best and begging for consideration and mercy when it’s too late for salvation in the class.

These articles appeared online only in the 03/07/11 Issue

TARGETING HIGHER EDUCATION

Young Latino Realities

by Gustavo A. Mellander here is something perverse in human nature that glories in and feasts on disaster, lingers on negativity. We focus on sensational news, not good news. The more bizarre, the better. Most of us are guilty. Even if we only glance fleetingly at tabloids at supermarkets, our eyes do indeed drift over. Maybe we are hardwired to focus on bad news. Maybe it is a learned reaction back to the days when our ancestors had to be constantly on the alert for predators lingering around a bend. Those who sensed danger and took appropriate action lived another day to mix their genes with other equally attuned persons. And here we are! We are descendents of clever and adroit early humans ever on the lookout for problems. So the tendency to be on the lookout for bad news is well ingrained in all of us. Young Hispanics are no different. To be sure, they have reasons to be concerned, even pessimistic. Much is yet to be achieved in our world to assure a level playing field for all. I assume that young Hispanics are influenced by the “bad news” they encounter daily. Of course they are. So I was pleased to read the blazing headline “Latino Youth Remain Hopeful for a Brighter Future Despite Anti-Latino Environment.” Based on research in several states, the report reveals that in the face of daily challenges, most Hispanic youngsters have “a positive, resilient orientation toward their lives and future aspirations.” In that, they reflect their parents’ optimism and ambitions. That is particularly noticeable among recent immigrants. Thus they are not particularly different from the waves of immigrants that have washed up on our shores since colonial times. They share a belief in a better tomorrow and are not easily derailed by the negativity or pitfalls they encounter. These data come from a study released in Washington, D.C., by the National Council of La Raza, the nation’s largest national Hispanic civil rights organization. As realized by many, the report corroborated that Latino youth experience pervasive ethnic stereotyping in their daily lives. Adults who could and should be helping these youngsters integrate into mainstream society frequently throw up roadblocks. The study, Speaking Out: Latino Youth on Discrimination in the United States, is the fruit of focus groups with first- and second-generation children of Hispanic immigrants. They discussed their experiences among those who impact them on a daily basis: teachers, school administrators, law enforcement personnel and others. The study also noted that Latino children feel strong pressure from parents and their community to obtain a college education and a good job. They accept those expectations – and yet only 55 percent of Latino students graduate from high school with a regular diploma. (Others ultimately acquire a GED.) In reflecting on the challenges they face, the teenagers in the focus groups, who live in Los Angeles, Calif.; Nashville, Tenn.; Langley Park, Md.;

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and Providence, R.I., spoke about being consistently viewed as outsiders in their daily interactions with teachers, administrators and peers. Other major findings include: • Reflecting the hopes and expectations of their immigrant parents, Latino youth tend to have an optimistic outlook on the role of education and a strong desire to secure successful careers. • They reported significant ethnic stereotyping that they feel often leads to Hispanic students being overlooked, excluded or negatively tracked, all of which results in unequal educational opportunities. • Focus group participants often perceived the workplace as a site of unfair practices, based on racial and ethnic assumptions on the part of employers. • The teenagers emphatically described feeling unfairly and habitually profiled by law enforcement as a result of negative assumptions regarding Hispanic youth, gangs and immigrants in general. Such regular contact with the police in a variety of circumstances compounds feelings of vulnerability and distrust in their communities. Hispanic Outlook readers will not be surprised by these findings. Interesting to note, the study identifies distinctions between places of residence. For example, Hispanic youth in Los Angeles and Langley Park expressed fear from constant, up-close exposure to gangs and the likelihood that police officers will profile them as gang members. The Latino youth in Tennessee experienced by far the greatest degree of negative stereotyping and prejudiced behaviors. Hispanics there feel the most blatantly marginalized in school, on the job and in the streets. Perhaps because they are truly minorities in those areas, they stand out more. Positive Difference Some of the focus group participants spoke fondly of teachers, regardless of ethnicity, who had made a positive difference in their lives. They had gone out of their way to be helpful and encouraging. They’d devised structured interventions, such as GED opportunities and other educational programs for at-risk minority youth, which succeeded in putting students on

track to finish high school and move on to college. “Throughout our nation’s history, children of immigrants have served as a bridge between sacrifice and success. While Latino teenagers are optimistic about their future and recognize that hard work is the key to achievement, they are coming of age at a time when the national discourse is immersed in anti-immigrant and anti-Hispanic sentiment. This is reflected in their daily lives, in school and in their neighborhoods, and it is detrimental to them and our nation as a whole,” noted Eric Rodríguez, La Raza vice president. Changing the Tone The study underscores the need to change the tone of public discourse about the role of immigrants and Hispanics in U.S. society. Structural perceptions that contribute to stereotyping and discrimination within our institutions have to change. Policies should be established to build social cohesion and support. Rodríguez eloquently noted, in issuing the report, “Latino adolescents want to do the best they can to follow their dreams and contribute to our nation. Listening to what they have to say about their lives and their hopes and fears for the future is pivotal to envisioning better policies and programs that will allow these youth – our future workers, voters and leaders – to thrive.” Political Possibilities Speaking Out provides insight into the environment and formative experiences that are shaping the attitudes and beliefs of this next generation of Americans. Their numbers are not insignificant; they represent hundreds of thousands of potential new voters. Their growing sophistication leads one to believe they will be active participants in the nation’s political cauldron. To be specific, there are 16 million Latino youth in the U.S. That represents more than 22 percent of the population under age 18. A significant cohort. Further, according to Democracia U.S.A.’s thoughtful analysis of U.S. Census data, 500,000 Hispanics will reach the voting age of 18 every year for the next 20 years. Any political party that ignores that does so at its peril. White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics During the 1980s, President George H. W. Bush devised and established a White House initiative to focus on enhancing educational opportunities for Hispanics. It became a yearly event and generated suggestions and strategies. Many were implemented; some were not. Every president since then, regardless of political affiliation, has held an annual signing at the White House while introducing new initiatives. A few months ago, President Obama signed the latest Executive Order “to renew and enhance educational excellence for Hispanics.” The goal continues the same – to better serve communities across the country by engaging them in the process of improving the education of Latino students. The latter represent a significant number: one of every five students in our nation’s schools is Hispanic. “This year’s Executive Order was predicated on data gathered under the auspices of the continuing Initiative in more than 100 community conversations across the country.” Among those consulted were parents, educators and community leaders from more than 30 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Many had participated for several years. In total, comments from more than 10,000 Americans on how to develop real solutions to the challenges confronting educational realities in the Hispanic community were considered. It is sometimes easy to become discouraged, to look at the glass as half empty and to ignore the progress that has been achieved since President George H. W. Bush’s initiative. But since his presidency, experts and community leaders from around

the country have been brought together annually to focus on Hispanic issues ranging from early childhood learning to higher education. Remembering the first themes of this column, let’s look on the bright side of reality. A Degree of Success These initiatives and others at the local level have indeed increased the number of Hispanic college students. Most, more than half, enter higher education at the community college level, at schools that are close by, inexpensive and student oriented. They have a good 100-year track record. Unfortunately, their dropout rate is far too high. But effective retention programs are in full force at many of those institutions. More Hispanics graduate every year. Very talented Hispanics, invariably those tagged by their parents, schools or colleges themselves early on, frequently go directly to four-year colleges. Some receive very substantial scholarships. During ninth grade, students should begin to explore scholarship opportunities. Two that seek to help talented students are the Bill & Melinda Gates and Jack Kent Cooke foundations. There is a lure to attend highly regarded and expensive Ivy League colleges. And that’s fine. But are they really worth the vastly higher tuition and fees? Which Graduate Is More Attractive in Today’s Job Market? A recent survey has bolstered the growing argument that private elite colleges are not as desirable as they once were. U.S. companies are increasingly recruiting from large state schools over private elite institutions, according to a Wall Street Journal survey of recruiting executives in nearly 30 industries, including finance, consulting, marketing and technology. State schools have an expansive population of graduates. They’re easier to tap for talent, as graduates of top public institutions tend to be among the best prepared and fit well with their corporate cultures, according to The Journal. That’s good news, for college tuition has outpaced Americans’ ability to pay it. The Economist reported earlier that median household incomes grew 6.5 percent in the past 40 years but the cost of attending a state school rose 15 percent for in-state students and 24 percent for out-of-state students. The cost of private colleges rose by roughly the same rate or less, but their tuition remains out of reach for many families. One year at a private four-year university averaged $35,636 in 2009-10, according to the College Board. In-state tuition and fees at public four-year institutions averaged far less, at $7,020, while out-of-state averaged $18,548. Graduates of elite schools might argue that they’re more likely to earn higher incomes upon graduation, but research proves that’s not the case. In a study featured at the National Bureau of Economic Research, selectivity of schools generally had little effect on incomes once other factors, such as SAT scores, were taken into account. In other words, students with the same test score would earn roughly the same income, regardless of the school they attended. So apply if you can – but don’t think it is your only option – or even your best one. One last warning. An unpleasant trend is the increasing number of students who become overburdened with student loans. Too many take on too much debt. It is not surprising that an increasing number of graduates are defaulting on their student loans, which in some cases can be excessive and oppressive. Dr. Mellander was a university administrator for 15 years and a college president for 20.

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WSA Program Proving that Children Born into Poverty Can Succeed Academically

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by Thomas G. Dolan Washington State Achievers (WSA) program, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is based on the premise that every student in the United States deserves the chance to go to college. Most U.S. high school students want to attend college. They recognize that higher education is the most direct path to success in their future careers. College also provides opportunities to explore talents and develop leadership skills they can use to participate more fully in adult life – at home, at work and in their communities. The problem is that millions of students can’t afford the tuition. The Gates Foundation estimates that between 2005 and 2016 nearly 4.5 million students won’t pursue higher education because of cost. Low-income students and those of color are particularly hard hit. Only one in 10 low-income students can expect to graduate from college. And disproportionately fewer students of color earn bachelor’s degrees. This is not due to a lack of talent but rather the high costs of tuition, plus the fact that many graduate from high school without the skills they need to succeed in college. They also lack guidance on how to choose a school, apply for admission, and fill out financial aid forms. The Gates Foundation promises to help more than 27,000 low-income students get to college by 2016. The Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) provided extensive summaries of multiple studies conducted on the WSA program. “Research showed that pre-college interventions are needed to touch on all barriers facing lowincome students when they attempt to obtain a baccalaureate degree,” says Greg Kienzl, Ph.D., IHEP’s director of research and evaluation. “For example, the WSA’s high school reform component includes decreasing class size, creating a personalized learning environment and adjusting teaching styles and curricular requirements.” These were criteria for schools wanting to become recipients of the program; and the adoption of these components, Kienzl says, “all led to improvements in the number of students ready for college.” The WSA program began with 10 cohorts, each one with 500 students from 16 schools,

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covering 10 years of giving, finishing this June. The grants in the WSA program amounted to close to $130 million to 16 schools in 13 districts. A newer and similar program has been initiated in Washington, D.C., but this time focused on six high schools in a single district, the funding here about $160 million. As a strikingly dramatic illustration of the success of the Gates program, we turn to the Mabton School District in Mabton, Wash. Sandra Pasiero-Davis, who recently retired after six years as district superintendent, describes Mabton as a small rural farming community in Eastern Washington. “There is nothing here but agriculture, and over 90 percent of our community is Hispanic,” she explains. “And we have a variety of Hispanic populations, for Hispanic does not mean just one thing.”

Davis says. “The notion that a teacher can work all summer evolving lesson plans that can be used is a myth. It’s not going to happen. For all that preparation is for a mythical being who will not show up in the classroom on that first day.” Moreover, there is the additional challenge in that the teachers are predominantly White middle class. “Teachers have to develop not only the competencies to design lessons to meet the students’ needs, they also have to gain the cultural skills to see the strengths and assets the students bring, and not their weaknesses.” Much of the Gates money was used to develop the teachers’ professional skills in this regard. And both administrators and teachers spend considerable amounts of time evolving strategies that are effective. “One of the things we do is have an early dismissal every Friday, so we can sit down with the

Attending the school are children of migratory parents of one to three generations back who have settled in that community. There are other children of parents who are still migratory workers, but who have settled in Mabton as a home base. Some students are offspring of non-English-speaking parents; these children speak Spanish at home and English at school. Some children do not speak Spanish even though they are of Hispanic ethnicity. There is a small population of students who do not speak English. A few children are White, and a smaller number are Native American. Not surprisingly, this diversity presented many challenges. “One of the problems we struggled with along the way is that teachers don’t come out of college prepared for this huge range of diversity in the classroom,” Pasiero-

teaching staff and have a critical discussion. We gather data, some of it academic and numeric, some of it perceptual and qualitative, and some of it teacher experience,” Pasiero-Davis continues. “We add it all together and ask pointed questions. What do we know? What are we missing? What can we do, and who do we need to help us? We develop our own strengths, as well as those of our teachers, so they become collaborators, rather than being isolated and feeling they have to wing it on their own. It’s a very powerful process.” Asked whether things went relatively smoothly or there were many ups and downs, PasieroDavis laughs and quips, “Oh, it was all smooth sailing.” But then she adds, “Yes, there were ups and downs. But initially, we had a very simple

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theory, namely, that to help our high school students become college ready, they should have a strong relationship with their teachers, coaches and administrators. For those students who had such a relationship would tend to do better than those who did not.” Another theory put into practice, continues Pasiero-Davis, “and this is counter-intuitive, that instead of relaxing our standards to adjust to the special challenges our students faced, we instead increased the academic rigor. For we felt this is what is necessary to develop the attitude and skills they needed to persist in college.” So developing teacher skills at the same time as increasing the standards for students turned out to be a winning combination, Pasiero-Davis says. “The Gates funding eliminated the economic barrier,” she continues. “Most of our students are on free or reduced lunch cost programs, for most of the families live in poverty.” Still, success was not automatic. “As we traveled through the years, we discovered that differentiation in teaching is essential,” Pasiero-Davis says. “When a teacher takes on a classroom of students, some of the students have reading skills that exceed grade level, some are at grade level, and some are below. Whether you’re teaching history or science or math, if you can’t accommodate all of your students, you automatically stop a percentage from being successful. The children here who exceed grade level would be uncommonly bored if the teacher went down the middle, and the slower students would be blocked out altogether.” This is not an unusual problem, even in conventional middle-class schools, but is exacerbated in a school with as much diversity as Mabton. Moreover, that school does not have the luxury of dividing students into three different classes of average, slow and advanced. “We’re a small school,” Pasiero-Davis says. “We can’t have three science teachers for the same class,” says Pasiero-Davis. “So we began working on how teachers could have the same learning target, but have a different path for the different students,” she explains. “For instance, if I’m teaching a science class and I want to understand the dynamics of digestion from the time we eat until the body is done with it, there’s a lot of scientific language the student needs to know.” What this means, she says, is that the advanced students are taught the vocabulary with a minimum of effort and then are sent off on independent projects. The struggling students are given a more intense focus on the technical terms, not on simple equivalents, and the middle student will be related to as needed.

Asked for a specific example of a specific seemingly intractable problem that’s been solved, Pasiero-Davis replies, “These problems go across a vast spectrum, but one of the most dramatic and easiest to talk about is the migratory child who does not speak English. “So what will most high school English teachers say when faced with such a child? ‘We can’t do anything with this kid because he can’t read the books?’” This can be very short-sighted, Pasiero-Davis says, but what another teacher, who is Spanishliterate, might suggest, is assigning that student an equivalent work in Spanish. “The student can read a like work of literature in Spanish, for the learning objectives are the same, the appreciation of the genre and the author’s intent, plot and character development. These are not restricted to English literature.” One of the problems associated with idealistic philanthropic programs such as those offered by the Gates Foundation is that, says Pasiero-Davis, “It seems you throw money at apparently intractable social conditions such as people of color living in poverty, and that, as soon as the money dries up, you’re right back where you started.” Facing this issue, Pasiero-Davis says, is “that though this was originally seen as a program for high school students, it soon became clear that we have to change our culture, to raise the expectations for all our students, from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. Moreover, this had to be one of the goals of our board of directors, and it had to have the dedication of all our teachers and staff. This was the toughest nut to crack.” However, gradually all aspects of the school did buy into this entire change of attitude. Perhaps even more significantly, the parents have too. The farming families in this area have traditionally regarded all of their children as a part of their work unit. Some cropping the students can do during periods not interfering with school. But other times there is a direct conflict. “The parents have come to sacrifice their children as economic assets in exchange for their academic progress. This is a huge sacrifice,” says Pasiero-Davis. The result, she continues, is that, after submitting to the Gates Foundation guidelines for reducing student-teacher ratios, paying for teacher professional development skills, the use of appropriate technology, and so on, along with the changes the school has implemented on its own, is that, “after 10 years of practicing it this way, we now believe this is the way we’ve always done it. Even after the money has expired, from the student body pre-K through senior year, teachers, administrators, parents, up and down the line, we expect these kids to go to college.”

The result, says Pasiero-Davis,” is that now an astounding 80 percent of the students go to college.” But this is not yet a totally happy ending. “The problem then is students staying in college,” Pasiero-Davis says. “But this is a problem for everybody. The Gates Foundation does keep longevity data on kids, but I don’t have those numbers in front of me. Students drop out of college from this community as well as everywhere else. There are too many life pressures, and especially if students come from a family-oriented culture, they often miss the social and moral support. Nevertheless, we have some 30 to 40 percent of those who start college graduate from a four-year college. This is about as good as if not slightly better than the national average.” What happens to students once they leave Mabton is beyond the school’s control, however. And Pasiero-Davis believes the core overriding problem “is the way we fund our schools. For if we believe we want a college-oriented culture, then we have to have a budget to respect that, or we’re kidding ourselves. There has to be a reciprocity between the notion embedded in our culture that all kids can go to college, and our leadership. If this is what we believe in, this is how we should pay for it.” In view of the fact that Mabton developed this pro-college expectation that will continue even though the Gates money has run out, the question is whether Bill and Melinda Gates had something like this in mind at the start? Or were they simply experimenting? “Rather than an experiment, this was a demonstration project,” answers Pasiero-Davis. “It set out to debunk the myth that children of color born into poverty could not succeed.” In other words, the Mabton school and community is a stunning illustration of just what the Gateses intended. But now what? Pasiero-Davis believes both the government and the worlds of business and industry, all partnered with each other, should learn the lessons demonstrated by the Gateses, and continue the process. But until and if that happens, how is Mabton going to sustain its new college-oriented culture and maintain high standards with state money shrunken or disappeared and no new programs such as that of Gates coming to the fore? “We’re dedicated,” Pasiero-Davis responds. “We love these children,” and many “are still trying to climb the ladder, even with so many of the rungs missing. The fact that the money goes away does not represent an absolute. You don’t have to go back to the default mode. You always have a choice.”

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