12/19/2011 The Law and Legal Issues.

DECEMBER 19, 2011

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VOLUME 22 • NUMBER 06

Also available in Digital Format

American Constitution Society

Immigration Law – Hot Topic

President of National Bar Association

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® Editorial Board Publisher – José López-Isa Vice President & Chief Operating Officer – Orlando López-Isa

Ricardo Fernández, President Lehman College Mildred García, President

Editor – Adalyn Hixson Executive & Managing Editor – Suzanne López-Isa News Desk & Copy Editor – Jason Paneque Special Project Editor – Mary Ann Cooper

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Lydia Ledesma-Reese, Educ. Consultant Ventura County Community College District

DC Congressional Correspondent – Peggy Sands Orchowski

Gustavo A. Mellander, Dean Emeritus George Mason University

Contributing Editors – Carlos D. Conde Michelle Adam Online Contributing Writers – Gustavo A. Mellander

Loui Olivas,Assistant VP Academic Affairs Arizona State University Eduardo Padrón, President Miami Dade College Antonio Pérez, President

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Editorial Policy

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®.

Article Contributors Frank DiMaria, Marilyn Gilroy, Paul Hoogeveen, Debra Johanyak, Miquela Rivera, Rose Anna Santos, Jeff Simmons, Gary M. Stern

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Esquina E ditorial

W

elcome to our annual Law School issue, featuring institutions, lawyers, law organizations and legal issues of particular interest to Hispanics.

Last month, President Obama nominated Gonzalo P. Curiel to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. District courts are where most federal cases, civil and criminal, begin and end. Curiel was recommended by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., who described him as “a widely respected Superior Court Judge” experienced “as a federal prosecutor handling tough criminal cases.” That experience included leading a unit that successfully extradited and prosecuted members and assassins of the Arellano-Felix drug cartel,” based in Tijuana and considered extremely violent. The judge earned a bachelor’s and J.D. from Indiana University. A bipartisan committee approved his nomination, which awaits a Senate nod.

In mid-October, Boxer and Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., contacted the U.S. Department of Education to try to get law schools to be more transparent about their operations and their graduates. Several alums are suing their law schools, claiming incorrect employment information was used to boost enrollment.

We’re seeing considerable media coverage of state-based anti-immigrant legislation, including that of Alabama, Arizona, Indiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Georgia. Many Hispanics are abandoning these unwelcoming states, depopulating towns and leaving farmers to watch their crops die for lack of a harvest crew. Farmers talking with Brian Williams of NBC recently were angry with their legislators, dubious that non-Hispanics would be found to do the backbreaking work and left wondering what crops they can plant down the road that require the least effort.

Let us hope that wise heads and hearts prevail before additional harm is done to our communities and to hardworking Hispanic families. ¡Adelante!

Suzanne López-Isa Managing Editor

New Y York ork Law w School Diversity ity in Action

Founded in 1891, New YYork ork Law w School is one of the oldest independent pendent law schools in the United States. Located near the centers ters of law law,, government, finance, and nd a thriving cultural and artistic community in Manhattan’s Manhattan’s TriBeCa TriBeCa r district, New YYork ork Law School hool enrolls 1,750 students in its day and evening divisions—35 35 percent of whom identify as students udents of color Take color.. “Learn law law.. Take action” describes our approach ach to legal education: a scholarly yet activist faculty faculty,, and the Law School’ss demonstrated commitment School’ mitment to the belief that law can bee used to change the world.

185 W est Broadway, Broadway, New York, Yorrk, NY 10013-2921 | T 212.431.2888 88 | E admissions@nyls.edu West

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www .nyls.edu s.edu www.nyls.edu

by Carlos D. Conde

LATINO KALEIDOSCOPE

The Amalgamated Road to Social Parity

T

his fall, I went home for a mini high school reunion that we now hold every year.

I suppose it’s because the survivors of the class of ’55 are growing older and yearn for those yesteryears and friends and classmates that we can’t seem to let go.

At this reunion, held at a classmate’s home, I was struck by the ardency of our group, about half Latino and half Anglo, as I watched them embracing and air kissing their greetings and later engaging in animated conversations.

Over the weekend, we laughed, played cards, reminisced about our salad days and recounted once again our life’s trajectory and promised that, God willing, we’d see each other again next year.

I loved it, and I loved all my attending classmates of whatever hue and wondered why it had taken so long to reach this social amalgamation.

Participating in the fraternal socializing led me to thinking how far we have come since then in race relations or, better defined, cultural relations. In those days, there were no Blacks in our schools, only Mexican-Americans and Anglos, and social apartheid was still the norm.

Now, this affectionate gathering had an honest sincerity that could have suggested this was the way it had always been.

It wasn’t. I suppose this was inevitable based simply on the fact that time marches on, and in the process, so does our sociocultural maturity and rekindling.

Back then, Anglos lived on one side of town, and we lived on the other side, characteristically divided by the railroad tracks that traversed our small border-town community.

We went to our own churches, patronized our own businesses, had our own entertainment hangouts and, in general, stuck to our own kind either by social fiat or self-segregation.

Growing up in my community where, incongruously, I happened to be a BMOC (Big Man On Campus) perhaps because of my athletic abilities – very important in high school days – and my knack for peer involvement, aka student politics – I and my fellow Latino scholars practiced separate but equal involvement from high school assemblies to prom dances.

We gathered during our free periods on one side of the campus and in student meetings sat on our personally designated Mexican side of the auditorium and woe be unto anyone who violated this unwritten rule of intermingling.

We didn’t think it was discrimination by either side. It was just the way it was and, frankly, the way many of us preferred.

During my entire upbringing in this small community, and despite whatever peer and scholastic prominence I might have achieved, I was not once invited in those days to an Anglo social function or ever stepped into any of my White schoolmates’ homes.

Not that I left my hometown yearning for this – or that now I’m vengeful about it. On the contrary, I salute the advent of a new age where that type of bifurcated American society has been discarded.

Supposedly, all this is now happily behind us and, as our class reunion showed, we have become a truly integrated community where we show honest, warm feelings for each other and common interests that always

existed but many times could not be mutually shared or exposed.

Yet, though I say that our social or racial bias is becoming passe, there still remain remnants of ethnic discrimination, currently being played out by the illegal immigrant issue, mostly Latinos and largely Mexican concentrations, in areas once spared this problem.

There’s a xenophobia gripping parts of the country like Arizona, South Carolina and Georgia, to name a few, that have targeted predominately Mexicans as the illegal prey.

It has brought a bewildering array of policies, politics and legal challenges between local jurisdictions, state governments and the federal government, aimed at the Latino diaspora.

The Obama administration has led a litany of failed attempts to resolve the issues and, in the eyes of many, has exacerbated the problem with “yes-we-will,” “noyou-can’t” or “no-we-won’t” policies.

When some of the border and southern states demanded the tide be stemmed, the Obamanites stepped up enforcement and bragged about their growing interdiction numbers.

The state governments didn’t think it was enough and stepped in with their own enforcement policies.

The Justice Department and Homeland Security said it went too far, first threatening and then undertaking legal action; the latter agency modifying its enforcement tactics, making them more benevolent and less interdictory.

The states ignored the federal government threats and bullying and dared it to challenge them, which it did when the states and local entities took action on their own.

Now it has become a political fireball that won’t be settled anytime soon. The main victim once again is the Latino population, legal or not, which is enduring some of the ethnic discrimination we thought we left behind.

Latinos have left town in some southern states because of racial and job persecution while they hopefully await a resolution of this ad nauseam problem. But it’s likely to be a while before it’s settled.

They are not the only ones affected. Many communities, mostly the business and agricultural enterprises that depend on these Latinos as labor and commercial sources, are also experiencing the downside of these mutilated policies.

Today’s immigration experience, affecting mostly Latinos, is nothing new in this country. It has been grappling with immigration since its founding when it limited naturalization to immigrants who were “free White persons” of “good moral character.”

Wops, Kikes, Towel Heads, Chinks – they have all come up for their share of legal and social discrimination, but that’s too long ago for most of us to relate to their problems.

Right now, it’s Latinos and a sort of “Back to the Future” for some. I’d like to say that, happily, I’m beyond that now.

L K

A T I N O

A L E I D O S C O P E

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® DECEMBER 19, 2011

CONTENTS Top Law Schools for Hispanics by Mary Ann Cooper

Top

Law Schools for Hispanics

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American Constitution Society Pursuing Hispanic Interests and Issues by Debra Johanyak

10

Immigration Law Is Hot Topic at Law Schools

13

by Marilyn Gilroy

Latinas Blazing Trails in the House by Jeff Simmons

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“LawRoom” Solutions Help Universities Stay Legally Compliant by Frank DiMaria

22

Williams Institute, UCLA, Celebrates 10th Anniversary by Michelle Adam

26

Meet Benny Agosto, President, Hispanic National Bar Association by Paul Hoogeveen

29

Alberto Muñoz: From Sweatshops to USC Law

32

Page 8

by Gary M. Stern

Online Articles Some of the above articles will also be available online; go to our website: www.HispanicOutlook.com.

Page 13

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DEPARTMENTS Latino Kaleidoscope

5

by Carlos D. Conde

The Amalgamated Road to Social Parity

Scholars’ Corner

Uncensored

12

by Rose Anna Santos

by Peggy Sands Orchowski

Interesting Reads

21

Book Review

by Mary Ann Cooper

25

Hispanics on the Move

31

25

The Book of Want

Hi gh Sch o ol F or um

Page 26

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High School Board Exams: New Life or More of the Same for Public Education? by Mary Ann Cooper

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

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Targeting Higher Education Legal Opportunities for Hispanics

by Gustavo A. Mellander (Online only)

Priming the Pump...

by Miquela Rivera

Civic Involvement and Service Learning Help Latino Students Prepare for Higher Education

Back Cover Page 29

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

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RANKINGS/LAW SCHOOLS

Top Law Schools for Hispanics E

by Mary Ann Cooper

ach year, The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine reports on law schools conferring the most degrees on Hispanics. Our information is based on National Center for Education (NCES) statistics. This year, we are presenting data on the top schools granting doctoral degrees in law in the category of professional practice in 2010 – one of three doctoral categories NCES has established for law degrees.

Florida schools dominate not only the top five positions on this list, but they also have the most schools represented on the list. California and Texas schools are also prominent. These three states combined for 16 of the 28 schools on the list. We are citing 28 schools instead of 25 because DePaul University (Ill.), Emory University (Ga.), Rutgers University-Newark (N.J.) and the University of California-Berkeley all tied for 25th place.

Leading the top 28 schools in conferring the most degrees on Hispanic law students is Saint Thomas University in Florida. Florida International University (FIU) places second, and the University of Texas (UT)-Austin placed third. St. Mary’s University (Texas) was fourth, and a third Florida school, the University of Miami, placed fifth. Florida International University also has the distinction of having the highest percentage of Hispanics receiving law degrees on the list, 46 percent, followed by Saint Thomas University at 34 percent.

The top 28 schools are located in 10 states – Texas, Florida, New York, California, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New Jersey, Georgia, Illinois and Michigan – and the District of Columbia. Four dominate the list. Florida has six schools on the list; California and Texas, five each; New York, four; the District of Columbia, two; and Massachusetts, New Mexico, New Jersey, Georgia, Illinois and Michigan, one each. At 19 of the top 28, Hispanic women received more degrees than Hispanic men. Hispanic men outnumbered women in the remaining nine. Here’s a snapshot of the top three schools on the list and what makes them standouts for Hispanic law students.

Saint Thomas University School of Law The St. Thomas University School of Law was founded in 1984. Located on the main campus of the university, it includes a multilevel library, moot court amphitheater, faculty and administrative offices, computer lab, and classrooms and offices for student organizations. The School of Law is fully accredited by the American Bar Association and a member of the Association of American Law Schools.

Here are some statistics that set Saint Thomas School of Law apart from other schools with high numbers of Hispanic degree recipients. It has ranked fifth in two categories in the Princeton Review’s Best 174 Law Schools: Best Environment for Minority Students and Most Competitive Students (2010 edition). The school has also ranked first in total Hispanic enrollment and fifth in Spanish Heritage enrollment, according to the American Bar Association’s Official 2006 Guide to ABAApproved Law Schools. It offers many unique advanced degree programs, including an LL.M. and J.S.D. in intercultural human rights. Its Joint Degree programs include not only the traditional J.D./M.B.A. but also a J.D./M.A. in marriage and family counseling and J.D./M.S. and J.D./M.B.A. in sports administration. Its DiplomacyMonitor.com Web service utilizes new technology to provide a unique research resource for international law practitioners, scholars, diplomats, journalists and other Internet users around the world. Saint Thomas also benefits from its location in Miami, an international gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean, and a center of global commercial, financial and cultural activity.

Florida International University College of Law FIU is the state’s research university in South Florida, known for its diverse student population from more than Florida International University 156 foreign countries. FIU’s College of Law research programs attracted more than $111 million in external support in 2008-09. The mission of the FIU College of Law is to serve the citizens of the state of Florida, particularly South Florida, by providing access to the legal profession. Students are required to satisfy a community service requirement, and the College of Law offers clinical legal education programs in which students represent indigent clients. It has the honor of being South Florida’s only public law school.

The College of Law welcomed its first class in fall 2002. Its student body and faculty are among the most diverse in the nation, and it is consistently among the top in the state in the pass rate for the bar exam, outranking many longstanding Florida law schools. Like Saint Thomas University Law School, the FIU College of Law academic program takes special advantage of its Miami location and the opportunities it provides to train students in the global legal perspectives driving the practice of law in the 21st century.

University of Texas-Austin School of Law Minorities comprise 30 percent of the UT Law School student body, and this number has remained constant for the past seven years. It has produced more Hispanic and African-American graduates combined than any other law school in the United States, with the exception of the historically black colleges such as Howard University. The school boasts 1,868 Hispanic alumni, 791 African-American alumni, 503 Asian-American alumni, and 59 Native American alumni. Over the years, these graduates have included a cabinet secretary, nine federal judges, mayors of the two largest cities in Texas, many

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Legal Professions and Studies Doctoral Degree 2010 1. Saint Thomas University

2. Florida International University

3. The University of Texas at Austin 4. St. Mary’s University 5. University of Miami

6. American University 7. Fordham University

8. (Tie) George Washington University Nova Southeastern University

10. Thomas Jefferson School of Law 11. University of Florida

12. Thomas M. Cooley Law School 13. Loyola Marymount University 14. Stetson University

15. University of the Pacific

16. (Tie) South Texas College of Law Texas Tech University

18. (Tie) New York Law School New York University

University of Houston

University of New Mexico-Main Campus

22. Hofstra University

State

Grand Total

Total

FL

144

66

FL

TX

TX FL

DC NY

DC FL

CA FL MI

CA FL

CA TX

TX

NY

NY TX

NM NY

206

70

398

63

236

57

462

55

476

54

491

50

507

46

295

46

257

44

377

42

955

41

391

40

349

37

306

37

373

35

212

35

481

34

497

34

296

34

111

34

347

33

Hispanic Men Women 29

41

34%

38

25

16%

30

25 20

20

27

26

17 17

17

20

17

20

16 23

16

12

16

15

18

13

23. University of California Hastings College of Law

CA

421

32

15

25. (Tie) DePaul University

IL

287

30

10

24. Harvard University Emory University

Rutgers University Newark

University of California, Berkeley

MA GA

NJ

CA

589

31

255

30

258

30

296

30

%

17

17

17

9

36

32 35

34

46%

24% 12%

11%

23

10%

29

16%

25

11%

20

27

21

9%

17%

4%

23

10%

21

12%

19

17%

18

7%

17

12

22

19

11% 9% 7%

11%

16

31%

17

8%

20 14

10%

5%

20

10%

13

12%

13

21

12%

10%

Data limited to 2010 Doctoral degree - professional practice. These data are derived from various lists compiled by NCES and its IPEDS data system. NCES has created a new data-gathering system. Because of the new system, not all schools are on every data list. Last year, schools were given two years to comply with the new NCES data-gathering system. The Hispanic Outlook has compiled all available data from all NCES lists to give as fair representation as possible to all institutions during this transition.

UT-Austin

Texas Supreme Court Justices – including the current Chief Justice of that court – and numerous leaders of the bar, business and government.

Beyond racial inclusion, UT Law also boasts a commitment to encouraging and supporting a broad range of student interests and concerns. Its student organizations include OUTLaw – a student organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered students and their allies, the Women’s Law Caucus, the Christian Legal Society, and the Middle Eastern Law Students’ Association as well as the Benjamin Cardozo Jewish Legal Society, the Federalist Society, and the National Lawyers Guild. Racial minority groups include the Chicano/Hispanic Law Students Association, the Thurgood Marshall Legal Society, and the Asian Law Students Association.

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Pursuing

ORGANIZATIONS

As

by Debra Johanyak

students prepare to finish high school or graduate from college, they look to the pillars of society for guidance and careers. One of those pillars is the U.S. government, with numerous branches and offices dedicated to making and enforcing policies, laws and rules that impact every resident in the nation.

What legal issues impact the Hispanic community today? How are these being addressed?

An important group influencing legal matters around the country and the world is the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy (ACS), a progressive legal organization founded on U.S. constitutional values of individual freedoms and rights, with justice for all. Started in 2001 at Georgetown Law Center by law professor Peter J. Rubin, the organization is centered in Washington, D.C., with 16,000 paid members, 182 student chapters in the law schools of 47 states, and 32 lawyer chapters, as well as other supporters, according to its website.

Among its numerous activities designed to stimulate debate, encourage networking and promote mentoring, ACS hosts an annual conference at which conservatives and progressives meet to debate a spectrum of public policy issues. Political and legal leaders such as Joe Biden, Al Gore, Barney Frank, Jesse Jackson Jr., Hillary Clinton and Eric Holder and a host of others have participated in various events. ACS events and initiatives are therefore subscribed to by high-ranking government leaders who have held strategic offices in recent years.

How does ACS operate? The website of the American University Washington College of Law indicates that ACS “promotes the vitality of the U.S. Constitution and the fundamental values it expresses: individual rights and liberties, genuine equality, access to justice, democracy and the rule of law” (www.wcl.american.edu/ org/acs/). The American Constitution Society supports the belief that law can help to improve people’s lives, and the organization is committed to exploring pertinent legal issues in the government, in education, and in public venues.

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Increasingly, the American Constitution Society strives for inclusivity in a number of media programs offering leaders from diverse constituencies the opportunity to share unique perspectives.

Several events over the past year feature or include notable Hispanic leaders in international or national government and legal roles.

Speaker Series Recently, a new speaker program at ACS was initiated to introduce important international officials addressing global issues, in venues open to organizational members and, often, the public at large. On Oct. 13, at the Washington College of Law, Diego López Garrido, secretary of state for the European Union of the Government of Spain, spoke on “The European Management of the Economic Crisis,” from Spain’s perspective.

The Path to the Bench On the national front, ACS hosted several informational programs for lawyers and law students about the process for becoming a judge.

“The Path to the Federal Bench,” presented in May, featured Chief Judge Theodore A. McKee, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and the Honorable Judge Albert Díaz, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. This event was moderated by Caroline Fredrickson, American Constitution Society executive director, and cosponsored by the Hispanic National Bar Association, Justice at Stake, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, National Association of Women Judges, National Bar Association, National Congress of American Indians, and National LGBT Bar Association.

Díaz explained that he began his legal career during his military service, when he found mentors who helped him discover his passion for law. His legal career commenced in the military, and he later moved into the state court legal system in North Carolina before, eventually, becoming a federal judge. Díaz recommends three critical steps for law students and attorneys who are considering becoming a judge. First, he suggests

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building a solid reputation in the legal field as a competent lawyer, beginning on Day One. Establishing a professional practice will catch the attention of others in the industry.

He also urges interested persons to make connections with local and state bar associations to become familiar with core issues and to meet relevant officials who deal with integral processes. These connections can help a person connect to broader knowledge bases and become involved in wider legal issues.

Finally, Díaz feels it is important to find mentors who can help youth and young professionals pursue a successful career path. Díaz stated that the value of diversity on the bench is that it promotes legitimacy in all branches of government, which exists to serve all members of society.

Diversity in the legal system encourages minorities to believe they will get a fair and equal hearing. Diverse leaders can also mentor youth who might be struggling with choosing a career or even avoiding trouble. Ultimately, diversity or its lack plays a significant role in our legal system.

Increasing Diversity in Government Positions ACS periodically publishes blog posts, issue briefs, or other documents commenting on the current state of political events in our nation. It has pointed out that President Obama has done more than other recent U.S. presidents to nominate officials from diverse backgrounds for government positions. For example, Justice Sonia Sotomayor was the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice nominated by Obama, along with several more judiciary nominations. Recently, Obama nominated Adalberto José Jordan for a position on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.

Caroline Fredrickson points out that “Obama is nominating many more diverse nominees than his predecessors ... strikingly so ... But the nominees are not getting confirmed with the same kind of success.” (www.npr.org/2011/ 08/04/138903866/obama-gets-high-marks-fordiversifying-the-bench)

Hispanic Interests and Issues The door is opening for greater numbers of minorities to serve in government positions, more than ever before. Hopefully, confirmations will increase proportionately, and the ACS is one of the influential groups that continue to monitor this evolving development.

Film Screening A Class Among Men, a recent film, tells the true story of Mexican-American lawyers defending a Mexican-American convicted of murder in a county that hadn’t included a MexicanAmerican on a jury for 25 years. The lawyers, who included Gustavo C. García, Carlos Cadena, James deAnda, Cris Aldrete, and John J. Herrera, took Hernandez v. Texas to the Supreme Court and won when the court declared that 14th Amendment rights applied to groups beyond the racial groups of White and Black.

In legal controversies such as this and others, activists have used civil rights measures to pursue equity and freedom for Hispanic communities. Their stories are being shared via film in popular media. The American Constitution Society sponsored several screenings of A Class Among Men around the nation to promote awareness of this important cause.

Postings and Publication on Immigration Laws The American Constitution Society takes an active role in disseminating information about new and recent immigration rulings, and publications or presentations about them.

A blog post in May 2010 titled “ABA Conference in Ariz. Draws Calls for Boycott” drew attention to an American Bar Association conference in Phoenix, Ariz., which aroused controversy over a new law criminalizing undocumented immigrants. Many prospective attendees withdrew support, boycotting business with and travel to Arizona, as reported by The New York Law Journal. “The boycotts come in reaction to an Arizona law enacted last month that makes it ille-

gal not to carry immigration documents and gives police authority to detain anyone on the basis of ‘reasonable suspicion/ that a person is in the country illegally ... Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice (and Arizona state legislator) Sandra Day O’Connor spoke in San Francisco recently and joined other constitutional law experts in casting doubt on the law’s constitutionality.”

In March of this year, an issue brief titled Born Under the Constitution: Why Recent Attacks on Birthright Citizenship Are Unfounded was published. The brief, by Elizabeth Wydra, chief counsel of the Constitutional Accountability Center, examines legislative history to reveal the goal of Reconstruction Framers to provide U.S. citizenship based on U.S. birth, as opposed to other measures.

Programming on immigration concerns included a May event, hosted by the ACS, titled “Truth and Consequences: The Impact of Repealing ‘Birthright Citizenship.’” ACS continues to foster conversations and debate about immigration issues that affect the population at large and, increasingly, Hispanic residents.

In September, a video interview, “We Are Not a Country Club: Professor Kinkopf on the U.S. Commitment to Birthright Citizenship,” was posted on the ACS website as part of an ACS Constitution Week Symposium by Nicole Flatow, associate director of communications. Georgia State University law professor Neil Kinkopf told ACS blog that attempts to undo the constitutional guarantee that those born in the United States are citizens are “flatly and incontrovertibly unconstitutional and completely at odds with our constitutional history.” Kinkopf expounds on the history of U.S. birthright citizenship, emphasizing that the common law notion is that every person born in the U.S. is a citizen. “That understanding was upset in the worst decision in the history of the Supreme Court, Dred Scott, when Chief Justice Taney ruled that descendants of Africans cannot be citizens and cannot have rights that a White person is bound to respect. It was the rejection of Dred Scott that led to the

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adoption of the Fourteenth Amendment,” the first sentence of which expressly puts birthright citizenship into the Constitution. “It’s a fundamental commitment of our nation. It constitutes us as a people – that we are not a country club, that everyone who’s born here is a citizen of the United States, and that our government cannot distinguish among us.”

No Exception to the Rule: The Unconstitutionality of State Immigration Enforcement Laws is the title of an issue brief authored by Pratheepan Gulasekaram, assistant professor of law at Santa Clara University School of Law, published Oct. 3, 2011. Gulasekaram believes that the Supreme Court will necessarily review the constitutionality of Arizona immigration law SB 1070.

Gulasekaram claims that both supporters and detractors of immigration state laws concur that “U.S. immigration policy needs fixing.” He writes: “Migration has been, and always will be, a fact of human existence ... the United States relies on, and requires, significant migration to fill its economic needs in both high-skilled and labor sectors. Increased border vigilance and enforcement, combined with a mismatch between actual labor needs and lawful entry visas, has only led to increases in undocumented population, greater number of border deaths, and increases in human smuggling prices paid to cartels and coyotes. These are the hard and incontrovertible economic, social, and human facts.” (www.acslaw.org/publications/issuebriefs/no-exception-to-the-rule-the-unconstitutionality-of-state-immigration-enfo) Recent blog posts at the ACS website, including one on Oct. 5, discuss serious negative implications of new anti-immigration laws. Titled “Ala. Anti-Immigration Law Providing Example of Ill-Conceived Attempt at Reform,” blogger Jeremy Leaming points out that recent antiimmigration laws are taking a toll on families, while being difficult to enforce.

Comparing laws in Alabama and Arizona, he refers to a New York Times editorial by Josh

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Anderson, titled “Alabama’s Shame,” reporting that a federal judge’s upholding of the majority of the Alabama law led to an exile of Hispanic immigrants, after the Birmingham judge allowed state and local police to request immigration papers during traffic stops and required school officials to determine status of immigrant children upon registration. On the following Monday, 123 students had withdrawn from schools, with dozens of others not showing up. Local businesses lost customers and employees. Although older immigrants

had been granted amnesty under the 1986 immigration law, newer arrivals lack similar protection, resulting in many families leaving town, with a potentially critical shortage in the labor force. (www.nytimes.com/2011/10/04/us/after-rulinghispanics-flee-an-alabama-town.html?_r =2&ref=immigrationandemigration) Future events with a focus on Hispanic concerns include an upcoming Immigration Symposium in Atlanta in early 2012. The topic is “State vs. Federal Government: Who Should Regulate?”

The American Constitution Society is doing a great job of keeping constituent groups apprised of legal situations across the nation and around the world. With a sharp focus on current immigration issues as well as Hispanic achievements in the U.S. government, we can count on this organization to represent the best and worst of public policy concerning Hispanic interests.

Scholars’ Corner As the Latina/o community continues to grow, it is my duty as an academic to convey a narrative about my culture that is not normally heard in the mainstream media. While much focus centers on the educational deficits of the Latina/o population, I am interested in the topic of educational persistence. When students confront academic challenges, strategies may be used to overcome adversity in order to successfully persist in and complete postsecondary programs. As a doctoral student at Texas A&M University, I research how persistence is manifested in the experiences of Latina/o students.

Specifically, my current dissertation study examines the contributing factors of persistence among Latina doctoral students navigating their paths through higher education administration programs.

Previously, I conducted a fellowship study that focused on the literacy practices within Latino single-father households. I found la familia to be inherent in the support systems of the fathers in coping with the demands of challenging days and literacy activities in the home environment. To seek an asset approach to my dissertation study, I find myself reflecting positively on my personal journey and examining my own persistence strategies for progressing to the dissertation phase of my doctoral program. I find that my Latino familia acts as a major emotional support system.

Additionally, I have been fortunate to receive two research fellowships in which I was given tremendous scholarly opportunities and beneficial support from my grant advisor. Working as a full-time public school teacher, I interact daily with faculty and staff that I closely regard as mi familia in the workplace, as they offer me consistent support both in my work and academic endeavors. I also have sought mentorship from my dissertation chairs, professors and fellow colleagues.

In my journey to completing a master’s degree, I attended classes at Texas A&M University in my hometown of Corpus Christi, Texas. I was fortunate to have mi familia as a direct support system in confronting the demands of working as a full-time teacher while simultaneously taking on the rigor of graduate school. While a master’s student, I had the opportunity to take classes from a professor with whom I remain in touch, as she continues to mentor me.

As a 2011 American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE) Graduate Student Fellow, I had the opportunity to meet students, faculty and administrators who shared similar passions for studying higher education issues among the Latina/o population. I felt inspired to continue my own academic journey after engaging in conversations about research, challenges, goals and service to the Latina/o comunidad. Listening to the AAHHE fellows share their trials, tribulations and drive to persist in their doctoral programs was reaffirming that “Sí, se puede.” In the future, I aspire to obtain a faculty position, where I can teach at the higher education level and share my academic perspective with students from all backgrounds.

By Rose Anna Santos Ph.D. Student, Higher Education Administration Program, Texas A&M University, 2011 AAHHE Fellow

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LAW SCHOOLS

Immigration Law Is Hot Topic at Law Schools

As

by Marilyn Gilroy

immigration law makes headline news, it has become a hot topic at many law schools, which are offering related courses, concentrations or majors in this area.

With high-profile cases such as Padilla v. Kentucky and Flores-Villar v. U.S. landing in front of the Supreme Court, and challenges to the controversial Arizona immigration policy continuing, more law students are recognizing the need to hone their legal expertise in this field. Law schools also are expanding immigration clinics and publishing journals devoted to immigration law issues.

“Interest appears to be expanding,” said David Martin, program director for the immigration law program at the University of Virginia. “A decade ago, the usual enrollment for the basic immigration law course was roughly 40 per year, sometimes 50. This year, the course has 70 members, with several added from a waiting list.”

Martin and his colleague, Professor Kerry Abrams, teach a wide range of immigration law courses, which they say are expanding on a regular basis. They have added a three-hour course on refugee law and a threehour seminar on citizenship, in addition to an ongoing immigration clinical offering. Co-curricular activities also have increased, and attendance has risen at these events.

“Our immigration law program brings speakers on immigration subjects to campus,” said Abrams. “Our opening event several weeks ago, a lecture by the principal legal advisor for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), drew over 50 students, and a debate on the Arizona law SB 1070 co-hosted by the immigration law program and the Federalist Society, drew over 100.”

A look at the statistics shows the growing need for qualified immigration lawyers to serve a diverse client base. According to the ICE, there are

10 million to 12 million illegal immigrants in the country. Each year, the agency handles about 400,000 cases related to removal or deportation as part of its law enforcement mandate.

But practicing immigration law goes far beyond the individual deportation cases covered in the media. While immigration lawyers do handle many of those matters, often through pro bono work or legal clinics, they also work for private firms, corporations and federal or state agencies.

Multinational corporations employ immigration lawyers to help ease the recruitment and/or transfer of employees around the globe. These lawyers are generally able to help with visa applications and other documents, if needed, to ensure legal requirements for entering and remaining in the country have been met. Such moves might involve processing applications for an employee’s family members.

The U.S. government also employs immigration lawyers for its various agencies such as the United States Customs and Immigration Service (USCIS), which is a component of the Department of Homeland Security.

Lawyers are involved in reviewing a range of requests for citizenship visas and asylum as well as issues related to overseas adoptions. Some attorneys might end up at the U.S. Department of Justice to represent the USCIS in immigration litigation.

One of the most common areas of practice is that of private immigration law. Lawyers represent individual clients in processing visa petitions for relatives, fiancées and spouses of U.S. citizens and permanent residents, as well as for immigrants from countries that participate in visa lotteries. Private immigration lawyers also represent clients who entered the United States lawfully on a work visa or student visa and wish to extend their stay. Many websites are devoted to explaining why even these routine immigration matters are best handled by an attorney who knows the most

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“Despite the bitter policy battles that the country is now experiencing over

immigration, a practitioner can provide excellent service to the client – or help

promote sound policies and practices as a government attorney – away from the

public arena where those high winds blow.”

David Martin, program director, immigration law program, University of Virginia recent case laws, statues and regulations.

Those who graduate from law schools, such the University of Virginia, with a specialization in immigration end up working in various settings.

David Martin says the amount of immigration matters they will handle is not always predictable.

“Graduates go to major law firms where they may or may not spend

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much time on immigration matters. But we have had some in this group who specialize in handling visa matters as part of their firm’s service to clients – sometimes in the corporate department of a large firm, others as part of a small boutique firm specializing in immigration,” he said. “And many others whose private practice specializes on other matters have kept active in the field through their pro bono work, particularly handling asylum cases, often in cooperation with NGOs like Human Rights First or Tahirih Justice Center.

“A few alumni have been on the staff of such nonprofits, including American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Center for American Progress and others. And the University of Virginia has seen an exceptionally large percentage of graduates who took the immigration course pursuing their interest in this field via government service, especially in the general counsel’s offices of the immigration-related agencies – USCIS, ICE, and Customs and Border Protection (CPB).”

The AILA that Martin refers to is the umbrella organization representing attorneys and professors who practice and teach immigration law. It was founded in 1946. Crystal Williams, executive director of AILA, agrees that the profession has been growing and notes that when she graduated from law school in 1982, there were few resources devoted to the study of immigration.

“At the time I went to law school, no more than three to four law schools offered any course in immigration,” she said. “Today, most law schools offer instruction in the field, with many also offering clinics and detailed courses in addition to the overview courses.”

Williams noted that this trend parallels growth in AILA membership, which went from 3,000 in the mid-1980s to 8,500 in 2003 to its current membership of 11,500.

“We have more people entering the field than ever before,” she said.

“While not all lawyers practicing immigration belong to our organization, we believe that most do.”

The prominence of immigration issues and the changing demographics of the U.S. have been a contributing factor in diversifying the profession.

“We do not have any specific statistics on ethnicity of attorneys in the immigration field, particularly in earlier years, but I have an impression that a shift to a higher percentage of Latino and Asian attorneys in the field started in the 1980s and has been gradually growing ever since,” said Williams.

In fact, the numbers of Hispanics attending law school has increased steadily in the last decade. The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) annual survey of 200 law schools reported that in 2010-2011 there were 10,454 Hispanic students (including the LSAC subcategories of MexicanAmerican and Puerto Rican) enrolled in law schools. That number is a significant increase over the 8,770 Hispanics enrolled just three years ago. Many Hispanics enter law school because they want to become involved in the opportunity to change society, either by representing clients on an individual basis or working at the government or corporate level to set policies.

Williams confirms that attorneys studying immigration in law school end up in a variety of areas. “Some do go to the government. We do not have government attorneys in our membership, but we do deal with the attorneys there,” she said. “Others go into private practice, either joining a law firm or starting their own practices. Some go to nonprofits. A few go in-house at corporations, but this is a miniscule percentage of the immigration bar.”

“The immigration system is badly broken, so that prospects for coming to the U.S. lawfully are dim for most people.”

Crystal Williams, executive director, AILA

The most recent AILA study shows a breakdown of members as follows, government lawyers not included: • 31 percent – private solo practice • 30 percent – small law firm • 8 percent – medium to small law firm • 6 percent – nonprofit • 1 percent – in-house at a corporation • 24 percent – other or unknown Those who work in the immigration law field see it as both enormously challenging and rewarding, especially since a law passed in 1996 set up severe and punitive rules with little opportunity for relief, says Williams.

“The legal, adjudicative, and policy environment has become more difficult than any time in memory,” she said. “The immigration system is badly broken, so that prospects for coming to the U.S. lawfully are dim for most people. Adjudications are unpredictable and hostile, with standards shifting almost day to day and adjudicator to adjudicator.” But the frustrations of helping clients through these minefields can be very gratifying.

“You are helping people in a very personal and often life-transforming way,” said Williams.

Law students get a firsthand look at these life-changing experiences while they are still preparing for their careers. In addition to coursework that covers the key legal and policy issue related to immigration law, students in law programs often participate in internships or other clinical experience. This is usually the best way to get “hands-on” learning experience in dealing with cases, including all of the paper work and court proceedings that are part of immigration procedures.

For example, New York University (NYU) Law School Immigration Rights Clinic is a year-long course in which students provide direct legal representation to immigrants and immigrant organizations. NYU also runs immigration Law Moot Court Competition.

At Georgetown University, the Institute for the Study of International Migration is affiliated with the Law Center to give students a chance to explore immigration refugee law and policy as well as other effects of migration on social, economic and national security concerns. The Georgetown Immigration Law Journal is the only student-edited law journal devoted exclusively to the study of immigration law.

At the University of Virginia, students have an opportunity to work at the Immigration Law Clinic or do a number of other pro bono projects. The law school partners with a local private firm, Hunton & Williams, in which students work as volunteers to represent indigent clients on immigration matters. They might also work with the regional office of the International Rescue Committee to help resettle refugees from overseas or become involved in the Migrant Farmworkers Project, which visits farm labor camps and informs workers about their rights. While it is not necessary to be bilingual to practice immigration law, it is always helpful to have a working knowledge of Spanish.

“As to language issues, we find that many of those who gravitate to this field are already bilingual,” said Martin. “We don’t make a major point of language proficiency because we want to encourage involvement by all students, whatever their language skills, but we have at times encouraged students to pursue Spanish-language training.”

Immigration law programs also have sprung up for practicing attorneys who want to make immigration law part of their future client base. The American Bar Association (ABA) offers pro bono training for members who want to become involved in immigration litigation, and the ABA Immigration Justice Project regularly schedules training seminars.

Most legal experts say that as the United States continues to grapple with immigration reform, it is more important than ever to have quality immigration lawyers on the scene.

“Despite the bitter policy battles that the country is now experiencing over immigration, a practitioner can provide excellent service to the client – or help promote sound policies and practices as a government attorney – away from the public arena where those high winds blow,” said Martin.

“And we also have graduates who either really like the thrust and parry of the public policy debates, or else feel a commitment toward trying to facilitate good policy even in the middle of polarized debates or harsh criticism.”

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Latinas Blazing Trails LEADERSHIP/LAW SCHOOLS

It

by Jeff Simmons

was more than two decades ago that Ileana Ros-Lehtinen blazed a trail previously uncharted by Hispanic women: she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives following a special election to fill a seat held by the late Claude Pepper in Florida’s 18th Congressional District.

Since then, she has been strongly returned to Congress, and won 69 percent of the vote in 2010.

But I thought I could really make a difference if I set the policy rather than trying to help someone on an individual, case-by-case basis.”

So she sought – and won – elective office, and still remained true to her mission to help students. After joining the Florida House and Senate, she penned the Florida Prepaid College Plan, now the largest pre-paid college tuition program in the nation; it’s an accomplishment that to this day she still champions.

took office this year.

The current number of Latina members of the House of Representatives, however, stands at seven because Congressmember Solís vacated her seat to join the Obama administration as labor secretary in early 2009.

“I always knew I would not be the only Latina in Congress,” said Ros-Lehtinen, who is 58 years old and now in her tenth term. “After me, there was Lucille and then Nydia and then Grace and

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla.

Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Calif.

Nydia Velázquez, D-N.Y.

Ros-Lehtinen’s career has been one of firsts.

Previously, she had been elected to the Florida state House of Representatives and the Florida Senate in 1986, becoming the first Hispanic woman to serve in either body.

“I would have never thought in a million years that I would be here,” she recalled in an interview recently.

Ros-Lehtinen, whose family moved from Havana, Cuba, to southern Florida when she was 8 years old, initially started on an educational trajectory as a certified teacher in Florida, where she founded and served as a teacher and the principal of a private elementary school in Hialeah.

“I was an educator, a teacher. I loved teaching and getting to know the kids in my school.

While she has yielded a career brimming with accomplishments, Ros-Lehtinen admits it’s also been one navigated infrequently by her Latina peers. When it comes to Hispanic women, the House of Representative remains a path much less traveled.

Besides Ros-Lehtinen, who is Republican, only seven other Hispanic women have served in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Since Ros-Lehtinen’s landmark achievement in 1989, she has been joined in the House by: Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Calif., and Nydia Velázquez, D-N.Y., both since 1993; Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif., since 1997; Grace Napolitano, D-Calif., since 1999; Hilda L. Solís, D-Calif., from 2001 to 2009; Linda Sánchez, D-Calif., since 2003; and, Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash., who

Linda and Hilda. ... We’ve got a great bunch of lady members, so even if we are from different parties, we try to work on different issues that compound our community, and we try to work on those rather than accentuate the differences.”

She added: “We have a good working relationship. It doesn’t matter if we don’t see eye to eye on every issue.”

Overall, despite the incremental strides, women in Congress historically have amounted to only a small fraction – about 2 percent – of the approximately 12,000 individuals who have served in Congress since 1789.

Members of the House of Representatives are elected to two-year terms serving constituents in specific districts. The number of voting Representatives in the House is fixed by law at

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in the House

no more than 435, and they represent the population of the 50 states (although there also are five delegates for the District of Columbia, Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, as well as a resident commissioner who represents Puerto Rico).

As of this year, 93 of the 276 women who

have served in the House of Representatives and the Senate are current members; 76 women currently are in the House, and 17 are in the Senate, according to Women in the U.S. States Congress, 1917 to 2011, a report issued this fall by the Congressional Research Service. Overall, 237 women have served in the House; and 39, in the Senate.

Women of color have made strides, with a total of 44 having served in Congress. Patsy Mink, an Asian-Pacific American, was the first to be elected, in 1964. The first African-American woman to serve in Congress, Shirley Chisholm of New York, was elected in 1968, and since then 30 African-American women have followed in her footsteps. Seven Asian-Pacific American women have served in Congress.

Yet, recent trends point to a continued presence, if not an increase. Based on gains principally in the House of Representatives, each of the 13 Congresses since 1981 has had a record number of female members, Women in Congress reported.

“As the Hispanic population grows, we will continue to see more Hispanic elected officials, including women, not only in Congress, but across the board,” said Esther Aguilera, president and CEO of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI). “The Hispanic voting

population is rapidly increasing in states all across the country, especially in nontraditional Latino strongholds. As this trend continues in the 21st century, I anticipate a significant expansion of Hispanic elected officials in the coming decades.”

Despite the achievements of Latinas who have sought and won office, men in Congress still substantially outnumber females, and Latina elects are sizably outnumbered by Latino men.

For each Latina in Congress, there are more than three Latino males.

As of this year, the 112th Congress has 24 Latino members in the House of Representatives, an increase from the 19 Latinos that had served in Congress a decade ago, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) reports. Of the 24, 17 are affiliated with the Democrat party and seven are Republican (including the newest Latina to join Congress earlier this year). In addition, there are two male Hispanic members of the U.S. Senate (Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Bob Menéndez, D-N.J. The 112th Congress also includes: Joe Baca, Calif.-43; Xavier Becerra, Calif.-31; Raúl M. Grijalva, Ariz.-7; Ed Pastor, Ariz.-4; Ben R. Luján, N.M.-3; Silvestre Reyes, Texas-16; Henry Cuellar, Texas-28; Francisco Canseco, Texas-23; Bill

Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif.

Grace Napolitano, D-Calif.

Linda Sánchez, D-Calif.

Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash.

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Flores, Texas-17; Charles A. González, Texas-20; Rubén Hinojosa, Texas-15; Raúl Labrador, Idaho-1; Luis V. Gutiérrez, Ill.-4; Albio Sires, N.J.-13; José E. Serrano, N.Y.-16; David Rivera, Fla.-25; and Mario Díaz-Balart, Fla.-21.

“The integrity of our democracy is dependent on ensuring that all of the people of the United States have full and fair representation,” said Arturo Vargas, executive director of NALEO and the NALEO Education Fund, the leading organization empowering Latinos to participate fully in the political process.

Vargas noted that Latinos are currently 16 percent of the U.S. population – the nation’s second-largest population group and the fastestgrowing population in the country, according to the most recent U.S. Census data – yet are disproportionately underrepresented in Congress.

“If our democracy is to thrive, it requires that Latinos have fair representation in Congress,” he said. “Much work needs to be done to close the representation gap.”

While there is an element of pride in electing a Latino to office, Latinos are often anointing candidates based not just on the needs of their communities but largely on bread-and-butter issues affecting the country and leaning towards those they feel are better positioned to remedy the sputtering economy, create jobs, repair the troubled educational system, and enact comprehensive immigration reform.

According to the U.S. Census, one in six Americans is Hispanic, and more than one in four Americans under 18 years of age is Hispanic, with 93 percent of them citizens of the United States. This increase in numbers makes a persuasive case to those on the front lines, urging stronger representation of Latinos in the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. They lament the struggle to achieve equality, particularly when it comes to Latina representation.

“Latinas have faced headier obstacles winning electoral office in general, Congress and otherwise,” Vargas said. “However, there have been many trailblazers. For example, Latinas today have been elected to such diverse offices as governor of New Mexico, sheriff of Dallas County, and superintendent of instruction of Oregon.”

He added: “With regard to Congress, Latina candidates have often needed to secure the support of the party structure and “wait their turn” with regard to seniority. One of the states that is particularly notable in not yet having a Latina in Congress is Texas. Hopefully, that will change after the next redistricting, if the courts order fair districts for Latinos.”

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The Latina members of Congress might each have different constituencies and philosophies, but often find commonality.

“There are 26 Latinos in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate, and it is natural to expect that there are 26 different perspectives and approaches to policy matters,” Vargas said.

“However, these members generally do agree on major policy issues important to Latinos – although often along partisan lines. The existence of both the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Conference is evidence that the members see enough commonality among them that they are organized in this manner.”

Aguilera echoed that sentiment, noting that: “Hispanic women bring a unique perspective to Congress and add a diverse voice to the dialogue affecting the future of our nation. Hispanic women in America deserve to be represented at the highest levels, and their representatives in Congress do a great job providing that voice for them and for all of their constituents.”

Ros-Lehtinen, who in this 112th Congress was selected to chair the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, agreed. She said that education, for instance, is an issue that draws her colleagues together rather than sets them apart.

“I am a Republican, and they are Democrats, but there are many issues that concern us, such as the alarmingly high rate of Latinas dropping out of high school,” she said. “Before, we would hear about the boys dropping out, but what has taken us by surprise is the high number of Latinas who drop out, and that paints a very bleak picture of the future.”

“The Latina is the center of all of those families, and it hurts us in many ways to see high numbers of Latinas dropping out of high school.

I have worked with my colleagues to see what we can do to improve their situation,” she said.

Added Vargas: “Latino/a members rally around issues that are important to Latino families and communities. Today many are particularly focused on the high employment rate in the Latino community and the lack of educational success. Most also are in agreement on the need for comprehensive immigration reform. Often the disagreements are along party lines, yet even then, there is a recognition that the interests of the Latino community go beyond partisanship.”

Roybal-Allard agreed that party affiliations take a back seat to issues of common concern.

“Our goals include providing opportunities for our constituents to get educated, have access to affordable health care, and have the chance to get a good paying job and achieve the American

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Dream,” Roybal-Allard said. “We also share the common goal of creating greater respect and understanding of our Hispanic culture and educating our colleagues on the important contributions the Hispanic community makes to the United States.”

Roybal-Allard was the first to follow in RosLehtinen’s footsteps, taking elected office in 1993 as the representative for the 34th Congressional District, covering downtown Los Angeles, East Los Angeles, and nine southeast cities in Los Angeles County.

Daughter of the late Congressman Edward R. Roybal, a 30-year member of Congress, she was the first Mexican-American woman elected to Congress, and previously had represented the 56th Assembly District of California for six years.

Roybal-Allard is the first Latina in U.S. history to be appointed to the House Appropriations Committee, which controls the purse strings of the federal government. She also serves on the Subcommittees on Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services and Education.

Roybal-Allard also chaired the California Democratic Congressional Delegation in 1997 and 1998. Stepping into this role, she became the first woman, first Latina and the first Member to achieve this role through election rather than seniority. Later, during the 106th Congress in 1999 and 2000, she went on to become the first female chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the highly influential coalition of Latino Congress members.

“Serving in Congress is a tremendous privilege, which provides me with the opportunity to positively impact the communities I represent, especially Boyle Heights where I was born and raised,” she said. “With that privilege comes a great deal of responsibility to serve with commitment and integrity. I strive to live up to the high standards my constituents set for me.”

In her role, she has championed efforts to increase access to stimulate economic growth and generate new jobs, improve health care, create affordable housing, modernize and upgrade public schools, improve school safety, increase the federal minimum wage and, like Ros-Lehtinen, reduce the high Latino dropout rates.

“My focus is on education and health care because those two issues are the basis for ensuring that every generation of Americans has an opportunity for a better life. In these tough economic times, it’s critically important that we invest in education and a healthy lifestyle for our children so that we can maintain the promise of the American Dream for future gen-

erations,” she said.

Asked about her personal motto, RoybalAllard said: “Never confuse who you are with the power of your office. And never forget the community where you came from.”

Roybal-Allard joined Congress the same year as Nydia M. Velázquez, now in her 10th term as the representative for New York’s 12th Congressional District. In the 112th Congress, she is the ranking member of the House Small Business Committee and a senior member of the Financial Services Committee.

She has made history several times during her tenure: In 1992, she was the first Puerto Rican woman elected to the House; in 1998, she was named Ranking Democratic Member of the House Small Business Committee, making her the first Hispanic woman to serve as ranking member of a full House committee; and, in 2006, she was named chairwoman of the House Small Business Committee, making her the first Latina to chair a full congressional committee.

“She was the first Puerto Rican woman elected to the United States Congress in its history, so that was empowering for both Puerto Rican and Latina women across the country,” said Eduardo Castell, who was Velázquez’s chief of staff during her early tenure and is now a partner in the New York City-based consulting firm the Mirram Group. “Secondly, it was only the second Hispanic seat in New York state, so at the time it was very important as a reflection of the growth and political empowerment of Latinos in New York.”

A former special assistant to Congressman Edolphus Towns, D-Brooklyn, Velázquez later became the first Latina appointed to serve on the New York City Council. By 1986, she was director of the Department of Puerto Rican Community Affairs in the United States. During that time, she initiated one of the most successful Latino empowerment programs in the country’s history, “Atrevete” (Dare to Go for It!).

In 1992, after months of running a grassroots political campaign, Velázquez was elected to the House to represent a district encompassing diverse neighborhoods in Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

“She knew she was part of something and had a responsibility to more than just her constituents,” Castell recalled. “Puerto Ricans across the United States and the island of Puerto Rico looked to her for leadership and advocacy.”

Even in New York City, people from across the five boroughs flocked to her office, not just those from her district, to seek help because

they felt Velázquez would understand their concerns.

“They wanted a representative who they knew was going to be fighting for them, and it demonstrated the need for that political representation and political empowerment,” he said.

“I saw that sense of responsibility she had, that she represented a district and people in need, but also represented a community far greater and broader than just her district constituency, and she took that responsibility very seriously.

She never forgot where she came from.”

Velázquez’s office did not follow up on repeated requests for comment for this article.

As the top Democrat on the House Small Business Committee, which oversees federal programs and contracts totaling $200 billion annually, Velázquez has been a vocal advocate of American small business and entrepreneurship and has established numerous small business legislative priorities, encompassing the areas of tax, regulations, access to capital, federal contracting opportunities, trade, technology, health care and pension reform, among others.

“She always is viewed as a fighter to this day, someone who remembers her roots and someone who speaks for those who don’t have a voice,” Castell said. “That was true when she walked in and is still true to this day.”

In January 1997, Loretta Sanchez began the first of her eight terms in Congress. She would be the second member to hail from California, where her 47th District encompasses the cities of Anaheim, Garden Grove, Santa Ana and Fullerton in Orange County.

A product of public schools and Head Start, Sanchez had served as financial manager at the Orange County Transportation Authority, an assistant vice president at Fieldman, Rollap and Associates, and an associate at Booz, Allen, and Hamilton, before winning election.

She is now the third-highest-ranking Democrat and the most senior female member on the Armed Services Committee. She serves as the ranking member of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, where she oversees the nation’s strategic weapons, ballistic missile defense, space programs, and Department of Energy national security programs. She also is a senior member of the Subcommittees on Emerging Threats and Capabilities and founder and cochair of the Congressional Caucus on Women in the Military.

Additionally, Sanchez is the second-ranked and most senior female member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, and is a member of the Subcommittee on Border and

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Maritime Security. While in Congress, she has been a leader in securing the country’s border with Mexico and has taken a vocal stance on the importance of economic development and trade along the U.S.-Mexico border and ports of entry.

“As a United States congresswoman, I’ve worked hard to ensure that Latinos have access to resources that will help them succeed and become educated at the highest level,” she said.

“Quality teachers and adequate resources in the classroom are a must. And we’ve got to make higher education an affordable goal for everyone who wants it.”

Another Californian became the fourth Latina member to join Congress. Grace F. Napolitano was elected to Congress in November 1998 and two months later started the first of her seven terms representing the 38th District covering several cities in the Southeast and San Gabriel Valley areas.

Napolitano launched her political career as a member of the Norwalk City Council in 1986 and three years later became the city’s mayor. She was subsequently elected to the California Assembly, where she served as vice-chair of the Latino caucus and established herself as a leader on international trade, environmental protection, transportation and immigration.

Napolitano has been a member of the House Committee on Natural Resources since the 106th Congress, and is currently the Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Water and Power. Napolitano has pushed for Native American water rights from rivers flowing on tribal lands, the protection of the sensitive Bay-Delta ecosystem, and the use of water recycling technology to combat drought.

Napolitano additionally was appointed to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, where she has advanced initiatives that relieve congestion, improve transit and reduce the negative impacts her district takes on as a primary shipping corridor from the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles.

In 2001, alarming statistics showing one in three Latina adolescents had contemplated suicide prompted her to establish a schoolbased adolescent mental health program in her district, which since has expanded to include 11 schools.

At the start of the 108th Congress, Napolitano revitalized the Congressional Mental Health Caucus, and as co-chair has hosted congressional briefings on children’s mental health, veterans’ mental health and suicide prevention. She and other caucus members pushed to prevent insurance companies from discriminating

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against mental illness, an effort that helped bring about the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 and the mental health clauses included in the Affordable Care Act of 2010.

The congresswoman – who was not available to be interviewed for this article – had chaired the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) as it addressed issues such as education, immigration, health care, and their impacts on the Latino communities.

She worked with CHC Task Force Chairs to provide leadership on priorities such as ensuring that minority health care needs were addressed within health care reform, and promoting the federal appointment of Hispanics like Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

Napolitano was followed by Solís, who in 2000 was elected to Congress from a district encompassing parts of East Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley. Solís, who was raised by immigrant parents from Nicaragua and Mexico, took office in 2001. She previously had served as the first Hispanic woman to serve in the California State Senate, and prior to that was in the State Assembly.

In December 2008, Obama announced his intention to nominate her as the country’s 25th secretary of labor, and she was confirmed the following February, becoming the first Latina to serve in the U.S. Cabinet.

In 2003, Linda Sánchez joined Congress – representing the 39th District in Southern California – and has since been a leading voice for working families, judiciary and trade matters.

Sánchez – who was born in California to immigrant parents from Mexico – worked her way through school as a bilingual aide and ESL teacher, and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish literature with an emphasis in bilingual education and later a law degree. Prior to joining Congress, Sánchez served as the executive secretary-treasurer for the Orange County Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO. She, too, broke barriers and forged a resume of “firsts.” When taking office, she proudly joined her sister, Loretta Sanchez, in Congress – the first sisters and first women of any relation to ever serve in Congress. Her office did not respond to interview requests.

She became the first Latina to serve on the House Judiciary Committee and the first to serve on the House Ways and Means Committee. She currently is the ranking member on the House Ethics Committee, where she helps members of Congress and their staffs maintain the standards

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of conduct outlined in the House rules.

In addition to those committees, Sánchez serves on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee and co-founded the Labor and Working Families Caucus, where she has worked to ensure that workers are safe on the job both from industrial accidents and employer intimidation and retaliation.

She introduced legislation to criminalize cyber-bullying and reduce bullying, harassment and gang activity in schools, and has helped to expand Head Start and modernize the Higher Education Act. And in 2009, she became the eighth member of Congress to give birth while serving in office.

Earlier this year, Jaime Herrera Beutler became the first Hispanic Republican woman from Washington to join Congress, representing Southwest Washington’s 3rd District.

She pursued a career in government and politics from an early age: As a college student, she held temporary positions in both the Washington state Senate and in Washington, D.C., at the White House Office of Political Affairs. In 2005, she began as a senior legislative aide for Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, RSpokane, in Washington, D.C. Two years later, when a vacancy occurred in Washington state’s 18th Legislative District, she was appointed as the new state representative to fill the open position and was later elected to retain the seat. Her office only provided a photograph, and not any interview with the congresswoman.

Herrera Beutler, like her Latina colleagues in Congress, navigated a path starting with road political involvement at a local and state level.

That’s a road experts say helps ease the transition to higher officer.

CHCI’s Aguilera said Hispanics remain woefully underrepresented not only in politics but in

high-level positions throughout the country.

“Coupled with the lack of positive images of Latinos in the media, this creates a deficiency of public role models for young Latinos to look up to,” she said. “The Hispanic women in Congress along with public figures such as Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor provide inspiration for the next generation of young leaders and allow them to realize that they have the opportunity to reach for the stars and achieve the American Dream and any other goal they set their mind to.”

Ros-Lehtinen hopes to see improvement in the ranks of Latinas in higher office.

“We are well-represented locally, at the county level, and citywide and through school boards,” she said. “But here in Congress, we are sadly lacking in numbers, and I hope that those numbers improve and that in the coming years we grow in numbers, and so then we might be our own little caucus in and of ourselves.”

Ros-Lehtinen often speaks at community and school events, and was disheartened by the sentiments of many about the current state of politics and federal government, and the message it sends to young girls who might otherwise seek to follow in her footsteps.

“Politicians of all stripes are looked at with great suspicion, and it hurts me,” she said. “This is not something that many Latinas aspire to do, and so we’ve got to do a better job of reaching out to them, to be mentors to young girls so they can see this as an avenue for them to pursue.”

“As Latinas, we have a special obligation to see what we can do to provide better opportunities for Hispanic women, and not have them think that the doors are closed to them, that they can realize their dreams and overcome obstacles.”

Registrar FT position responsible for the compilation & maintenance of student records in compliance with federal & state law & accrediting agencies. Manages all aspects of the Records office functions with keen attention to detail in maintaining accurate & secure records management. Qualifications: Masters deg in higher ed, student personnel, business admin, or a related field pref. Extensive exp in higher ed with increasing supervisory responsibility & a Bachelors deg may be considered. Min 3 yrs exp in a supervisory or mgmt position req’d; supervisory exp at a community college or university is pref. Exp performing Registrar duties is strongly pref. Must have good organizational & planning skills. Acceptable background check req’d. Visit our website www.gtcc.edu for more information & application. Open until filled. EOE

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UNCENSORED

by Peggy Sands Orchowski

JUNIORS IN COLLEGE WHILE SENIORS IN HIGH SCHOOL – A program with the mantra “college first, high school second” was given the ‘Best Associate Degree Program that Works for Latinos’ award by Excelencia in Education at its annual awards ceremony at the U.S. Capitol Visitor’s Center in October. Begun with 23 students in 2006 with the Socorro Independent School District, by 2010, 110 students in the Early College High School Initiative (ECHS) program had completed their A.A. degrees at El Paso Community College during their junior year of high school and had begun taking courses towards their B.A. degrees at the University of Texas-El Paso. Fourty-two of the seniors even graduated six months early with both their high school diplomas and A.A. degrees. “We don’t seek just the obvious best students,” organizers said. “We look for B and C students as well.” Now dozens of them will be attending the university as juniors while still seniors in high school.

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BILINGUAL UNIVERSITY MAINLY FOR NEW IMMIGRANTS? – A bilingual (English/Spanish) university founded in Puerto Rico will be opening in the D.C. area soon. But for what purpose, one wonders? The Ana G. Méndez ‘Sistema Universitaria,” which has three campuses in Florida, will open in November in Wheaton, Md., according to officers at a press conference in D.C. in October. Twenty-nine “accelerated bilingual” programs will offer B.S., A.A. and certificate programs in business, health care and education, among other subjects. Classes will be offered half in English, half in Spanish. The university is not a forprofit organization, and qualified students are eligible for Pell Grants. But many might not qualify for federal help. More than two-thirds of the students at the Florida campuses are first-generation immigrants. The business model for such a Spanish-language immersion university in the U.S. (as for many Spanish-language businesses) might be dependent on a continuous influx of first-generation Spanishspeaking immigrants who want to master English, rather than for those seeking better jobs as bilinguals. In fact, sadly, pay for jobs requiring bilingual ability are not much higher, if at all, than for monolingual ones.

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LATINO PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS DOUBLE IN NUMBER, SERVE GLOBALLY – The number of Latinos volunteering to be Peace Corps volunteers more than doubled in 2009-10 to 6 percent, up from 3 percent in 2003-06. About 48 percent of the Latino volunteers serve in the Inter-American/Pacific Island and Caribbean region, where their fluency in Spanish can be an advantage, according to Diversity Outreach Specialist Kiva Wilson in a telephone interview. But the majority serve in Africa, Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East. The old iconic Peace Corps project – digging wells – has pretty much been replaced by a broad range of programs in education (the largest sector), busi-

ness development (including financial and computer projects) and health. About 15 percent of the volunteers don’t have a college degree. One cool advantage for Peace Corps returnees who want to work in the public sector after their two-year service: some government agencies consider them under noncompetitive eligibility – as insiders.

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OBAMA “NOT THAT INTO” LATINOS – At a recent Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute panel discussion, Kristian Ramos, a policy director for NDN, a liberal think tank in Washington, D.C., confirmed what has been increasingly evident to me. “President Obama just isn’t into Latino immigration issues that much.” It’s not prejudice, of course. But Obama’s deep personal experience with immigration involves family in Africa and Indonesia; both his fathers were foreign students. He does not see immigration as Hispanic-centric, and he is conflicted about his estranged relatives who are in the U.S. illegally. In addition, politically, Obama is well aware that most of the battleground states he must win in 2012 are not dominated by Hispanic voters. “I may get in trouble for saying this,” Ramos said, “but it’s best at this time not to count on Obama.”

SECRETARY OF LABOR SURPRISED BY QUESTIONS ABOUT FOREIGN STUDENTS – When asked what the U.S. Department of Labor was going to do about the hundreds of foreign summer exchange students (mainly from Eastern Europe) who found themselves packing candy into boxes at Hershey’s in Pennsylvania for about $2 an hour for the entire summer, Secretary Hilda Solís seemed surprised by the question. “Well, we are going to investigate the situation and are concerned,” she told the president of the National Press Club, Mark Hamrick, during a public one-on-one interview last August. She then said the same thing about the tens of thousands of foreign summer “exchange students” who usually pay around $3,000 to private contract companies to work two or three summer retail and hospitality jobs each in U.S. national parks and summer resorts – even when American students are desperate for summer employment. “These are serious issues,” Solís said vaguely. But the secretary was clear about one thing: she doesn’t distinguish between American, legal immigrant and illegal immigrant laborers who work in the United States.

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.

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LAW SCHOOLS

Help Universities Stay Legally Compliant F

by Frank DiMaria

“Though the store said it refused

to hire him because he was rude, this question cost the store $157,000 because it improperly asked about a disability.”

Ralph Yanello, founder and CEO of LawRoom.com

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ront-line managers of 112 companies were presented with four human resources scenarios, including four questions that a potential employer might ask during a job interview. The managers were charged with determining which of the four questions were legal and which were not legal to ask during the interview process.

Of the 112 managers, all of them failed to realize that none of the questions are legal. In one scenario a one-armed applicant who was applying for a stock clerk position was asked, “Do you have any medical problems that might limit your ability to do the job?”

“Though the store said it refused to hire him because he was rude, this question cost the store $157,000 because it improperly asked about a disability,” says Ralph Yanello, founder and CEO of LawRoom.com, a subscription-based service that provides online answers, forms, policies, weekly updates and on-demand online training to thousands of small-tomedium employers to help them comply with the complex web of employment law.

Yanello says that “the store could have avoided this problem by reading LawRoom’s Memo 7430, Rules on Applicant Questions.”

In 1994, Yanello, a lawyer himself, gathered a team of lawyer-writers and computer programmers. Two years later, after more than 40,000 hours spent compiling an answer database and coding the proprietary software to deliver instant, tailored answers, Yanello launched LawRoom’s faxback service.

“It initially took two years to build the library and programming to deliver it, $2 million, 40,000-plus hours and a staff of 11 lawyers and several programmers. Employment law does not have just one repository, especially working with both state and federal law,” says Yanello.

Then, in 2000, with 400 members subscribing to LawRoom, Yanello converted its fax-back service to an online-only platform.

But making the law accessible to the general public is not an easy task.

Laws often overlap and conflict, says Yanello. His team of lawyer-writers had to do some “heavy lifting in determining which laws applied to a situation and resolve any conflicts so the answer provided complied with bylaws in the California library.” To create just one memo, it took more than 40 hours of researching, writing and editing.

“It’s too tough to build a program like LawRoom did for California – which is why no other vendor ever tackled the challenge of even doing one state,” says Yanello.

LawRoom’s core competency is analyzing and understanding employment laws and explaining those laws to employers in clear, simple and use-

ful language. Yanello’s LawRoom takes legalese and puts it in lay terms.

LawRoom’s major competitive differentiator is its proprietary software, which provides specifically tailored answers to LawRoom subscribers based on their company’s profile.

Yanello calls LawRoom’s repository KnowledgeCentral, and it works something like this: Two employees from two separate companies with different company profiles need an answer to the same legal question. They both search LawRoom’s database, and based on 3.5 million profiles, both employees will instantly receive an answer that complies with California and federal law, an answer tailored specifically to the company’s profile.

Or a human resource manager wants to implement a policy on the use of mobile camera phones in the workplace, but does not know the legal language to use in the policy. The human resources manager searches LawRoom’s KnowledgeCentral to find a memo that would suit his or her department’s needs. Once he finds a policy, he has the option of using the policy as is or he and his legal team can modify it to fit the particular work environment and situation.

But Yanello cautions that before a human resource manager puts a policy into place, it should be reviewed. “As in our Memo library, we always caution users about the use of any form or policy. How they use a form can be wrong. We always suggest they have a lawyer review it before putting into use. However, I’m sure most do not follow the suggestion.

“After providing one million-plus memos, forms and policies over the years, we know we must be getting it right,” says Yanello.

LawRoom’s proprietary content/program is available 24 hours a day seven days a week online at lawroom.com. On a weekly basis, LawRoom’s lawyer-editors analyze and interpret new cases and laws, spot legal trends, and educate members on how to remain compliant.

In addition to instant, tailored answers to 6,000 questions, KnowledgeCentral includes more than 400 forms and policies, weekly briefings, a litigation scoreboard, human resources insight polling, an electronic file room, a proprietary search engine and a feature called AskEd, which allows a LawRoom subscriber to e-mail LawRoom’s editorial staff and receive a personalized response.

“Although we answer 6,000 employment law questions via memos, a user can e-mail our editorial staff, all of whom are lawyers, for clarification. First, out of the active thousands of members, we only receive about 20 AskEd questions a day. This tells us that in the vast majority of situations our memos, which are four to six pages in length, adequately answer the user’s questions. Remember, we have a broad range of users. The majority are human resource folks, from generalists to vice presidents of human resources, plus in-house lawyers,” says Yanello.

When a subscriber queries AskEd, the subscriber usually receives an answer within two hours, if the question is asked between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on a business day. Ninety-five percent of the time, LawRoom has a memo or form that is right on point and can answer the question. “We simply refer the user to the applicable document that answers the question. The other 5 percent of the time, questions via AskEd are either not employment law-related (like benefits, taxes, etc.) or we do not cover the employment area, such as workers compensation, ERISA or union matters under the NLRA,” says Yanello.

The majority of the traffic that generates requests from LawRoom users for answers, forms and policies is driven by its weekly broadcast. These weekly broadcasts consist of LawAudits that reveal potential workplace issues before they explode; LawBriefs that cover real-world cases, new leg-

islation and trends; LawQuizzes and “what-if” scenarios that test the user’s knowledge. All of these are interactive and reference applicable memos if users want to read about how the law applies to them.

In other cases, users can find information on the LawRoom website in one of three ways. First users can access its proprietary search engine by entering a natural language question. The program will offer memos it believes will provide the information the user wants. The second way to gather information is to use LawRoom’s Topic Browse, which allows a user to browse a topic and drill down to the next more detailed level until the program believes it knows what the user wants. The third is to use AskEd.

Lynn M. Urban, assistant director of human resources, Midwestern University

Currently, LawRoom has 16,000 member companies using KnowledgeCentral, companies like GMAC Financial, Mother Jones magazine, Stanford University, Sysco Food Services and the San Francisco Giants.

In 2004, LawRoom began developing and offering online training, and in 2005 Yanello launched Classroom Central. Currently, 2,000 of its members use this component.

Stanford University began subscribing to LawRoom in 2005. Nanette Andrews, associate director of the sexual harassment policy office at Stanford University, says, “Stanford uses LawRoom’s online training course for sexual harassment prevention for supervisors that complies with California’s mandate AB1825. Since 2005, Stanford has worked with LawRoom to develop a course focusing on the complex record keeping, reporting and communication with trainees that has resulted in successful compliance with California’s training mandate.”

Stanford also uses LawRoom’s portable classroom option for sexual harassment prevention training. Andrews finds that new employees enjoy this program, which allows them to discuss questions and decide on their

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answers by entering them into a hand-held remote.

“The results of the ‘votes’ promote discussion and keep the trainees engaged in the course material,” says Andrews.

The quality and interactivity of LawRoom’s training programs help improve the profile of Stanford’s office in terms of informing its employees about resources for those with concerns, says Andrews. She adds that LawRoom’s flexible LMS has improved her department’s compliance capabilities, using automated communication to trainees and customized progress reports for individual departments.

LeVetta Hudson, director of employee relations, University of Southern California

LeVetta Hudson, director of employee relations at the University of Southern California, has been using LawRoom’s KnowledgeCentral since 2003. “To handle employment-related complaints, my staff must keep their employment law knowledge current. The LawRoom’s Weekly Briefing is a comprehensive resource for my staff to broaden and keep their knowledge up to date. For example, the LawBrief section is informative and provides case comparatives beyond our workplace; the LawQuiz and LawAudit sections are designed to tests one’s knowledge, obtain answers and, if necessary, follow through with the relevant employment law briefings and supporting links to the appropriate state and national libraries,” she says.

At Midwestern University (MWU), Lynn M. Urban, assistant director of human resources, says that the university initially started a relationship with LawRoom so that the human resources department could offer online anti-harassment training for its employees.

“We wanted to find a course and service that would allow the human resources department to track and keep a record of each employee’s completion of the course,” says Urban. “Using LawRoom allows our department to stay up to date on important training topics for our employees.

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The system is very user-friendly and we appreciate the ability to track employee course assignments and progress. It’s nice to have access to a system that helps us keep our employees knowledgeable about important issues and employment law. The courses through LawRoom are very educational. ... All answers, both correct and incorrect, include explanations for further learning. As providers of this training, our HR department is pleased to know that the employees are learning the material and gaining an understanding of important issues through a positive experience. We are providing compliance and education all in one. LawRoom has been a very positive addition to our training program at MWU,” says Urban.

Since its inception in 1994, LawRoom has serviced more than 58,000 member companies. Although based in California, LawRoom does not limit its services to California companies. “We have two libraries. The California library integrates both California and federal law that automatically complies with both laws. The national library, for employees outside California, covers federal law only,” says Yanello.

The national library, says Yanello, is vitally important for all subscribers for one reason. If after reading a memo, which is basically the answer to a law question, the subscriber finds that his or her company is not in compliance with the federal law, it does not matter what the state law says. “An employer cannot violate either the state or federal law. Neither law trumps the other. So, simply complying with your state or the federal law may still violate the other law. You must comply with both,” says Yanello.

LawRoom handles this challenge for its California members, and Yanello points out that California is probably the most complicated employment law state in the Union.

Yanello considers himself blessed that he and his LawRoom staff “have wonderful relationships with several of the Society for Human Resource Management chapters in California. We provide a limited version on our KnowledgeCentral, especially the weekly broadcast, that gives the human resources community quality, timely and competent employment law information they can use. From a business perspective, we hope they will upgrade and/or buy training. Many do,” says Yanello.

Yanello says that LawRoom has worked hard to earn and enjoys a sterling reputation in the employment law space that provides online answers and training. LawRoom, he says, is always innovating and improving. For example, in KnowledgeCentral, his team has just changed its Quiz program to a rich, graphical interactive experience with more detailed feedback. In ClassroomCentral, they are moving to the next generation of a more sophisticated training experience to engage the user and adding more courses to the library to serve the needs of members.

Currently, colleges and universities only represent about 4 percent of LawRoom’s business, but Yanello is working hard to get more. Those colleges and universities that subscribe to LawRoom use both KnowledgeCentral and ClassroomCentral in the same way all members use LawRoom’s services.

For training memberships, LawRoom sells seats or licenses rather than individual courses. This allows members to access any course at any time during their membership period, which can range from one to three years at no additional charge. LawRoom also includes its proprietary software that allows its member to administer, track and report training.

Interesting Reads Badmen, Bandits, and Folk Heroes

By Juan J. Alonzo Badmen, Bandits, and Folk Heroes is a study of the literary and cinematic representation of Mexican-American males from early 20th-century adventure stories and movie Westerns through contemporary self-representations by Chicano/a writers and filmmakers.

2009. 198 pgs. ISBN: 978-0-8165-2868-4. $49.95 cloth. The University of Arizona Press. (520) 621- 3920. www.uapress.arizona.edu

Courts & Congress

By William J. Kirk The author makes the case that the power to make decisions in our democracy has been shifted from Congress to the court system, forcing nonelected officials to make decisions that affect the lives of Americans.

2008. 216 pgs. ISBN: 978-1-4128-0773-9 $49.95 cloth.

Transaction Publishers, (888) 999-6778. www.transactionpub.com

The Cubans of Union City

By Yolanda Prieto After 1959, Cubans immigrated in great numbers. Most stayed in Miami, but many headed north to Union City. In The Cubans of Union City, Yolanda Prieto discusses why Cubans were drawn to this particular city and how the local economy and organizations developed.

2009. 204 pgs. ISBN: 978-1-59213-300-0. $26.95 paper. Temple University Press, (215) 204-8787. www.temple.edu/tempress

Economies of Desire: Sex and Tourism in Cuba and the Dominican Republic

By Amalia L. Cabezas When it comes to sex – and the effects of capitalism and globalization – nothing is as simple as it might seem.

Based on 10 years of research, Economies of Desire is the first ethnographic study to examine the erotic underpinnings of transnational tourism.

2009. 232 pgs. ISBN: 978-1-59213-750-3. $24.95 paper. Temple University Press, (215) 204-8787. www.temple.edu/tempress

The Book of Want

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by Daniel A. Olivas April 15, 2011, 144 pages, $16.95 paper, ISBN: 978-0816528998.

University of Arizona Press, www.uapress.arizona.edu.

aniel A. Olivas made his mark in Latino literature through his popular short stories featured in many Hispanic anthologies such as Sudden Fiction Latino and Hate Crimes: Social Issues Firsthand.

But Olivas says people always wanted to know when he was going to write a novel.

“After writing a novella, three short story collections, and a picture book, I relented,” says Olivas. And it was no easy task. Olivas is an attorney with the California Department of Justice by day. Writing a novel would take a great deal of time and energy to complete.

But Olivas’ readers will not be disappointed by his effort. The Book of Want is the story of one family in Los Angeles in the early 21st century. The structure of the novel is unique. Each chapter takes its inspiration from one of the Ten Commandments. The result is a story that spans a wide spectrum of characters and settings from the young and elderly to straight and gay. Ethnic and economic barriers are crossed. Rich and poor, Mexican and Jewish themes are also addressed.

The tapestry he weaves of religion, love, magic and death is taken from his own experiences. Olivas says, “Beyond being the grandson of Mexican immigrants, I am also a husband, father, son, brother, lawyer, urban dweller, Jew by choice, and friend to people from many cultures; the list is long. In other words, my writing reflects all aspects of my life experiences.”

And because of Olivas’ life experiences, what could have been a hodgepodge of disparate stories and characters fits together like a perfect puzzle.

The main character, who influences all other lives in The Book of Want, is Conchita, a voluptuous, headstrong single woman of a certain age who sees nothing wrong with enjoying the company of handsome and usually much younger men. She resists pressure from her family to marry.

Then she meets a widower with unusual gifts and begins to think about what she really wants out of life.

Julieta, Conchita’s younger sister, is much more conventional, but there is more that lurks beneath the surface of her domestic bliss than outsiders know. She and her husband each harbor secrets that could change their marriage and their lives forever. Their twin sons, both in college, struggle to find fulfillment. Mateo refuses to let anyone stand in the way of his happiness, while Rolando grapples with his sexuality and the family’s expectations. And from time to time, Belén, the family’s late matriarch, pays a visit to advise, scold or cajole her hapless descendants.

The Book of Want reveals the basic humanity, with all its warts and flaws, but the mystical element lifts it from the ordinary with a prologue that nicely sets up the story and an epilogue that ties up loose ends and provides the last morsel of a satisfying read.

Reviewed by Mary Ann Cooper

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ORGANIZATIONS/LAW SCHOOLS

Williams Institute, UCLA, Celebrates 10th Anniversary R.

by Michelle Adam

Bradley Sears, founder and current executive director of the Williams Institute, University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA), vividly remembers the first year the institute was established. That was 2001, when he alone worked for this legal and public policy think tank created to address issues related to sexual orientation and gender equality.

Back then, Brad Sears launched the UCLAbased institute by working half-time, and on an annual budget of $100,000. Also, the climate for issues regarding sexual orientation and gender equality were a far cry from today. As Sears pointed out, “When we started, the Supreme Court had not struck down sodomy laws. And it was unimaginable for a politician to campaign on and support same-sex couples.”

Today, 10 years later, the Williams Institute has grown exponentially. Twenty-two employees work there under an annual budget of $2.5 million. In addition, “the governors of New York and Rhode Island have talked about extending rights to same-sex marriages and Supreme Court justices have issued decisions that have come out in favor of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexuality and Transsexualism) rights,” said Sears.

In 10 years, a lot has changed for those impacted by issues related to sexual orientation and gender equality – and much credit can be bestowed upon the Williams Institute for this progress. The institute was founded in 2001 to provide a nonpartisan academic center that could effectively research issues that prior to then lacked detail and accuracy.

As Sears pointed out, “Back in 2000, there were a lot of assertions and stereotypes, but not a lot of research on information related to how

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many gay people there were, or how many gay couples there were, or how many of them were raising children. We were founded to fill that gap.”

Since its inception, the Williams Institute has been able to provide solid, demographic research that has affected policy around discrimination, economics and much more.

“We are the resource of demographics of LGBT issues. We were co-branded with the 2010 census,” said Sears. “In terms of the economic impact of LGBT marriage, we have shown that if states extend marriage to same-sex couples, it actually benefits the state budget and state economy. As a result of our work, the Congressional Budget Office confirmed that the federal budget would be expanded by over one billion dollars if marriage of same-sex couples were recognized throughout the country. And in terms of discrimination, we presented a report to Congress in 2009 documenting discrimination in all the states. This has been used by the Department of Justice and the federal courts to determine that gay people are entitled to constitutional protection.”

The Williams Institute has not only affected policy nationwide, it has also played an integral role at UCLA’s Law School. It has been involved in scholarship and teaching, with its faculty offering five to six classes a week on LGBT law and policy. The institute also provides a core competition for law schools on sexual orientation issues to train in litigation and LGBT issues, and has fellowships that help law and policy graduates get academic teaching jobs. In addition, it provides a speaker’s series, conferences and an academic journal that publishes LGBT scholarship every year.

With its many accomplishments and contri-

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butions, it’s no wonder the Williams Institute was proud to host its 10th-anniversary celebration recently. The event took place for three days, from April 7-9, on the UCLA campus. Three hundred fifty people attended gatherings that included a founders dinner, two days of conferences and a gala reception.

“It was great! The way we celebrated was with a gala at UCLA hosted by the chancellor,” said Sears. “It was a nice marker of both our progress and the extent to which we have been fully embraced by UCLA.” Unique to this year’s celebration was the institute’s announcement that it had reached its endowment goal of 2.5 million – good news for the future of the think tank. In addition, many alumni – former fellows and advisory board members – came to celebrate.

“It was very rewarding to have folks come back. Now they are experts in this area,” said Sears. “This work we do isn’t just about doing great research, but also about expanding the pool of people doing work in this area.”

Of equal importance was a keynote speech given by Dr. Gary Gates, a Williams Distinguished Scholar. Gates presented much-awaited research regarding demographics on LGBT people in the U.S. “The keynote was a lot of fun and a great way for me to talk about my work,” said Gates about his talk. “I think people enjoyed my speech, and we’ve gotten feedback on our website.”

What made his speech important is that he brought clear data to an area of great speculation. In his presented research, Gates determined that 3.8 percent of the population of the United States is LGBT. “It’s an area where those who oppose and

Brad Sears, founder and executive director, Williams Institute, UCLA, at 10th anniversary

those who advocate for gay rights had made assertions that were not entirely correct. Pro-gay rights individuals had an argument that about 10 percent of the population was LGBT, and the other side had believed it was less than the actual number,” explained Sears. “This is a good example of the importance of being a part of a research center at a university and seeking out the most accurate data. There was definitely a lively debate around this report and presentation.”

Gates’ speech, his research and that of the institute has revealed much more information about the LGBT population and has provided states with a clearer picture on how these individuals impact the larger population.

“These data break many of the stereotypes that exist about the LGBT community. We have been able to show that not all gay and lesbian people are White and rich and live in cities.

Relatively large portions are non-White (despite the fact that the media tends to go to obvious White neighborhoods like the Castro and West Hollywood),” said Gates. “Same-sex couples that are of a racial ethnic minority are more likely to live where minority communities are concentrated. And African-American and Latino LGBTs are two to three times more likely to be raising children than other LGBT individuals. Of White people, 16 percent are raising children. For Latinos and Latinas, it’s 28 percent, and for AfricanAmericans it’s 40 percent.”

In addition, Gates added, “The images of parenting among LGBT people that we usually see is that of highly educated gay and lesbian couples

adopting a child. But if you look at same-sex couples, only 20 percent of those raised by same-sex couples are adopted. Eighty percent are something other than adopted. The evidence suggests that many of these kids were ones the people had when they were younger, before they came out.

And the states where the same-sex couples are most likely to be raising children are in the south, and in conservative places where large ethnic minority populations live.”

Much of Gates’ research and that of Williams Institute has been gathered in collaboration with the U.S. Census (since the Census is the only place that gathers data on households and couples that is extensive enough to work with). “We have done a lot of work with the Census Bureau to improve the way they collect data, and the way same-sex data has been collected. We were involved in the 2010 census,” said Gates. “There is a large group of same-sex couples that look exactly like their different sex counterparts, and yet they are treated differently under the law. So it is important data to look at so all couples have rights.”

Accurately researching and revealing data on the LGBT population within this country has been instrumental for the institute in helping provide these individuals rights that other minority groups have striven for as well. As Sears pointed out, LGBT individuals face discrimination in the same manner that other groups might, such as Latinos of African-Americans. And as is the case for many groups, providing antidiscrimination laws is the first step toward protecting citizens, but not the only one.

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“Like discrimination with other groups, LGBT discrimination becomes more nuanced over time. While there are anti-discrimination laws in place for different groups (such as Latinos), there are still major disparities with education, income and other opportunities,” said Sears. “In California, you have laws that protect the LGBT population in almost all parts of life, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t violence and experience of discrimination. Research still needs to be done to address these issues.”

While there are similarities in discrimination against the LGBT population and other minority groups, there are also differences. “No one is arguing whether Hispanics or Blacks make good parents. There is a baseline of equality that has been established for most of the public. Yet, our research is still answering questions that wouldn’t be asked of other groups. People wouldn’t ask whether interracial marriage would affect the state budget. That would be offensive,” said Sears.

“Yet, in California, almost half of the children of same-sex couples raising kids are Hispanics. So, if you want to address the needs of low-income Hispanic families, part of the population you are looking at is that of same-sex couples.”

Recognizing that one group’s struggle – such as

Dr. Gary Gates, Williams Distinguished Scholar

that of Hispanics – and the lessons learned can help the next group achieve rights became reality at the institute’s 10th anniversary celebration. Christine Chávez, a farmworker coordinator under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, spoke of the struggles

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and successes of the farmworker’s movement under her grandfather, the late César Chávez.

“One reason we had Christine Chávez there was to discuss the connections between groups of people and the lessons that one social movement can learn from another. She spoke about the work her grandfather had done and the lessons that can be drawn from that for LGBT issues. She talked about the early acceptance and receptivity of her grandfather and other farmworker leaders of the LGBT population. These people were always included,” said Sears. “She also talked a lot about the need to form movements that are carried from one generation to the next, and about the need for public education and community education. The key for the farmworkers movement was a boycott where people across the nation got involved. It was important to communicate a message more broadly than just to those directly impacted.”

While Chávez presented a Chicano voice at the celebration event, many other presenters joined from high-level posts in society to support the Williams Institute. Other speakers were the Honorable Jack Jacobs, a justice of the Delaware Supreme Court; the Honorable Rives Kistler, associate justice of the Oregon Supreme Court; the Honorable Alex Kozinski, chief judge of the U.S. 9th Circuit of Appeals; Chai R. Feldman, commissioner of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; and the Honorable Judy Chu, congresswoman of the U.S. House of Representatives.

“It was great to have them there,” said Sears.

While the Williams Institute holds a conference every year and had its largest conference, an international conference, two years ago – this year’s event was a true celebration.

Conference-goers looked at important research the think tank has been able to conduct (such as work on overall demographics, LGBT parenting, marriage and employment discrimination), and a group of panelists reflected on Williams’ impact on policy throughout this country.

The institute also hosted panels on health and other topics of future interest such as LGBT youth, international work, public opinion and stigma.

“One of the things we used the gathering for was to reflect on our prior 10 years and to plan the research we’d do in the next 10 years,” said Sears.

All in all, the event was a huge success, and it served to remind the Williams Institute of the accomplishments achieved in merely 10 years. “The growth in our organization is considerable, and we’ve had a terrific impact on supporting scholarship and affecting public policy. I don’t think I or anyone else involved in this institute 10 years ago thought we’d grow this quickly,” reflected Sears.

“I think we’ve done a great job in fulfilling our mission.”

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Assistant or Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture Teaching (70%), Research (30%) Department of Landscape Architecture Cornell University Since 1904, the Department of Landscape Architecture at Cornell University has challenged students to be responsible, creative designers and to develop innovative, site-appropriate solutions that enhance aesthetics and value. Cornell University offers accredited, license-qualifying Landscape Architecture degrees at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The undergraduate Landscape Architecture degree is the only one of its kind in the Ivy League. Both academic programs provide a sound grounding in theory and technology, which is put into practice through the design studio and related courses.

Cornell Landscape Architecture is a top ranked program with undergraduate and graduate students in two accredited first professional degree programs and two second professional degree programs.

Faculty are appointed on an academic year basis. The Department is currently searching for an outstanding tenure-track assistant or associate professor to: • Teach, conduct research, and lead scholarship in contemporary theories and practices related to the design and planning of sustainable communities at varied scales (rural, urban, and regional) in the Department of Landscape Architecture at Cornell University.

• Advise and guide activities for students enrolled in Landscape Architecture at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Teaching will focus on studios, integrating digital technology for design speculation, analysis, development, and presentation. Additional courses, in seminar, studio or lecture-course format, will address theories and practices related to creating sustainable communities.

• Initiate or continue to evolve an innovative and productive research program that integrates social, economic and environmental aspects of landscape and urban design. Seek and obtain research funds in a collaborative manner, across disciplines.

Qualifications: • A Master's degree in Landscape Architecture (MLA) minimally, with potential for other advanced degrees in Landscape Architecture or closely related field.

• Demonstrated experience teaching studio design and other subjects relevant to the professional practice of Landscape Architecture.

• A track record of/or potential for excellence in research, scholarship, and teaching.

• Professional practice.

Preferences: • Successful teaching experiences in higher education including classroom and studio teaching as well as thesis oversight.

• Innovative engagement with current theories of urban and spatial design.

• Professional, multidisciplinary practice experience in sustainable community urban design.

• Demonstrated record of professional or scholarly leadership, activities and publications.

• Success in obtaining and leveraging funds for research and scholarship.

Application: Send letter of application, complete CV, teaching and professional practice portfolio, and recent publications, if applicable (may include conference presentations or articles in progress); and the names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of five references to April Kampney, Department of Landscape Architecture, 440 Kennedy Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853.

Review of applications will begin on December 19, 2011, and continue until an appropriate candidate is selected. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Inquiries about the position may be directed to Peter J. Trowbridge, Chair and Professor of Landscape Architecture, 440 Kennedy Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, pjt4@cornell.edu, (607)255-2738.

For additional information on the department of Landscape Architecture please visit our website located at http://www.landscape.cornell.edu/.

Cornell University seeks to meet the needs of dual career couples, has a Dual Career program, and is a member of the Upstate New York Higher Education Recruitment Consortium to assist with dual career searches. Visit http://www.unyherc.org to see positions available in higher education in the upstate New York area.

Cornell University, located in Ithaca, New York, is an inclusive, dynamic, and innovative Ivy League university and New York's land-grant institution. Its staff, faculty, and students impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose and contribute creative ideas and best practices to further the university's mission of teaching, research, and outreach.

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Developing Leaders. Improving Lives, and Shaping the Future.

Cornell University is an affirmative action/ equal opportunity employer and educator.

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Meet Benny Agosto, President, Hispanic National Bar Association LEADERSHIP/LAW SCHOOLS

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by Paul Hoogeveen

enny Agosto Jr. didn’t start college planning to become a prominent Houston lawyer. In fact, Agosto, whose Puerto Rican parents insisted their children go to college, originally intended to study medicine and become a doctor. Ultimately, however, he chose to pursue a law degree, and is now a partner with Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto & Friend.

The current president of the Hispanic National Bar Association, and a past president of the Mexican American Bar Association of Texas, Agosto has had tremendous success as a litigator, and in 2006 was awarded the State Bar of Texas President’s Certificate of Merit. But he also holds a soft spot for teaching – a profession he enjoyed early on in his professional life, remains actively involved with, and to which he is confident he will return someday.

In an interview with The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine, Agosto related his parents’ efforts to instill a desire to get an education in him and his four siblings. He also spoke of his days as a soccer player for Puerto Rico, his journey through college, becoming a college biology instructor, and eventually choosing law as a profession. He also discussed some of the successes he has enjoyed as a litigator focusing on civil cases – including a notable appellate victory in the historic ruling for Republic Waste Services, Ltd. v. Martinez, which sets a new Texas legal standard for undocumented workers that prevents immigration status from prejudicing juries, and ensures that such workers and their families can have a fair day in court.

The Hispanic Outlook: Thank you for taking the time for this interview. Let’s talk for a minute about your childhood and early family life.

Benny Agosto Jr.: My parents were Puerto Rican migrants that moved from Puerto Rico to New York in the 1940s. My father was a World War II veteran. After the war was over, like many other Puerto Ricans, he migrated to New York City. I was born there in 1963, and then in 1969 we moved back to Puerto Rico, where I was raised through high school. My dad had been a jeweler working in the jewelry district of Manhattan. That’s the trade he learned once he got to New York, and that facilitated him opening his own factory, which then allowed him to move the factory to Puerto Rico in 1970.

HO: Did anyone in your family follow through with the business?

Agosto: No, not really. We had a jewelry store and a factory. My dad

and my mom both went to school only through the sixth grade, so their goal was to get us all educated, and not so much instill the craft. It would have been a good idea, I guess, but they were more interested in seeing us get educated, and pushed hard for that.

HO: When did you first start thinking about what you would do with your life? What led you to decide to go to college?

Agosto: I played soccer for the Puerto Rico national team, but my intention always was to get educated and go to college. From a very early age, it was instilled in us that education was your primary asset. Because my parents had gotten out of school in the sixth grade, they really felt that getting us ready for college was going to be the best thing for us. In high school I was able to do internships in my hometown, and I was lucky enough to work at a local hospital and at the court house. Those two things got me thinking about future careers.

HO: Did you plan on studying law?

Agosto: I first thought I’d be a medical doctor. I studied biology and chemistry and all that in college. But as an athlete in college, I’d had to play sports, so when I graduated I didn’t have all my classes in line to go to medical school, and had to go to graduate school. I did that in biology with the hope that I would go to medical school. And with the turns that life gives us, I ended up teaching for about six years. At that point, I decided I needed to go back to school because the college I was teaching at was telling me I had to go further in my education.

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That’s when I decided to go to law school. I had gone through undergraduate studies in biology and chemistry and then had moved to graduate school in biology and was teaching at Houston Baptist University at that point.

HO: How did you end up in Houston?

Agosto: The folks from Houston Baptist had gone to Puerto Rico and recruited me to play soccer. I had played in the 1979 Pan American Games in Puerto Rico. They had caught the championships and offered me a full scholarship to come to Houston and get an education. I had some offers at different schools, but Houston is a big city, and I knew about Houston Medical Center, so I thought: “If I’m going to be a doctor, that may be a good place for me to go.” Then after college, I went to graduate school at the University of Houston biology department and started teaching.

HO: What made you choose law over medicine?

Agosto: I think the beauty of the law – and I teach a lot of young people this – is that becoming a lawyer allows you to have options that a specialized post-graduate degree does not offer. When I was a biology major, I had only one option: go back and get a Ph.D. in biology, and then work either in private industry or teach biology. There’s not much else you can do. So instead of going back for my Ph.D. (in biology), I decided to switch and become a lawyer because that would offer me the opportunity to teach or to work in private or public areas. A law degree allowed me to have those options, and I was encouraged by that. Once I was in law school, I realized that my skills – both bilingual skills and skills as an athlete – would translate effectively into litigation, so I turned to litigation.

HO: What was your first professional post after completing your law degree?

Agosto: I worked for a judge here in Houston, and then worked for a defense firm. That was a good experience, but I very quickly realized that I was better suited to work as a lawyer representing injured people. In Houston, there’s a large amount of Hispanics, and the Hispanic population is very much so a working population. So I realized that would be a good position – for me to represent those folks.

HO: Did you do pro bono work as well?

Agosto: Because Spanish is my first language and I realized that I can help sometimes-downtrodden folks, I was able to do pro bono. I’ve done pro bono through my entire career. I do about 75 to 100 hours a year of pro bono work, which is a lot. I’ve actually taken cases all the way to the Supreme Court of Texas of a pro bono nature that have been made into law. I take my pro bono activities and hours very, very seriously.

HO: Can you provide an example of some pro bono work you’ve done?

Agosto: The landmark case that I handled on a pro bono basis was a case called Harris County v. Hinojosa. Sergeant Hinojosa was a police officer here for the constable’s office. He was injured on the job – severely injured, with brain damage. The insurance company for the county denied his payment for his treatment because he was the Saturday-morning, on-call sergeant. They didn’t have enough sergeants, so instead of having more sergeants on duty, they would say – whoever is on call Saturday morning to come on duty, you’re it. He was called in by an on-duty deputy, so he put on his uniform and got on his motorcycle, and was on his way to cover for this deputy when he got hit by a car. The county claimed that he was in transit to work, and the general rule is if you’re coming or going to work, you’re not covered. I was able to prove that in this specific instance, when you are on call to come on duty, once you accept the call and leave for work, you are now on duty. So, we won the trial, won at the court of appeals, and won at the Supreme Court of Texas. I was really proud that that became the law for all police officers in Texas.

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HO: Were you involved with any other important cases?

Agosto: Here’s another example. For over a decade, I’ve been writing law reviews on behalf of workers who’ve been injured on the job. That’s a very typical issue that I’ve fought for all these years. I’m of the strong opinion that if undocumented workers are arrested, they need to go through the process; that’s the law of this country. I believe we need to have border security and everything that is associated with it. However, if an undocumented worker is working in any capacity, if they’re injured because of the negligence of others, they need to be treated just like anybody else. One thing is to be in deportation proceedings, which is necessary by law in this country; another is to treat everybody equally. I had the privilege to represent a family on this issue when an undocumented 21year-old worker was killed on the job. The case went up on appeal, and the issue was that they didn’t want to pay compensation for his lost wages or lost earning capacity because he was undocumented. I was able to fight that in the Supreme Court of Texas, and won. A new law came out in January of this year where an undocumented worker has the right to collect lost earning capacity – even though he’s undocumented – if his injury or death is caused by the negligence of others. I published a legal article on that case seven times this year.

HO: Do you think that you would consider going back to teaching in the future?

Agosto: I will go back to teaching when I’m ready to retire from my litigation days because I really love teaching. Right now, I’m very active in the community teaching young children; I’m very strong in the legal education pipeline, teaching fourth- and fifth-graders about the law and how to become a lawyer. I’ve also written a book that’s about to be published called Victoria Goes to Court. It tells about a young Hispanic girl who’s interested in law, and who asks her teacher what it is you need to do to become a lawyer, and why lawyers are important. In essence, it teaches everything about becoming a lawyer, for third- and fourth-graders. We’ll get it published by next year so we can use it next spring in the Law Day activities. [Law Day is observed nationwide annually on May 1 to “reserve a special day of celebration by the American people in appreciation of their liberties and to provide an occasion for rededication to the ideas of equality and justice under law.”] I teach children as often as I can, I teach lawyers through continuing education, and I teach at the law school whenever they invite me to go speak. I envision myself going back to the law school atmosphere and teaching as I get older and retire from litigation.

HO: Do you have any thoughts or advice for Hispanic students who are considering postsecondary education?

Agosto: I really believe in the education of all people, but particularly the Latino community. We have 17.2 million Latinos in this country that are under the age of 18 – so we have a lot of young Latinos and Latinas that are coming up through the ranks. When we look into the studies that the American Bar Association has put out on education, we realize that the Latino community is just not getting that postsecondary education. So we have to educate our youth that high school is not the crest of their education – that they have to go to college and think further about advanced degrees. I tell the young Latinos and Latinas that I meet that their dream needs to be really high – that they need to shoot for the stars, because even if they don’t reach that dream, they’re still going to end up at a high spot. My father used to say, “Your education is something nobody will ever take away from you.”

Getting an education is like putting money in the bank; once you save it there, it’s yours. Your education is an investment in your future.

HO: Thank you very much for your thoughts and your time.

Agosto: Thank you. I appreciate it.

HI S PAN I C S O N T H E MO VE Rice’s Tapia Receives National Medal of Science The White House has awarded Richard Tapia, Rice University (Texas) mathematician and longtime champion of diversity in U.S. education, the National Medal of Science. It’s not the first White House honor for Tapia, who received the inaugural Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring in 1996, the same year he earned a presidential appointment to the National Science Board. Tapia is a University Professor – Rice’s highest rank, the Maxfield-Oshman Professor in Engineering and director of the Rice Center for Excellence and Equity in Education.

Harvard Medical School Researcher Alegría Elected to Institute of Medicine Margarita Alegría, Ph.D., director of the Center for Multicultural Mental Health Research, Cambridge Health Alliance, and a professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, has been named to the Institute of Medicine (IOM). Alegría is a leading expert on disparities in mental health and substance abuse services for minority populations, and her research aims to improve access, equity and quality of these services for disadvantaged populations. Election to the IOM is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine.

Baruch Appoints Ramos-Zayas as New Chair of Latin American Studies Baruch College (N.Y.) has announced Dr. Ana Yolanda Ramos-Zayas as the new Valentín Lizana y Parragué Chair of Latin American Studies within the Black and Hispanic Studies Department (BHS). An anthropologist by train-

ing, Ramos-Zayas studies issues focusing on citizenship, race, youth and urban ethnography and the anthropology of affect and emotion.

Prior to Baruch College, Ramos-Zayas was an associate professor at Rutgers University. She has a Bachelor of Arts in economics and Latin American studies from Yale University and doctorate in anthropology from Columbia University.

University and an Ed.D. from Argosy University. She completed a certificate from the Executive Program of Harvard University and also graduated from the National Hispana Leadership Institute.

Ex-Marine Finds New Deployment at Sul Ross State University At 23, the hardest part of Irving Ramírez’s life might be behind him. Ramírez, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, has served tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

He participated in countless firefights as a sniper and suffered three concussions from an IED (improvised explosive device), a bomb and a grenade.

He was decorated 11 times, twice with the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for meritorious service in a combat situation. Since his discharge in August, Ramírez started attending Sul Ross State University (Texas), studying kinesiology and political science, and became a member of the football team.

UConn Names Santiago-Tosado Director of Puerto Rican/Latin American Cultural Center Dr. Gladys M. Santiago-Tosado has been appointed as the new director of the Puerto Rican/Latin American Cultural Center at the University of Connecticut, Storrs Campus. Santiago has a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and a Master of Education in counseling and guidance from the University of Puerto Rico and a doctorate in higher education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Her scholarly interests include: social responsibility in higher education, liberal education, civic engagement, community service, counseling, advisement, mentoring and Latinos in higher education.

Olivas Gives Lecture on DREAM Act at Pomona College Michael A. Olivas, a member of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund’s board of directors, law professor and author, recently discussed “Dreams Deferred: Deferred Action, Discretion, and the Vexing Case(s) of DREAM Act Students” at Pomona College (Calif.). Considered one of the nation’s foremost experts on immigrant education, Olivas is the William B. Bates Distinguished Chair in Law at the University of Houston Law Center and director of its Institute for Higher Education Law and Governance. He is the author or co-author of 14 books. His most recent, No Undocumented Child Left Behind: Plyer v. Doe and the Education of Undocumented Schoolchildren, will be published in January by NYU Press.

EDMC Names González-León VP of Academic Compliance Dr. Belinda M. González-León has been promoted to vice president of academic compliance of the Regulatory Affairs and Compliance team, Education Management Corporation (EDMC), which is among the largest providers of postsecondary education in North America, with 106 locations in 32 U.S. states and Canada. González-León has a B.S. from Nova University, an M.B.A. from Nova Southeastern

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LAW SCHOOLS

Alberto Muñoz: From Sweatshops to USC Law

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by Gary M. Stern

ost news stories about illegal immigrants in the United States focus on immigrants breaking the law and having run-ins with ICE. That immigrants make it in the U.S., contribute to American society and improve the country doesn’t make good copy.

Alberto Muñoz, a 2011 graduate of the University of Southern California’s (USC) Gould School of Law, located in Los Angeles, embodies the immigrant who overcame many obstacles to succeed.

Muñoz, who is 28 years old, was one of 519 students who attended the USC Gould School of Law in 2011. Of that number, 11 percent were African-American and Latinos, nine class members were multiracial, and 69 chose not to state their race and ethnicity on the application.

At age 7, Muñoz crossed the border illegally from Mexico and entered the U.S. the hard way: running across the border and then, as arranged by a smuggler, hiding in the trunk of a Honda Accord. He and his family made it to South Central Los Angeles. To earn money and help out his struggling family, he spent summers working in sweatshops, starting at age 12. Still he managed to graduate from Freemont High School in Los Angeles. Despite the hard times, Muñoz had dreams.

His life changed at age 19 due to actions of his mother. She was a naturalized U.S. citizen and petitioned the government to make him a permanent resident, a petition that was granted. Once he became legal, his ambition took off. He is scheduled to gain citizenship this year.

Striving to get ahead, Muñoz enrolled in Santa Monica College, a community college, in 2000. He was assigned to several remedial classes and knew he had to improve his reading, writing and math skills to succeed.

He earned an associate degree from Santa Monica College in two years, transferred to UC-Berkeley and then was accepted by USC Law School.

In this Q&A interview, Muñoz reveals how he was able to persevere, how community college changed his life, what obstacles he had to overcome and how becoming legal made all the difference in the world.

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The Hispanic Outlook: Why did your parents transport you to the U.S. to live at age 7?

Alberto Muñoz: My parents brought me to the U.S. in 1989 because my dad needed a job. He came here, worked in a sweatshop at a textile company in downtown L.A., sewing belt straps onto jeans. He also felt we didn’t have any educational opportunities in Mexico. After primary school, you have to pay your way through school, and we couldn’t afford that.

HO: What do you remember about the trip across the border?

Muñoz: I remember waiting on the border when it was dark and my dad holding my hand. First we ran across the border at night. A smuggler met us in California with a car. My little brother, who was 5, and I got into the trunk. We did this so we wouldn’t be detected at an immigration checkpoint near San Diego.

HO: Describe your life as a child growing up in Los Angeles, learning English, adjusting to public school.

Muñoz: When we arrived in the states, I didn’t speak any English. I was in ESL classes from the second grade until the sixth grade. Because there was no room in any of the L.A. elementary schools, I was bussed to schools in San Bernardino. I learned English in two ways: first my teachers helped me. And then I watched a lot of television, particularly Shari Lewis on PBS. HO: How were you affected by being illegal?

Muñoz: At the beginning, it didn’t affect me. I was too young to really know what that meant. I just went about my business. I quickly became assimilated into the elementary education culture. No one really asked back then about my immigration status. But it all fell into place in seventh grade when I applied for an after-school job. I needed a Social Security number, but I didn’t have one. My other friends were getting after-school

jobs, but I couldn’t. Then I realized that I was illegal and I couldn’t really succeed without the proper documentation.

HO: Please describe your experience working in a sweatshop.

Muñoz: I started working in a sweatshop during the summer when I was 12. My first job involved cutting the strings off dresses that were to be sold at Sears. But the real money was in ironing and sewing, so I mastered the sewing machine and got a raise. I continued to work in sweatshops during summers in high school to make extra money. It taught me a lot about the plight of immigrants like me.

HO: Describe your education at Freemont High School in L.A. Muñoz: I was a closet nerd. I had a lot of gangster friends – I didn’t want to show off that I read or did homework. I had to do it on the sly so they didn’t make fun of me. I bought into the idea that an education could get you out of poverty. Until 10th grade, I was a straight-A student. Once I realized I didn’t have a Social Security card and couldn’t advance, I gave up on school. I went from earning straight A’s to a C average. I felt like there was little opportunity for me so why study? No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get advanced because I wasn’t legal.

HO: In your law school application, you described growing up in the ghetto of South Central L.A. as living in chains. Why? Muñoz: The chains were a metaphor for feeling trapped. I knew everyone, so I wasn’t harassed. There were gangs, and some people were shot in the street. I was recruited by gangs, but I just befriended them on a social level and never joined. I just worked around them. That’s where I learned about networking. I became friends with the leader, and that helped me avoid having to join.

HO: What motivated you to apply to Santa Monica College in 2000 at age 18?

Muñoz: After graduating from high school at age 18, I started working full time with my stepmother at a sweatshop. It was disheartening because I started to think I could spend my life here. That changed when my biological mother found out I was working in a sweatshop and petitioned the U.S. government to gain my citizenship. I became a permanent resident and was now legal and could finally gain a Social Security card. I left the sweatshop, got a job as a cashier at McDonald’s and felt as if I was making it. At that point, I enrolled in community college. When I was working in the sweatshop, I thought – if I ever get an opportunity, I’m taking advantage of it. And that meant to be educated.

HO: Describe the impact that community college had on you.

Muñoz: It took me just two weeks to figure out I wasn’t ready for college academically. High school didn’t prepare me very well. I had to take a semester of remedial English and math. To improve, I started putting more work and energy into college. I started reading everything I could get my hands on, including Richard Rodríguez’s Hunger of Memory, a memoir about an East L.A. kid who goes to Stanford, and classics such as Plato, Dickens’ Great Expectations, Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and The Autobiography of Malcolm X. HO: What effect did all this reading have on you?

Muñoz: The more I read, the better my writing got. My grades were improving. I earned mostly A’s and some B’s. I graduated with an associate degree in 2003.

HO: Why apply to Berkeley?

Muñoz: Honestly, I didn’t quite know what Berkeley was. I attended a transfer fair and figured I’d apply to UCLA and USC, the two local colleges I knew. But I saw a long line of students waiting to speak to a Berkeley counselor, got on the line and started asking questions. They encouraged me to apply, and Christina Preciado, a sociology professor, helped me with the application. I applied on a lark to Berkeley and was accepted.

HO: How did you finance your Berkeley education?” Can you describe being there?

Muñoz: I put together Pell Grants, state grants, and scholarships from Berkeley, and work study. I only paid about $1,000 a semester. I loved Berkeley. I majored in sociology to make sense of growing up in South Central L.A. I went to cafés with friends and discussed Karl Marx, literature and politics.

HO: Why did you decide to become an attorney, and what did you have to do to be accepted by a law school?

Muñoz: Law school meant respectability. It means earning good money, gaining respect and helping others. After graduating college, I took a year off to study for law school. I was accepted into the UCLA Law Fellows Outreach Program. I attended classes every Saturday, practiced taking LSATs, got mentored and improved my logic and reasoning skills. I did well on the LSATs. If I did better, I might have been accepted by Harvard.

HO: Describe your experience at USC’s Gould School of Law. Muñoz: I was no longer ashamed of where I came from. Like many of the other students, I was pursuing the American Dream. At USC, I tried things I had never done before. For example, I became president of the student government and was involved in the Latino Law Student Association. I graduated in May 2011 and am now studying for the bar exam.

HO: You could easily have given up. You were poor, undocumented and worked in a sweatshop. What drove you to achieve?

Muñoz: I hated being poor and wanted to get out of poverty. I wanted to live the life of the people on the West Side of Los Angeles, to “make it,” and have a good life.

HO: What kind of law do you intend to practice?

Muñoz: The recession forces you to think about what exactly you want to do. The $160,000 jobs aren’t there anymore. I’d like to work at a Latino organization such as MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund), National Council of La Raza, or League of United Latin American Citizens. I’m also thinking about working in redevelopment, helping to fight urban blight. That would combine my interest in sociology and law.

HO: You’ve overcome many obstacles, but what do you think your achievement symbolizes?

Muñoz: I symbolize the 300,000 undocumented students who don’t have the right to go on to higher education. Once my mom got me naturalized, it changed everything. If not for that, I’d have led a wasted life and not been productive in society. The real story is how much immigrants buy into the American idea. Once we’re in the U.S., we become Americanized and assimilated. We want to make it just like everyone else.

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HIGH SCHOOL FORUM

High School Board Exams

The

New Life or More of the Same for Public Education?

by Mary Ann Cooper

Department of Education has been under attack recently by people motivated by the perceived failure of the system to improve educational achievement on the elementary and high school levels or the desire to dramatically reduce spending and eliminate waste during troubled economic times. A new program introduced in four states seems to address competency and spending – but is it the tonic needed to invigorate or a just a Band-Aid on the social compact of public education?

The program in question allows 10th-graders who are able to pass a group of competency tests in key subjects the opportunity to receive a high school diploma and immediately enroll in a community college. If students fail these so-called board exams, they can retake them in the junior and senior years. And students who pass them can opt to stay in high school and finish their junior and senior years with college-prep courses so they can apply to a four-year institution.

The group of board exams includes subjects such as English, history, math and science. The program Excellence for All (formerly the Board Examination Systems Program) was organized by the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE), and is modeled after similar programs in Denmark, England, Finland, France and Singapore.

The argument is that schools are already experimenting with the concept of early college. In that case, students are allowed to take college-level courses while still attending high school. These courses earn college credits for local community colleges, prior to actual enrollment.

The idea is that this narrow cast, doubledown approach, focusing ninth- and 10th-grade studies on basic skills, would reduce the number of high school graduates (now more than a million) enrolling in college that still need remedial courses – a form of culture shock. These students completed high school with the expectation that they are prepared for college-level courses only to find that they can’t take them without first passing remedial courses intended to bring them to an acceptable level. These students are more likely to become discouraged and drop out of

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school. NCEE suggests that Excellence for All would reduce the need for remediation, reduce the number of college dropouts, and reduce the necessity of remedial courses at community colleges, because the board exams for the 10th grade would tie passing grades to what a student would need to know to pass a first-year college course in a given subject.

Dropout rates in countries with programs similar to Excellence for All are a third of what they are in U.S. schools. Dropout rates from American high schools approach 30 percent, while those in the top performing countries are all below 10 percent. Proponents say that even if a 10th-grader fails a board exam, that can serve a good purpose. That purpose is to alert students, their families and the schools that a student needs more skills in the next year or two in order to succeed in higher education.

The plan has many supporters. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has given the NCEE $1.5 million to help launch the program. The 21 high schools participating in the fall 2011 pilot program serve a diverse group of students and represent a mix of charter and regular public schools as well as schools with low-performing and high-performing students. Participating schools are using federal grant money, support from local and state philanthropies, and state and local tax dollars. The Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan is conducting a rigorous independent evaluation of the effectiveness of the pilot.

NCEE estimates that school districts would have to invest $500 per student for teacher preparation, purchasing teaching and testing materials, and other program costs, and that districts could apply for federal assistance. School systems choose programs approved by NCEE to administer in the 9th and 10th grades. The programs currently approved by the national center include the College Board’s Advanced Placement, the International Baccalaureate Diploma, ACT’s QualityCore and the International General Certificate of Secondary Education programs (Cambridge International) and by Edexcel (Pearson Education).

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High schools in Arizona, Connecticut, Kentucky and Mississippi began participating in the national pilot this fall. NCEE claims that “students in the pilot high schools will be using the best high school curriculums in the world available in the United States. These include curriculums and aligned, high-quality assessments from the College Board, University of Cambridge in England, the International Baccalaureate Program, and ACT. Teachers in the pilot high schools are being trained by the providers of these programs to teach them well to students from many different backgrounds. Excellence for All has been designed not just to bring superior curriculum, teaching and assessments to American high schools, but also to make basic changes to the structure of our high schools.

The goal is to make sure that no student leaves high school without being ready to succeed in a local community college or in a four-year college. The premise is that all students, whether they plan to be plumbers or brain surgeons, will need at least two years of education or training beyond high school to be successful.”

Not everyone is convinced that Excellence for All is the tonic education needs. Sandra Stotsky, a professor of education reform at the University of Arkansas, asks, “Do we really need a costly scheme involving more tests for our high school students than we already have, unnecessary teacher training, and ‘new’ coursework that seems to duplicate coursework that is already there?”

“If the goal lurking behind this scheme is to get low-performing grade 10 students into postsecondary technical training, it is beginning far too late,” says Stotsky. “The largest number of high school dropouts do so in grade 9. This country should be developing first-rate grades 912 technical/career high schools for high, medium or low-performing students in grade 8 to consider enrolling in. That is the counterpart to what other countries do. They don’t push lowperforming students into credit-bearing college courses. Instead, they give all students in the middle grades the opportunity to choose an occupational or academic secondary school or, as in Denmark and Germany, a paying appren-

ticeship in a manufacturing firm.”

Michael Goldstein, founder of MATCH Charter Public School in Boston, sees the NCEE program as intriguing, but has three concerns.

“This experiment is worth trying. But I’ve got three questions about 16-year-olds being offered community college in lieu of their junior and senior year of high school.

“First, why restrict this offer to community colleges? There’s promise there, but nobody disputes that community colleges face acute challenges in mission and performance. Will sending them more customers help them get their houses in order? Or spread them even thinner? Second, this policy is too limited in who it serves. Top kids will be shut out: they’ll stick with honors classes in high school. Lower-performing kids will get crushed on the types of entry exams being considered, like Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate. Third, the 16-yearolds are being offered a trade. Instead of

$12,000 per year being spent on them in high school, the state is offering to spend perhaps $2,000 per year on them in community college – thereby subsidizing all the kids who don’t choose this option. Why not make this cost neutral? If the teenager is entitled to a $12,000-per-year education, let them bring that sum to the community college, which will dramatically upgrade the quality of classes (and tutoring support).”

Some critics see NCEE’s potential for turning high school into a two-year college-prep experience as a slippery slope that could signal the erosion of secondary education. Although Goldstein doesn’t see the state’s financial incentive as a real threat to public education, he does see a way that the funding of education can be best utilized to improve student outcomes. In response to a New York Times piece explaining the NCEE program, Goldstein wrote, “Here’s my proposal. Let the public funds follow the 17- and 18-year-olds to any of the following five options:

community college, classes at four-year colleges which choose to participate, vocational training, regular high school, or a hybrid. Our high school, for example, is a bit of a hybrid. Most of the 11th- and 12th-grade offerings are a mix of ‘regular’ college-prep classes and Advanced Placement classes. But through the benevolence of some faculty at nearby Boston University, our seniors are allowed to audit classes, whether ‘America After 1865’ or ‘Women In Antiquity’ or Multi-variable Calculus. (Our high school staff provides high-dosage tutoring to support the classes.) A (means-tested) funding stream which would allow other top universities to accept limited numbers of high school juniors and seniors, under strict conditions, would provide a much more sought after educational opportunity than community college access alone.”

Theory into Practice Regardless of how many academic experts support or don’t support NCEE’s Excellence for All pilot program, there is a growing consensus that planning and preparing for college or career training after high school can’t start soon enough. The College Board offers students these 10 suggestions for a successful higher education academic experience.

1. Take Tough Courses.

There are two benefits to taking courses that are challenging. The most obvious is that stretching yourself intellectually will train you to excel in a college environment and provide you with the skills you need to master new material. But taking advanced courses also looks great on a high school transcript, and demonstrates to colleges that you are a real go-getter.

2. Read Regularly.

It’s not enough to just read what you’re required to read for assignments and studying. You really need to read for pleasure. Make it a habit. It will help in test taking as well and add to your knowledge.

3. Be a Test Taker Practice makes perfect when it comes to taking tests. In your junior year, take the PSAT. It’s a great dress rehearsal for taking the SAT that is important to being considered for college admission. Preparation for one of these tests can also improve your study and test-taking skills during course work.

4. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help If you’re having trouble keeping up with your class work, talk with a teacher or counselor to find out what type of tutoring or other assistance is available. In an era of crowded classrooms, no one might notice you are struggling and need help unless you speak up.

5. Be Informed College is a unique experience, so find out as much as you can about it. If you know people who are in college or have attended recently, ask them about their experience. Get acquainted with the guidance counselors in your school and visit them regularly to keep a dialogue open. Start to research schools that you are interested in attending. The Internet is a good place to begin.

6. Be Active Part of being a successful student is being well-rounded. That means developing new interests such as sports, music and art. Join clubs or other school groups. Listing them will enhance your college application.

7. Involve Your Family.

Keep your family informed about your plans and hopes. They might not have attended college and know much about it, but they can be your sounding board and help you sort out how you feel and what you want.

8. Look for a Mentor.

Once you think you know what interests you in terms of a career, seek out teachers and counselors who can encourage you and give you advice on how to succeed. Target those who know about the subjects that interest you.

9. Get Rid of Personal Baggage If there are outside problems or issues that are keeping you from doing your best in school, don’t try to tough it out and deal with it alone. Speak to someone who can help you or give you advice. The most important thing is to let your family, friends and teachers know you’re overwhelmed.

10. Work Hard.

Develop a healthy work ethic. Becoming disciplined will make the challenges of college easier to manage.

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The Hispanic Outlook In Higher Education

www.hispanicoutlook.com

HSF Names 12 College Students as Obama Scholars – Funded by the President’s Nobel Peace Prize NEW YORK, N.Y.

Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF), the nation’s leading Hispanic higher education fund, has announced the second class of Obama Scholars. When President Barack Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009, he donated $125,000 of his prize amount to HSF; other nonprofits also received a similar contribution.

HSF, in keeping with the president’s call for more diversity in the teaching ranks of high school science, technology, engineering and math classes, decided to invest the money in scholarships for college students studying in the STEM fields who want to go on to teach these subjects in lower grades for part of their careers. The two-year scholarships will con-

Report Finds that 63 Percent of Associate Degrees in STEM Earn More than Bachelor’s Degrees in Non-STEM Occupations WASHINGTON, D.C.

A recent report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce shows that 65 percent of bachelor’s degrees in STEM (science, engineering, technology and mathematics) occupations earn more than master’s degrees in non-STEM occupations. Similarly, 47 percent of bachelor’s degrees in STEM occupations earn more than Ph.D.s in non-STEM occupations. Furthermore, even people with

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tinue into the students’ senior years.

HSF chose the Obama Scholars based on their academic achievements, essays they wrote, community activities and commitment to teaching in the STEM fields after graduation. The 2011 scholars are: • Walaa Abdallah, 20, of Yonkers, N.Y., majoring in chemical engineering at Manhattan College in Riverdale, N.Y. • Itxia Acevedo, 19, of Lewisville, Texas, majoring in biology with minors in chemistry, secondary education and Spanish at the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas • Carlos Alas, 20, of Naples, Fla., majoring in mechanical engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta • Juan Crespo, 20, of Granger, Ind., majoring in atmospheric science at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. • Rachael Hernández, 21, of Chanhassen, Minn., pursuing a double major in biology and Spanish at the College of Saint Benedict

in St. Joseph, Minn.

• Roberto Jaramillo, 22, of Tucson, Ariz., majoring in elementary education at the University of Arizona in Tuscon • Jesús-Mario Luevano Jr., 20, of El Paso, Texas, majoring in molecular and cellular biology with a minor in global health and health policy at Harvard University in Boston • Katherine Minaya, 19, of New York City, a biological science major at the University of Chicago • Eduardo Morfin, 23, of Sylmar, Calif., majoring in aerospace engineering at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles • David Rodríguez, 20, of Casselberry, Fla., an information technology major at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Fla. • Adriana Ruiz, 19, of Phoenix, a civil engineering major at Arizona State University in Phoenix • Jenny Salgado, 21, of Charlotte, N.C., a civil engineer major at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte

only STEM certificates can earn more than people with non-STEM degrees; for instance, certificate holders in engineering earn more than associate degree holders in business and more than bachelor’s degree holders in education.

STEM will grow to only 5 percent of all jobs by 2018, and demand for STEM talent is growing even faster outside of traditional STEM occupations. This increasing demand for STEM knowledge, skills and abilities allows many individuals with STEM talent to leave STEM occupations. Students and workers divert from STEM jobs because, while STEM is high-paying, STEM students have access to higher-paying career options.

The report finds that of out of every 100

students with a bachelor’s degree, 19 graduate with a STEM degree but only eight are working in STEM occupations 10 years after graduation.

But it’s not only about money – a major conclusion of the report is that STEM talent winds up outside of STEM occupations because STEM jobs often do not fully satisfy individual social and entrepreneurial interests.

“STEM provides choice for people both immediately after school and at midcareer, allowing people to transition to different and oftentimes more lucrative career pathways, including management and health care that provide long-term stability and excellent wages,” says Anthony P. Carnevale, the center’s director and the report’s lead author.

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The Hispanic Outlook In Higher Education

New Project to Examine Minority Completion and Attrition in STEM Doctoral Programs WASHINGTON, D.C.

The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has been awarded a three-year grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to examine completion and attrition among underrepresented minorities in STEM doctoral programs. The nearly $1.5 million grant will be used to study differences between Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) and non-AGEP institutions in order to better understand the factors that promote successful completion and the policies and practices that hold promise for increasing completion and reducing attrition.

“We know that attrition rates from doctoral

Report Makes the Case for Building Better Teacher Evaluation Systems that Benefit Teachers and Students LOS ANGELES, Calif.

Communities for Teaching Excellence has released a report that makes clear the vital need for states and districts to develop and adopt teacher evaluation systems that provide substantive feedback for teachers and accurately reflect their impact on student achievement. The report urges policymakers and educators to abandon the usual “driveby” evaluations found in schools across the country and instead implement “fair evaluation systems” based on multiple measures.

Knowing that teachers have the single biggest impact on student achievement –

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December 19, 2011

programs average between 40-50 percent, and minorities tend to complete at even lower rates. Institutions are strongly motivated to reduce attrition, but it isn’t clear which interventions make the most difference for minority students,” said CGS president Debra W. Stewart. She added, “This project is vitally important because a robust STEM work force is essential to a competitive economy. This new grant will provide information on how best to support these graduate students in diverse contexts so that they successfully complete their doctoral programs and are fully acculturated in the norms and cultures of their disciplines and capable of mentoring and teaching the next generation of researchers.”

NSF’s AGEP program is intended to increase the representation of minorities in STEM doctoral education, and ultimately in the academic work force. Previous evalua-

tions of the AGEP program have indicated that the numbers of underrepresented minority students enrolling in STEM doctoral programs have increased over time at AGEP institutions, but it is not clear which interventions have the most potential to positively impact doctoral completion rates for underrepresented minority students.

“The AGEP program is quite interested in interventions that would increase the number of students from underrepresented groups completing doctoral education.

Learning from this award will facilitate the development of models that can be adapted by other institutions,” said Dr. Jessie DeAro, AGEP program officer at NSF. She continued, “CGS is well positioned to accomplish this study and to disseminate the findings, and thus increase the impact of AGEP throughout the graduate education community.”

more than any other factor in the school – Communities for Teaching Excellence believes that designing sensible, thorough teacher evaluations is a necessary step in providing effective teaching to students in every classroom, every year.

“In order to ensure effective teaching for every child and close the persistent achievement gap that separates poor students and students of color from their peers, stakeholders must work together to create thoughtful systems for evaluating and supporting teachers,” said Yolie Flores, CEO of Communities for Teaching Excellence. “A number of states and school districts have already shown us that collaboratively designed evaluation systems are both feasible and beneficial to teachers and students alike.”

The report, Making It Meaningful:

Building a Fair Evaluation System, marshals findings from numerous large-scale studies and reviews recent efforts to design new evaluation systems in Houston, Texas and the state of Delaware. The report finds that while each community might approach teacher evaluation differently, research indicates that there are certain essential components that should be included in any truly comprehensive evaluation system.

The report also notes that evaluation systems should not be punitive and should not exist in a vacuum; rather, they must be tied to useful information and professional development so that teachers can improve their practices. Numerous surveys have found that teachers are eager for better and more consistent feedback on their classroom work.

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Committed to diversity. Committed to your success.

DePaul University, located in the heart of Chicago, is consistently ranked as having one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation.

At DePaul, our curriculum emphasizes diversity, human dignity and service to others. Our law students join a dynamic array of student organizations ranging from specialty interest groups to mentoring organizations.

At DePaul, diverse isn’t just what we are. It’s what we embrace. The College of Law at DePaul University is proud to be ranked one of the top 25 law schools for Hispanics in this issue of Hispanic Outlook Magazine.

law.depaul.edu

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“My time at Stetson has strengthened my research and analytical skills as well as my professional network, putting me in the best position to enter the job market upon graduation.�

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A powerful case for a law degree from NSU.

BUILDING A B E T T E R F UT U R E .

Marquette University Marquette University La Law w Sc School’s hool’ ool’s superb teac teachers hers and sc scholars holars prepare yyou ou to e xcell iin the h llegal egall prof fession i and d adv d ocate ffor or excel profession advocate u unning new home in the heart of others. Visit us toda todayy in our st stunning new Milw aukee, W is., and disco ver e the dif ference yyou ou can mak e.

Milwaukee, Wis., discover difference make.

The students and faculty at NSU come from all corners of the globe, creating a diverse and ethnic dynamic that melds with our real-world curriculum. This cultural diYHUVLW\ RI 168ÂśV VWXGHQW ERG\ DQG IDFXOW\ PD\ H[SODLQ why more than 8,500 Law Center alumni enjoy success in 46 states and eight countries, and include numerous judges, mayors, government officials, partners in major law firms and pro bono volunteers. It is no wonder 168ÂśV /DZ &HQWHU ZDV UDQNHG DPRQJ WKH EHVW ODZ schools by Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education.

Combined with renowned scholars and innovative WHDFKLQJ PHWKRGV LWÂśV HDV\ WR VHH ZK\ WKH /DZ &HQWHU continues to produce highly qualified, practicing attorneys who reflect the diversity of the communities they serve.

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Fort LauderdaleÂą Davie, Florida The Law Center admits students of any race, sex, sexual orientation, age, color, non-disqualifying disability, marital status, religion or creed, or national or ethnic RULJLQ 1RYD 6RXWKHDVWHUQ 8QLYHUVLW\ÂśV 6KHSDUG %URDG /DZ &HQWHU LV D PHPEHU RI WKH $VVRFLDWLRQ RI $PHULFDQ /DZ 6FKRROV DQG LV accredited by the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association (321 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60610-4714, Telephone number: 312-988-6738).

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DEAN COLLEGE OF NATURAL SCIENCES California State University, San Bernardino invites nominations and applications for the position of Dean of the College of Natural Sciences. The preferred starting date is September 1, 2012. Reporting to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Dean is responsible for the academic and administrative leadership of the departments within the College (Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Geology, Health Science and Human Ecology, Kinesiology, Mathematics, Nursing, and Physics), the School of Computer Science and Engineering and the Water Resources Institute and the Center for the Enhancement of Mathematics Education. The Dean is also responsible for representing the college within the University and to its external constituencies.

Candidates should possess: • An earned doctorate in one of the disciplines represented in the college from an accredited institution • A record of accomplishment in teaching, scholarship and service sufficient to warrant a tenured appointment at the rank of Professor • A demonstrated record of successful administrative experience • A demonstrated record of success in fiscal, personnel and programmatic management • A commitment to shared governance in a collective bargaining environment • A commitment to promoting diversity in all its forms • A successful record of community engagement and fund-raising California State University, San Bernardino, a comprehensive regional university, is one of 23 CSU campuses with approximately 16,000 students, 487 fulltime faculty, and 47 undergraduate and 30 graduate degree programs. In addition to the College of Natural Sciences, the University consists of Colleges of Business and Public Administration, Education, Arts and Letters, and Social and Behavioral Sciences. Off-campus programs are offered at the Palm Desert Campus. The University is situated 70 miles east of Los Angeles, offering easy access to beaches, mountains and desert resorts. The rapidly expanding metropolitan area offers a wide variety of cultural and recreational opportunities.

Housing costs are significantly below those of Los Angeles and Orange Counties.

Compensation is competitive. Review of applicants will begin January 3, 2012 and will continue until the position is filled. The applicant is asked to submit a letter of application, and a resume, accompanied by the names, email addresses, telephone and fax numbers of five references. Please forward applications and nominations (electronic submittals are preferred - send as Word attachments) to cnsdeansearch@csusb.edu or mail to: Dr. Jenny Zorn, Chair Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Search Committee for the Dean of Natural Sciences 5500 University Parkway San Bernardino, California 92407 For confidential inquiry, contact Dr. Zorn at (909) 537-3059 or jzorn@csusb.edu .

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If you believe the law exists to protect all the people, this is the school for you.

In a typical year, our faculty and students provide more than 85,000 hours of essential legal services to more than 1,000 of D.C.’s most vulnerable residents—children, those in poverty, immigrants and the disabled. Our service-centered curriculum means you’ll work side be side with distinguished attorney-professors on real cases. No other law school requires as much time spent on client cases. To learn more, visit our website at www.law.udc.edu, e-mail us at lawadmission@udc.edu or call 202-274-7341.

Ask about our new part-time evening program.

The University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law 4200 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008

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12/19/2011

HMS CO.

SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

P.O. BOX 231840 Centreville, VA 20120-1840

The University of California, Davis, School of Medicine is part of a nationally recognized, highly collaborative health system that excels in translating scientific discoveries and new technology into improved patient care and community health.

Based in Sacramento, CA, the UC Davis School of Medicine is seeking talented faculty to join an innovative environment infused with team learning, team research and team patient care. Academic positions are available at all levels in clinical and basic science departments with research, teaching, and/or clinical responsibilities in five academic series.

FOR ALL YOUR MULTICULTURAL ITEMS •

POSTERS

•

VIDEOS

•

visit our websites:

FLAGS

www.hmsdc.com and

To learn more about the exciting opportunities UC Davis has to offer, please visit http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/academicpersonnel/

www.DiversityStore.com

Call toll free at 1-800-200-KYNG (5964) E-mail: hmsdc@aol.com or Fax 1-703-266-9055

The University of California is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer with a strong commitment to achieving diversity in its faculty and staff.

boston college law | a whole new perspective “A commitment to diversity is more than an institutional mandate: it is a cherished part of our Jesuit heritage. A truly just community recognizes the value that comes from listening to every voice.�

Associate Chaplain

22% students of color assistant dean for diversity initiatives orientation, mentoring & social opportunities workshops & programs to help students transition to law school & the legal profession broad academic & clinical curriculum mock trial, negotiation, client counseling & moot court competitions

–vincent d. rougeau, dean XXX CD FEV MBX … CDMBXBEN!CD FEV … (617) 552-4351

Instructor, Advertising & Graphic Design FT, 9-mon position will teach day & evening classes as req’d. Min of 5 scheduled office hrs per wk req’d.

Qualifications: Min associate’s deg in teaching discipline. Bachelors or masters pref. Professional exp teaching, pref in community colleges. Background, by training or exp, in the teaching of the content area.

Ability to use a variety of electronic media, including online teaching platforms, to supplement instruction. Acceptable background check req’d. Visit our website www.gtcc.edu for more information & application. Open until filled. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, GTCC is strongly committed to diversity & welcomes applications from all qualified candidates, particularly minorities and faculty under-represented in higher education. EOE

Elmhurst College seeks an Associate Chaplain to work with the College Chaplain and the Spiritual Life Council to build and nurture the campus religious and worship life. The Associate Chaplain focuses on issues of gender, racial-ethnic identify and sexual orientation-LGBTQ, while building the college's liturgical life. The Associate Chaplain will focus and further the Christian ministry on campus facilitating students in community service, while guiding and encouraging students in the selection of career paths.

The Associate Chaplin will have pastoral duties commensurate with their abilities. The Associate Chaplain further develops and maintains relationships with congregations of faith external to the College. This is a half-time position.

Qualifcations: BA or Master of Divinity, recognized standing in a religious community. A strong background in youth or young adult ministry is desired as the Associate Chaplain supports the recruiting and retention of students. The Associate Chaplain should bring liturgical and worship skills in building campus worship. Apply online at www.elmhurst.edu by filling out the general application and attaching a cover letter and resume.

Also email cover letter and resume to Chaplain, H. Scott Matheney at hscottm@elmhurst.edu.

Founded in 1871, Elmhurst College is closely connected to the United Church of Christ. We seek candidates with demonstrated ability to contribute positively to a multicultural/multifaith campus community.

12/19/2011

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Southern Connecticut State University

TENURE-TRACK FACULTY POSITIONS Effective Fall 2012 Located in historic New Haven, a city rich in art and culture, Southern Connecticut State University is an intentionally diverse and comprehensive institution committed to academic excellence, access, social justice, and service for the public good.

The University invites applications from individuals who believe in the mission of public higher education in urban/metropolitan settings and are committed to excellence in both teaching and scholarship/creative activity. Successful candidates will be collegial, student-centered, experts in their fields of study, and adept in the use of technology and varied pedagogies in the classroom.

The University enrolls more than 11,500 students in 59 undergraduate and 45 graduate degree programs. Offering degrees primarily at the bachelors and masters levels, Southern also offers a sixth year diploma and two doctoral degree programs.

Southern is the flagship of graduate education in the Connecticut State University System and an institution of choice among undergraduates in the state.

ARTS & SCIENCES Art

Studio Art-Photography -search # 12-003

Assistant

Biology

General Biology/Human Biology -search # 12-004

Assistant

Biology

Evolutionary Developmental Biology -search # 12-005

Assistant

Chemistry

Analytical Chemistry -search # 12-006

Assistant

Communication

Advertising & Promotions -search # 12-007

Assistant

Earth Science

Geology-Sedimentology/Stratigraphy -search # 12-010

Assistant

English

American Literature -search # 12-035

Assistant

Geography

Physical Geography -search # 12-038

Assistant

History

20th Century U.S. History -search # 12-036

Assistant

Journalism

Multimedia -search # 12-037

Assistant

Mathematics

Generalist -search # 12-016

Assistant/Associate

Mathematics

Generalist -two searches # 12-017, 12-018

Assistant

Philosophy

AOS: Open AOC: History of Philosophy -search # 12-022

Assistant

Comparative Politics, Research Methods or Urban Studies -search # 12-023

Assistant

Psychology

Clinical Psychology -search # 12-024

Assistant

Psychology

Experimental Psychology -search #12-025

Assistant

Science Education & Environmental Science

Education-search # 12-028

Assistant

Research Methods &/or Social Theory, Urban Sociology-search # 12-031

Assistant

French Literature -search # 12-034 Modern Spanish Literature and Culture -search # 12-040

Assistant Assistant

Political Science

Sociology World Languages & Literatures World Languages & Literatures

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Southern Connecticut State University

BUSINESS Accounting Accounting Economics/Finance Management/MIS/

Taxation -search # 12-001 Auditing-search # 12-002 Any Specialization -search # 12-011 Business Law, Organizational Behavior Human Resources Management and Entrepreneurship Business-two searches - # 12-012 and # 12-014

Assistant/Associate Assistant/Associate

Management Information Systems -search # 12-013 Any Specialization -search # 12-015

Assistant/Associate Assistant/Associate

EDUCATION Counseling & School Psychology Counseling & School Psychology Exercise Science Elementary Education Special Education Special Education Special Education

Counseling -search #12-008 School Psychology -search # 12-009 School Health/Health Education -search # 12-042 Chair search -search # 12-041 Teaching English Language Learners -search # 12-032 Endowed Chair -search # 12-033 Chair search -search # 11-091

Assistant/Associate Assistant Assistant Rank Open Assistant Rank Open Rank Open

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES Nursing Nursing Nursing Public Health Recreation & Leisure Studies Social Work Social Work

Nursing Education -search #12-019 Nursing Education -two searches # 12-020 & 12-021 Nursing Education -search # 12-039 Public Health Generalist -search # 12-026 Recreation & Leisure -search # 12-027 Policy & Community Organization -search # 12-029 Marriage & Family Therapy Program -search # 12-030

Assistant Assistant/Associate Rank Open Assistant/Associate Assistant/Associate Assistant Assistant/Associate

Management/MIS Marketing

Assistant/Associate Assistant/Associate

Rank dependent upon appropriate experience and qualifications.

Note: A detailed description of all faculty positions and required application materials can be found on the Southern Connecticut State University website: http://www.southernct.edu/employment/Job_Openings/ All applications should be sent to the appropriate search committee chair at the following address: Southern Connecticut State University, 501 Crescent Street, New Haven, CT 06515 All positions are contingent upon the availability of resources and needs of our students.

SCSU is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity employer.

The University seeks to enhance the diversity of its faculty and staff.

People of color, women and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

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The University of Mary Washington is currently accepting applications for the 2012-2013 academic year. To apply for these positions and/or obtain additional information about the University, please visit our website at https://careers.umw.edu.

Only applications submitted through this site will be considered.

The University of Mary Washington is a public arts and sciences institution in Fredericksburg, Va., that attracts intellectually curious undergraduate and graduate students in search of rigorous academics.

With a total enrollment of nearly 5,000 students, UMW offers a supportive campus community that values and instills honor and integrity. Moreover, the university - located midway between Richmond, Va., and Washington, D.C. - provides a rich array of research, internship, leadership, and recreational opportunities that not only train students for the real world but allow them to interact closely with faculty members.

In a continuing effort to enrich its academic environment and provide equal educational and employment opportunities, the University of Mary Washington actively encourages women, minorities, disabled individuals and veterans to apply.

,BZMB 0 3PVSLF 3 8ÄšÄ?Ä?ĚĒĞ 'ÄŚÄ&#x;Äœ ĂŠ "Ä¤Ä¤Ä Ä”ÄšÄ’ÄĽÄ–Ä¤ "UUFOUJPO $46 'FOO $PMMFHF PG &OHJOFFSJOH %FBO 4FBSDI )JHIMBOE 1BSL 7JMMBHF 4VJUF %BMMBT 5FYBT &NBJM LSJTIB DSFBM!SXJMMJBNGVOL DPN 'BY _$MFWFMBOE 4UBUF 6OJWFSTJUZ JT BO FRVBM PQQPSUVOJUZ BÄ‹SNBUJWF BDUJPO FNQMPZFS_

Department Chair, Fire-EMS FT, 9+3 faculty responsible for leading Fire, EMS & EPT curriculum & occupational ext programs.

Qualifications: Associate deg in 1 of the following: Emergency Medical Science, Fire Science or Fire Protection. An additional deg at the baccalaureate level in a public service, education or business field is pref.

Certifications Pref include: NC Paramedic certification NC-EMT-P, NC EMT-P Level II Instructor, National Registry, NC EMT-P; NC Firefighter II, NC Rescue Tech. Min 5 yrs exp in discipline req’d. Direct supervision & mgmt exp req’d. Curriculum development exp pref. Community College teaching or training exp pref. Visit our website www.gtcc.edu for more information & application. Open until filled. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, GTCC is strongly committed to diversity & welcomes applications from all qualified candidates, particularly minorities & faculty under-represented in higher education. EOE

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12/19/2011

Seeking two CLINICAL ASSISTANT PROFESSOR fulltime 12-month, non-tenure track positions in the KU Department of Pharmacy Practice on the Wichita campus. Required: Terminal degree in Pharmacy, eligible for KS pharmacist licensure. Preferred: Postgraduate training or degree, experience in pharmacy practice, teaching experience, involvement or expertise in rural health. Review date begins 1/6/2012, and continues until positions are filled. For more information or to apply online go to https://jobs.ku.edu and search for position #00209337.

EO/AA employer.

LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania invites applications and nominations for the position of Director of Admissions.

Lock Haven University is a member of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education.

Lock Haven University is an equal opportunity/ affirmative action employer and encourages applications from persons of color, women, veterans, and persons with disabilities.

For more information visit our web site at www.lhup.edu.

THE UNIVERSITY Lock Haven University is one of fourteen institutions in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, enrolling approximately 5,200 undergraduate and 300 graduate students. Lock Haven University has an emphasis on professional and applied programs with a strong liberal arts foundation. The University is a dynamic, progressive institution committed to shared, collaborative leadership; we seek candidates who share this commitment. The University employs approximately 290 faculty and offers more than 50 programs of study at 4 campus sites.

The main campus is located in rural north central Pennsylvania in the scenic Appalachian mountains along the banks of the Susquehanna River. The city of Lock Haven has a population of approximately 9300; State College (42,000) and Williamsport (30,000) are each less than an hour’s drive away. The main campus is located within a 210 mile radius of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New York, Toronto, and Washington, DC. Other campus sites are in Clearfield, Coudersport and Harrisburg.

RESPONSIBILITIES In working with undergraduate, graduate, online, international, and branch campus programs, the ideal candidate will bring an entrepreneurial spirit to the development and implementation of innovative recruitment strategies, marketing plans, and admission policies to achieve a student body strong in academic ability, diverse in age, racial, cultural, and geographic background, and optimal in number.

A full job description can be found online at http://jobs.lhup.edu/postings/699

F

ounded in 1956, the University of South Florida is a public research university of growing national distinction. The USF System is comprised of member institutions; USF Tampa, the doctoral granting institution which includes USF

Health; USF St. Petersburg; USF Sarasota-Manatee; USF Polytechnic, located in Lakeland, separately accredited by the Commission Colleges of the Southern

Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). USF is one of only four 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:

Assistant Vice President & Executive Director (Alumni Association) Director (Student Affairs-Marshall Ctr)

Director of Housing Facilities (Student Affairs)

Faculty Positions: College of Arts and Sciences

Engineering

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

Assistant Professor (6)

PolyTechnic Campus

Associate/Full Professor (1)

Business

Assistant/Associate Professor (1) Dean (1)

Dean (1)

College of Medicine

Education

Assistant Professor (4)

Assistant Professor (6)

Assistant/Associate Professor (1) Open Rank (1)

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

Assistant/Associate Professor (2)

Assistant/Associate Professor (1)

Neurosurgeon (1)

NOMINATIONS AND APPLICATIONS Applicants must provide the following: a letter detailing admissions and recruiting philosophy and a brief statement of professional accomplishments; resume transcripts of all graduate work; and a list of at least three (3) - five (5) references. These references will not be contacted without applicant’s approval. Application deadline Saturday, December 31th, 2011. Anticipated starting date is July 2, 2012.

Applicants can apply online at http://jobs.lhup.edu/postings/699

Submit nominations to: Human Resource office - Attn: Albert Jones Director of Admissions East Campus J205 Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania Lock Haven, PA 17745 ***No hard copy/mail/fax applications will be accepted for this position***

FMHI

College of Arts

Pharmacy

St. Petersburg Campus

Dean, College of Behavioral & Community Sciences (1) Assistant Professor (1) Assistant/Associate Professor (1)

Associate/Full Professor (1)

Sarasota

Assistant/Associate (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) 974-4373; or (3) call USF job line at 813.974.2879.

USF is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution, committed to excellence through diversity in education and employment. www.usf.edu • 4202 E. Fowler Ave,Tampa, FL 33620 12/19/2011

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Vice President ent of Academic Affairs/ Assistant Superintendent perintendent Salary Schedule: $162,883 62,883 – $191,593 The Vice PPresident resident of Academic mic Affairs/Assistant Superintendent reportss to the PPresident/Superintendent, resident/Superintendent, serves as a member of the PPresident’s resident’s ’ Executive Council, and is a senior contract tract executive. The Vice President President of District’s forr the leadership, direction Academic Affairs is the District t’s Chief Instructional Officer (CIO) and is responsible fo n District’s and the d off the h District D trict’s I l Deans D d the h entire instructional program, including h and d administration ’ Instructional nstructionall program, l d Programs, Instructional Divisions, Community munity Education, Adult Education and Diversity versity PPrograms, rograms, PPathways athways Programs, and the College LLearning earning Resources Resources ources Center and the office of Research Research and Planning.

Planning. The Vice President President is faculty. responsible for the administration tion of the professional and educational leadership of fa culty.

EMPL QUALIFICA QUALIFICATIONS AT TIONS FOR EMPLOYMENT MPLOYMENT university.. Doctorate • Master’s Master ’s Degree from an n accredited college or university orate degree is desired. • 5 years of increasingly responsible esponsible management exp. in higher or postsecondary education. cultural, • Sensitivity to and understanding anding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, conomic, cultura l, ethnic and disability backgrounds off community college students and employees. oyees.

Cerritos College, a single-campus gle-campus GLVWULFW LV RQH RI WKH ÂżYH Âż ODU UJHVW J ODUJHVW ity Colleges California Community County ntyy. Opened in Los Angeles County. enr nrrollment of in 1956 with an enrollment enrrolls 320, the College now enrolls FUUHGLW H VW WXGHQWV DQG VWXGHQWV RYHU FUHGLW an additional 20,000 noncrredit/not-for-crredit dit students credit/not-for-credit 135-acrre campus in on its 135-acre nd Cerritos.

Norwalk and

Vice President ent of Human R Resources esources sources S l Salary S Schedule: h d l $162,883 62,883 - $191,593 District’s The Vice PPresident resident is responsible ible to plan, organize, coordinate and direct the District ’s comprehensive human resources and employee yee relations program; negotiate, interpret pret and assure compliance with collective bargaining agreements ments and applicable state and federal laws, aws, codes, rules and regulations related d Vice-President President/ Superintendent, to human resources. The Vice ce-President advises the President/ rintendent, members of the Board of TTrustees, rustees, senior and executive tive administrative staff while establishing ng and providing a high standard of District’s vision, leadership and direction on for the District ’s Human Resources Resources function. unction. The Vice President President of Human R esources supervises two managers nagers and the Department has four confidential onfidential staff members. The Human Resources R esources Department is responsible ponsible for labor relations/collective bargaining, bargaining argaining, EEO compliance, recruitmentt Resources and selection, health benefitss for active and retired employees, personnel onnel record ke eping, risk management,, keeping, area planning and program review and personnel board policies and d administrativ administrativee procedures.

appr prroximately i l The College has approximately 280 full-time faculty and ulty as well 600 part-time faculty FODVVVLÂżHG VWDII DV RYHU FODVVLÂżHG

QU ALIFICA ATIONS FOR EMPLOYMENT EMPL MPLOYMENT QUALIFICATIONS • Master’s Master ’s Degree in a field d or subject area that reasonably relatess to the skills, kno wledge and abilities knowledge required for successful completion ompletion of this position ’s duties and responsibilities. esponsibilities. position’s • F ive years of varied and increasingly responsible human resources es management experience Five including collective bargaining aining. (Public (P bargaining. educational and/or public sector experience is desired.) • Sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socio-economic, -economic, e cultural, ethnic and disability backgrounds off community college employees and students. dents.

Apply by January uary 9, 2012 APPLICA APPLICATION ATION PROCESS Candidates should submit thee following to the Search Committee: 1. A completed District academic application form.

2. A current resume. p of all graduate g e level course work. Unofficial copies p are re acceptable p ((front and back). ) 3. Copies (front ust be submitted prior to employment.

Official transcripts must ore than five pages detailing how your experience and qualifications 4. A cover letter of no more meet the requirementss for the position.

5. The names and phonee numbers of eight references: two supervisors, ervisors, two direct direct reports (including one classified ed staff member), two faculty members and two colleagues. colleagues.

Applicants are encouraged to o submit these materials by the priority closing date of January 9, 2012 in order to receive first consideration ration in the initial screening process. However, Howeverr, applications may be accepted until the position is filled. Applicants pplicants who need special services or facilities acilities due to disability in order to applyy or interview for this position must notify the Human Resources Resources Dept at least 72 hours prior to the priority closing date or the date(s) off interview. interview.

Application materials als are to be mailed to: Cerritos College, Human R Resources esources 11110 Alondra Blvd., Norwalk, walk, lk, CA 90650 OR faxed to: Attn: Human R Resources esources (562) 467-5003 For additional information or questions, stions, please contact: Dr. Eva Conrad Dr. Jim Walker Community College Search Services OR Community College Search Servicess (805) 660-1527 (805) 279-0009 Eva.e.conrad@gmail.com walkerjw@sbcglobal.net EQUAL EQU AL EMPL EMPLOYMENT OYMENT OPPORTUNITY PPORTUNITY

Additional information, including luding full job description and Districtt application, can be obtained from the HR Dept. at (562) 860-2451, extension 2284 or on thee Human R Resources esources website at www.cerritos.edu/hr. www w.cerritos.edu/hr. .cerritos.edu/hr

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Cerritos College is committed to equal qual opportunity/ equal access in all of its employment, nt, programs, and services. The College is dedicated ated to a policy of nondiscrimination and, as such, is an equal opportunity employer employer..

California State University Long Beach California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) is one of the largest and most comprehensive public universities in the nation, enrolling approximately 34,000 students.

CSULB is located in Long Beach, the seventh largest city in California, on a beautifully landscaped 320-acre campus near the ocean and in close proximity to the thriving downtown Long Beach area. CSULB is a wonderfully diverse and ambitious institution that is proud to be among the nation’s premier comprehensive public universities. It is ranked among the nation’s top 50 best public universities in educational value by The Princeton Review, as the fourth best public master’s university in the West by U.S. News and World Report, and tenth in the nation in conferring bachelor’s and master’s degrees to hispanic students by Hispanic Outlook. The University is aggressively recruiting highachieving students from across the state as well as nationally and internationally while also maintaining its strong public commitment to access and educational opportunity for students from the local region. The faculty and staff of CSULB are engaged in a broad array of high-quality undergraduate and graduate programs, significant research and creative activities, and a wide range of community and professional service activities.

CSULB seeks outstanding, publicly engaged leaders to join a dedicated leadership team that is committed to advancing the University’s broad and forward-seeking mission. Read more at www.csulb.edu.

Health Science Assistant Professor Electrical Engineering- 2 positions Assistant/Associate Professor Computer Engineering/Computer Science Assistant/Associate Professor Nursing Assistant Professor Theatre Arts Assistant Professor Design Assistant Professor Librarian- 12 month Digital Archivist/Special Collections Comparative Literature Assistant Professor

In the pursuit of excellence, the University of North Carolina Wilmington actively fosters, encourages and promotes inclusiveness, mutual respect, acceptance and open-mindedness among students, faculty, staff and the broader community. As the state’s coastal university located in Wilmington, UNCW is one of 16 campuses of the University of North Carolina system with an enrollment of 13,000.

OPEN FACULTY POSITIONS Chemistry, English, Film Studies, History, Nursing, Randall Library, Psychology, Public and International Affairs, Social Work, and more!

For more information and to apply, visit www.uncw.edu/hr/employment-epa.html EEO/AA Institution

Instructor, Nursing (Part-Time) PT Nursing Instructors needed to teach 6-15 hrs/wk & will be responsible for planning, implementing, & evaluating the learning exp’s & performance for an assigned group of students; Participate in planning, implementation, evaluation, & revision of the program curriculum, course activities, & materials.

Qualifications: Current unrestricted license to practice as a RN in NC & Masters in Nursing preferred; Bachelors req’d; 2 yrs exp or equiv in clinical nursing practice as a RN is req’d. Visit our website www.gtcc.edu for more information & application. Open until filled. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, GTCC is strongly committed to diversity & welcomes applications from all qualified candidates, particularly minorities and faculty under-represented in higher education. EOE

For more information, visit www.csulb.edu/aa/personnel/jobs.

In addition to meeting fully its obligations of nondiscrimination under federal and state law, CSULB is committed to creating a community in which a diverse population can learn, live, and work, in an atmosphere of tolerance, civility, and respect for the rights and sensibilities of each individual, without regard to economic status, ethnic background, veteran status, political views, or other personal characteristics or beliefs. An EO Employer.

12/19/2011

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Advertisement for the Position of Chair of the Department of Accounting, School of Business Administration, Wayne State University The School of Business Administration at Wayne State University invites application for the position of the Chair for the Department of Accounting beginning Fall 2012. The candidates should have an earned doctorate in Accounting from an AACSB accredited institution. The Chair should have a strong record of teaching and research commensurate with rank of Associate or Full Professor, as well as evidence of previous administrative effectiveness. Professional certification (e.g., CPA, CMA) is also desirable.

Teaching, research, or work experience in Health Care Accounting will be a plus. The Chair will work with the Dean and the Associate Deans for Undergraduate and Graduate Programs and the other Department Chairs to support and increase the intellectual contributions of the faculty and to both enhance and expand the academic programs. The Chair will provide oversight to the undergraduate accounting majors, Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) and Master of Science in Taxation (MST) programs; collaborate with faculty members and administrators to articulate program aspirations, initiatives and policies; and will represent these programs to stakeholders inside and outside the university community. Salary will be competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Wayne State University provides a generous benefit package as part of the compensation.

The Chair’s key responsibilities include (but are not limited to) the following: In consultation with administration and faculty, he/she will assist in recruiting new faculty, mentoring of junior faculty, evaluating faculty in the department, and will engage faculty to raise the research profile of the department. He/she will also formulate and implement long-range and short-range strategic plans for the accounting programs; in collaboration with the accounting faculty members, he/she will be responsible for reviewing and updating the accounting program curricula to maintain relevance, satisfy assurance of learning goals, contribute to students’ academic growth, and reflect best practices in the field; he/she will act as the chief academic representative of the accounting programs to the students who are enrolled in them; he/she will represent the accounting faculty and programs to other units of the business school and the university and will develop and nurture relations with external organizations (such as public accounting firms) and constituencies (such as alumni); and he/she will provide direction to individuals and groups who are responsible for supporting the operations of our accounting programs (such as admissions, student services personnel, admissions committee members);

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School of Business Administration One of 13 schools and colleges at WSU, the School of Business Administration is accredited by AACSB International and grants the BA, BS, MBA, the MS in Accounting, the MS in Taxation, and a Ph.D. in business administration with tracks in Finance, Marketing and Management. The School offers undergraduate majors in Accounting, Finance, Information Systems Management, Management, Marketing, and Global Supply Chain Management. The School enrolls 1,000 upper division undergraduate and nearly 1,000 graduate students. For more information about the school, visit www.business.wayne.edu.

E-Mail us your text to: outlook@sprintmail.com Fax us at: (201) 587-9105

About Wayne State University Wayne State University, a Carnegie Research University (RU/VH) with an enrollment of over 30,000 students, is one of the three major state-related research universities that comprise Michigan’s University Research Corridor. We are located in the heart of Midtown, Detroit’s cultural center, with easy access to the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Detroit Symphony, Comerica Park, Ford Field, and the world famous Fox Theatre.

(800) 549-8280 ext. 102 or 106

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Wayne State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. The University welcomes and encourages diversity and seeks applicants with demonstrated success in working with diverse populations. Wayne State seeks to recruit and retain a diverse workforce to maintain the excellence of the University and to offer students richly varied disciplines, perspectives and ways of knowing and learning.

How to apply: Review of applications begins immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

Applications should include a statement of interest, curriculum vitae, sample papers, and three letters of reference. Applications must be submitted electronically at the Wayne State University Employment Website at https://jobs.wayne.edu and the posting # is 038199. Further questions about the position may be addressed to the Associate Dean and Search Committee Chair, Dr. Ranjan D’Mello at rdmello@wayne.edu.

12/19/2011

California State University Long Beach California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) is one of the largest and most comprehensive public universities in the nation, enrolling approximately 34,000 students.

CSULB is located in Long Beach, the seventh largest city in California, on a beautifully landscaped 320-acre campus near the ocean and in close proximity to the thriving downtown Long Beach area. CSULB is a diverse and ambitious institution that is proud to be among the nation’s premier comprehensive public universities. The faculty and staff of CSULB are engaged in a broad array of high-quality undergraduate and graduate programs, significant research and creative activities, and a wide range of community and professional service activities.

CSULB seeks outstanding, publicly engaged leaders to join a dedicated leadership team that is committed to advancing the University’s broad and forward-looking mission. Read more at www.csulb.edu.

Associate Dean for Baccalaureate and Credential Programs

College of Education The College of Education at CSULB is one of seven Colleges in the University. The College of Education provides undergraduate and graduate studies in education. It offers specific curricula focusing on the preparation of personnel for teaching and educational service in the pre-school, elementary, middle and high schools, community colleges, adult programs, and other educational agencies. In addition to three certificate programs and a variety of teaching and service credentials, the College offers a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies, a Master of Arts in Education degree with various options, two Master of Science degrees (special education and counseling), and the Educational Leadership Doctoral degree.

FOR POSITION QUALIFICATIONS & JOB DESCRIPTION, VISIT www.csulb.edu/aa/personnel/jobs RECRUITMENT NUMBER: 934

Appointment is effective August 20, 2012 or at a later negotiated date. Applications will be treated confidentially until the final stages of the search process. Successful candidates for this position will be offered the position contingent on a satisfactory criminal record check. Letters of interest, inquiries, and nominations are welcome. Applicants should submit the following: letter of application addressing minimum and desired/preferred qualifications, academic résumé, and the names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of five professional references to: Applications, required documentation, and/or requests for information should be addressed to: Chair, Associate Dean Search Committee College of Education California State University, Long Beach 1250 Bellflower Boulevard Long Beach, CA 90840-2403 Inquiries should be addressed to: Marvel Preece Whitson, Dean’s Office Coordinator; email: mpreece@csulb.edu In addition to meeting fully its obligations of nondiscrimination under federal and state laws, CSULB [http://www.csulb.edu] is committed to creating a community in which a diverse population can learn, live, and work in an atmosphere of tolerance, civility, and respect for the rights and sensibilities of each individual, without regard to economic status, ethnic background, veteran status, political views, or other personal characteristics or beliefs. An EO Employer

School of Information Sciences The School of Information Sciences (http://www.ischool.pitt.edu) at the University of Pittsburgh is seeking candidates for three tenure-stream faculty positions to start in the fall term of 2012. The positions are open to both individuals seeking their first academic position at the assistant professor level as well as more senior faculty who may already hold tenure at another institution. Appointments will be made at a rank commensurate with qualifications. Open positions include:

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Assistant Professor - Software engineering/systems

Assistant/Associate/Full Professor - Library and Information Science Assistant/Associate Professor - Data-driven scholarship

The School is a top ranked information school (iSchool) offering a wide variety of multidisciplinary opportunities, including an undergraduate program (BSIS), Master’s programs in information science (MSIS), telecommunications & networking (MST), library & information science (MLIS), and Ph.D. programs. The iSchool at Pitt emphasizes the synthesis of people, information and technology, and offers opportunities for research, instruction, and service spanning the diverse needs and interests of an information-intensive, multicultural, and increasingly digital society. The School is seeking candidates with a strong commitment to research as well as graduate and undergraduate education.

The iSchool is particularly interested in attracting new faculty with research interests in areas such as: Data-intensive scientific discovery (“Big Data”) Information security and privacy Mobile and pervasive computing Information visualization Digital humanities Digital curation Web science Software metrics Teaching interests include, but are not limited to, the following: Systems analysis and design Knowledge representation and management Archival studies and records management Information architecture Information visualization Trust, security and privacy Data science

Candidates who bridge disciplinary areas are specifically encouraged to apply. Successful candidates will demonstrate a strong interest and current awareness of the technological and cultural context in which their knowledge contributes to issues of contemporary society. A record of collaboration with other scholars is highly desirable.

As the school offers online degree programs, in addition to on-campus programs, candidates with complementary expertise and experience in educational technologies are encouraged to apply.

Applicants should present a record of effective teaching, research, and related scholarly activities. Electronic applications should be sent to sissearch@sis.pitt.edu. Applications should include a cover letter, statement of research and teaching interests, curriculum vitae, and the names, addresses (with e-mail), and telephone numbers of three references. For full consideration, applications must be received by January 17, 2012. Preliminary interviews are anticipated at the ALISE conference in Texas in January 2012 and the iConference in Toronto in February 2012.

Further information regarding the School and these positions can be found at www.ischool.pitt.edu/news/facultyopenings.php.

Pittsburgh’s industrial past has given way to an enterprising and vibrant present. Affordable living, world-class universities, distinctive neighborhoods, growing industries, and an abundance of leisure activities create a quality of life in Pittsburgh that is virtually unmatched. Pittsburgh is consistently ranked in Rand McNally’s Top Ten Most Livable Cities in North America.

The University of Pittsburgh is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer and strongly encourages women and candidates from under-represented minorities to apply.

12/19/2011

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Bunker Hill Community College 250 New Rutherford Avenue, Boston, MA 02129-2925

w w w. b h c c . m a s s . e d u

FULL-TIME TENURE-TRACK FACULTY POSITIONS • FALL 2012 Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC), a dynamic institution with more than 13,000 credit students, is the largest community college in Massachusetts. It is also one of the most diverse institutions of higher education in New England, with 65% students of color and international students from more than 93 countries. A multi-campus urban institution, BHCC has locations in Boston and the adjacent city of Chelsea as well as satellites in several nearby communities.

Students choose from more than 98 degree and certificate programs as well as Adult Basic Education, an online college and programs offered through the Center for Workforce Development and Community Education. Courses are offered days, evenings, weekends, and at midnight.

College Goals BHCC is a progressive institution guided by seven goals: to create pathways and partnerships to promote student success; to demonstrate strength through diversity; to develop and cultivate college-wide sustainability initiatives; to expand technology throughout the College; to foster wellness, growth and lifelong learning; to identify and close workforce gaps; and to institute a culture of evidence and accountability. The College is committed to a learning community teaching/learning environment, and, as an Achieving the Dream institution, is focused on data-driven student success.

Full-time Tenure-track Faculty Requirements BHCC seeks full-time faculty who demonstrate a passion for teaching and a desire to join faculty and staff to expand and create new strategies for student success. Faculty must be experienced in teaching in learning communities or willing to become proficient in learning community pedagogy and practice once hired, as well as be adept in the assessment of learning outcomes and in the use of technology in the classroom. Additionally, BHCC seeks faculty who value advising students and wish to contribute fully to the life of the College. Faculty may be assigned courses at one or more of the College’s locations. Ability to instruct online is a plus. Further, applicants must have proven ability to work with a diverse faculty, staff and student population.

Letters of application should address the above requirements as well as qualifications for the specific positions listed below.

BIOLOGY s 0H $ PREFERRED -ASTER S DEGREE IN "IOLOGY REQUIRED s 3TRONG LABORATORY SKILLS REQUIRED s #OLLEGE LEVEL TEACHING EXPERIENCE REQUIRED COMMUNITY COLLEGE teaching experience preferred. s "ACKGROUND OR COURSEWORK IN BIOTECHNOLOGY A PLUS

CULINARY ARTS s -ASTER S DEGREE PREFERRED "ACHELOR S DEGREE IN #ULINARY !RTS &OOD Service Management, Hospitality Management or Education with a focus IN FOOD SERVICE OR HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT REQUIRED s 4EACHING EXPERIENCE REQUIRED COMMUNITY COLLEGE TEACHING EXPERIENCE preferred. s 3ERV3AFE #ERTIlCATION REQUIRED s 0ROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN BOTH FRONT AND BACK OF THE HOUSE AREAS OF THE FOOD SERVICE INDUSTRY REQUIRED s %XPERIENCE MANAGING A SOPHISTICATED DINING ENVIRONMENT WITHIN THE last five years preferred.

DEVELOPMENTAL MATHEMATICS

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY s -ASTER S DEGREE PREFERRED "ACHELOR S DEGREE REQUIRED s 2ELATED )#4 INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE REQUIRED AND )#4 )NDUSTRY CERTIlCATIONS a plus. s !BILITY TO TEACH A VARIETY OF COURSES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO 0ROGRAMMING .ETWORKING #URRENT /PERATING 3YSTEMS 7IRELESS

3ECURITY AND OTHER EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES REQUIRED

PHYSICS s 0H $ PREFERRED -ASTER S DEGREE IN 0HYSICS REQUIRED s 3TRONG LABORATORY SKILLS REQUIRED s #OLLEGE LEVEL TEACHING EXPERIENCE REQUIRED COMMUNITY COLLEGE TEACHING experience preferred.

SOCIOLOGY s 0H $ PREFERRED -ASTER S DEGREE IN 3OCIOLOGY REQUIRED s #OLLEGE LEVEL TEACHING EXPERIENCE REQUIRED COMMUNITY COLLEGE TEACHING experience preferred.

(TWO POSITIONS) s 0H $ PREFERRED -ASTER S DEGREE IN -ATHEMATICS OR - %D WITH A FOCUS IN MATHEMATICS REQUIRED s #OLLEGE LEVEL DEVELOPMENTAL MATHEMATICS TEACHING EXPERIENCE REQUIRED community college teaching in developmental mathematics preferred. s %XPERIENCE USING INSTRUCTIONAL SOFTWARE FOR DEVELOPMENTAL MATHEMATICS REQUIRED

ENERGY, SUSTAINABILITY/ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES s 0H $ PREFERRED -ASTER S DEGREE IN !RCHITECTURE %NVIRONMENTAL %NGINEERING

Environmental Science, Industrial Technology, Natural Resources or closely RELATED lELD REQUIRED s 3UCCESSFUL SUSTAINABILITY RELATED TEACHING AND OR CORPORATE TRAINING EXPERIENCE REQUIRED s 0REVIOUS PROGRAM MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE IN AREAS RELATED TO SUSTAINABILITY

energy management and/or climate action planning preferred. s %XPERIENCE IN CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT PREFERRED

ENGLISH WRITING (FOUR POSITIONS) s 0H $ PREFERRED -ASTER S DEGREE IN #OMPOSITION 2HETORIC %NGLISH ,ITERACY OR 7RITING REQUIRED -ASTER S DEGREE OR $OCTORATE IN AN INTERDISCIPLINARY lELD WITH CORE COURSEWORK IN %NGLISH #OMPOSITION 2HETORIC ,ITERACY OR 7RITING will be considered. s #OLLEGE LEVEL TEACHING OF WRITING REQUIRED COMMUNITY COLLEGE TEACHING experience preferred.

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Salary range: $44,000 - $55,000. Actual salary will be commensurate with education and experience in accordance with mccc/mta collective bargaining agreement.

Relocation stipend may be available.

Submit cover letter addressing the full-time tenure-track requirements as well as the specific qualifications for this position, resume and transcripts to: BHCC.InterviewExchange.com. Expand position and click on “Apply Now� and follow instructions.

Positions begin on September 1, 2012. A complete description of each position is available at www.bhcc.mass.edu. To ensure consideration, application materials must be received by January 20, 2012.

Bunker Hill Community College is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Women, people of color, persons with disabilities and others are strongly encouraged to apply.

Vice Chancellor for Academic Success The Chancellor of the Alamo Colleges located in San Antonio, Texas, invites applications and nominations for the position of Vice Chancellor for Academic Success.

The Alamo Colleges, an Achieving the Dream Leader College, includes Palo Alto College, Northwest Vista College, San Antonio College, St. Philip’s College, and the newest college, Northeast Lakeview College along with a number of off-campus locations throughout the San Antonio metropolitan area, serving an 8 county region. We are one of the nation’s largest post-secondary institutions, with a total enrollment of over 100,000 students.

The Alamo Colleges provides an opportunity to fulfill one’s professional career goals in a progressive and stimulating environment. The colleges are located in the unique River City of Texas with a dynamic multi-cultural and diverse population. San Antonio, the nation’s seventh-largest city, has a dynamic economy rapidly expanding from traditional military and service sectors into telecommunications, biomedical science, information technology and data security. Its inland rail port is a fast-growing transshipment point for trade between China and the U.S. through Mexico’s Pacific coast. Its three major museums, local theater companies and several large venues draw national touring shows and events in art, theater and music. The San Antonio Spurs, NBA Team provide a focus for sports fans, families and civic pride. A moderate cost of living assures attractive options for home ownership.

The Alamo Colleges include five Hispanic Serving Institutions, the nation’s only institution that is both an Historically Black College and an Hispanic-Serving Institution, the nation’s third largest producer of Hispanic nurses, and Texas’s largest provider of online post-secondary education. A vibrant international program brings professionals and students to San Antonio for advanced education while affording students and faculty the opportunity to travel to all regions of the world.

The successful candidate must be a person of proven integrity and accomplishment, with a minimum of five years’ service as chief academic or student success officer and/or experience as a cabinet level administrator preferably in a major, urban, multi-college or multi-campus community college district and an earned doctorate degree. Leadership experience should include a wide span of control, coupled with a high level of responsibility in a large, complex organization.

In addition, the Vice Chancellor for Academic Success should have the following: •

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Student-centered, student success, leadership skills in fostering program development, program evaluation, and outcome assessment; An understanding of communities with high risk populations and a commitment to provide pathways into and through the colleges for vulnerable members of their communities; An understanding and appreciation of how faculty and student affairs staff can work collaboratively to better serve the educational needs of students (e.g. learning communities, service learning, international education, etc.; A commitment to leading the district in developing effective P-16 initiatives; Appreciation for and support of international education and internationalizing the curriculum; An ability to make effective decisions in a position that also requires working with others in a collaborative fashion; An understanding of the need to work collaboratively with the workforce education and student success divisions; An understanding of the importance of working collaboratively with various constituencies across the district, including the use of shared governance processes; Working knowledge of the use of and implementation of technology in the educational and administrative environment; Demonstrated ability to foster and maintain high ethical standards; Strong communication and interpersonal skills, including demonstrated success in working with diverse groups in an institution build on diversity; Evidence of effective leadership in establishing a positive institutional presence and image in the community;

ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

The California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB) seeks a visionary leader to serve as the Associate Vice President for Academic Programs (AVPAP). The individual is expected to advance academic excellence by assisting in the development of the Academic Master Plan, serving as the accreditation liaison officer, participating in the development and the assessment of the General Education Program, and working with other administrators and faculty to develop and approve new undergraduate and graduate programs. Full position description is located at http://www.csub.edu/provost/downloads/mpp/AA/AVPAP-FullJobDescription-2011.pdf.

As a regional comprehensive university, part of the 23 campus CSU system, CSUB is committed to contributing to the intellectual, cultural, social, and economic well-being of California’s San Joaquin Valley. CSUB seeks an AVPAP who will work with faculty, staff, students, community members, and the administration to creatively connect the university with its diverse and challenging region. Additional information about CSUB and its programs can be found at www.csub.edu.

Candidates should possess a proven record of higher administrative achievement in the academy. Candidates should demonstrate the capacity to develop a shared vision of excellence for the university. Candidates are expected to have excellent managerial and organizational skills to work with the faculty, staff, and other campus entities in a fair and ethical manner.

Individuals wishing to be considered should also show evidence of fundraising acumen and the ability to develop and cultivate external partnerships that advance the mission of the school and university. CSUB places a high value on community engagement.

The successful candidate must possess the following attributes: (1) a terminal degree with qualifications suitable for tenure at a senior rank in one of the current departments at CSUB; (2) an outstanding record of accomplishment and experience within college/university settings; (3) demonstrated commitment to serving a diverse community, fostering an inclusive environment where everyone is valued and respected, and working effectively within an environment that values shared governance; (4) demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with faculty, administration, department chairs, staff, other campus personnel, and external constituencies; (5) excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills; (6) experience in assessment of student learning outcomes and the ability to contribute to the achievement of institutional goals and objectives, and (7) excellent advocacy, budgeting, resource management, and planning skills.

Application Process: Interested candidates should submit (1) a cover letter clearly addressing how their experience, current responsibilities, and qualifications meet the standards and responsibilities as outlined in the full position description, (2) a complete curriculum vitae, and (3) the names, email and mailing addresses, and telephone numbers of at least five references. Consideration of candidates will begin on February 1, 2012. The search will remain open until the position is filled. Submit applications to: Robert S. Carlisle, Search Committee Chair Associate Vice President for Academic Programs Search c/o Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs California State University, Bakersfield 9001 Stockdale Highway Bakersfield, CA 93311-1022 (661) 654-2154

The date after which applications are not guaranteed a review is January 13, 2012. For more information about this search, the Alamo Colleges and the application process, please visit our website at www.alamo.edu and click on “Vice Chancellor for Academic Success Search.”

Or email application as an attachment (pdf document) to Dee Rengiil, (Provost Office Staff) drengiil@csub.edu.

For information call 210-485-0217. A Gold Hill Associates assisted search The Alamo Colleges do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information or sexual orientation with respect to access, employment programs, or services.

CSUB is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity. Applicants will be considered without regard to gender, race, age, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or veteran’s status.

12/19/2011

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Assistant Professor of Insect Immunology GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY POSITIONS Positions contingent on funding Gallaudet University serves deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing students from many different backgrounds and seeks to develop a workforce that reflects the diversity of its student body. Gallaudet is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employer and actively encourages deaf, hard of hearing, members of traditionally underrepresented groups, people with disabilities, women, and veterans to apply for open positions.

TENURE-TRACK FACULTY POSITIONS To be considered for tenure at Gallaudet University, a candidate must possess a Ph.D. terminal degree in their field. Applicants without a terminal degree may be granted up to three years in a pre-tenure track position to work toward such terminal degree prior to being awarded a tenure-track position.

The following departments and programs are accepting applications for one or more faculty positions: ASL & Deaf Studies Biology Business Counseling Education Hearing, Speech and Language Sciences Interpretation Linguistics Philosophy & Religion Psychology Physical Education and Recreation Social Work Sociology General Studies Information Technology For detailed job descriptions and application information, go to: http://www.gallaudet.edu/hrs/employment_opportunities.html

Department of Entomology The Department of Entomology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences invites applications for a tenure-track position in insect immunology at the Assistant Professor level. We are particularly interested in candidates who combine molecular biological approaches with cellular/organ-level physiology to investigate the mechanistic basis of immune system function and how this translates into insect resistance, susceptibility or tolerance to pathogens, parasites or symbionts. Applicants with a primary interest in interactions with bacteria, viruses, fungi, protists, nematodes and/or parasitoids are encouraged to apply.

The Cornell Department of Entomology is a premier department of insect biology. Cornell University has a strong collaborative spirit fostering collegial interaction across departments, and has greatly enhanced its faculty through the ongoing campus-wide New Life Sciences Initiative. The advertised position offers a competitive salary and start-up package, customrenovated laboratory facilities, and a supportive, interactive research environment.

Applicants should submit a single pdf file that includes (i) a letter of application, (ii) a curriculum vitae, (iii) statement of current and future research interests, (iv) a statement of teaching goals, and (v) the names and contact information of three referees, to the Chair of the Insect Immunology Search Committee, Dr. Angela E. Douglas, at lew1@cornell.edu with “Insect Immunology” in the subject line. Candidates should also arrange for the three reference letters to be sent to this email address independent of their application. Review of applications will begin on December 9, 2011; applications submitted after this date may be considered. Further particulars are available at http://entomology.cornell.edu/jobs Cornell University, located in Ithaca, New York, is an inclusive, dynamic, and innovative ivy League university and New York’s land-grant institution. Its staff, faculty and students impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose and contribute creative ideas and best practices to further the university’s mission of teaching, research, and outreach.

Cornell University is an affirmative action/ equal opportunity employer and educator.

FACULTY OPENINGS St. Catherine University in St. Paul/Minneapolis is a comprehensive Catholic university with the nation’s largest college for women at its center. Founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1905, the University integrates liberal arts and professional education within the Catholic traditions of intellectual inquiry and social teaching. Committed to excellence and opportunity, St. Catherine enrolls over 5,200 students in Associate, Baccalaureate, Master’s and Doctoral programs in both traditional day and weekend formats. Associate and Graduate programs enroll both women and men.

Open faculty positions include: • Business Administration (Sales)

• Nursing - Associate Program

• Economics

• Physics

• Chemistry and Biochemistry • Education - Montessori

• Master of Organizational Leadership • Mathematics

• Philosophy

• Theology (Christian Ethics)

• Director of Spiritual Direction Certif

St. Catherine University seeks creative, adaptable faculty who enjoy working in a university climate that promotes cultural diversity and multicultural understanding. Minority candidates are encouraged to apply. Consistent with the University’s Catholic identity, its commitment to women, diversity and social justice, preference will be given to candidates who manifest these themes in their teaching, research and service.

Please visit our website www.stkate.edu for more information on the University, positions available and the application process.

EEO/Drug Free Workplace Employer-- Tobacco-Free Campuses

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The College of Natural and Health Sciences The University of Northern Colorado, College of Natural and Health Sciences, invites applications for the following full-time faculty positions. Screening dates are specified in the full vacancy announcements which, along with application instructions, are available at http://www.unco.edu/nhs/employment.html.

School of Biological Sciences • Assistant/Associate Professor, Plant Physiology, Tenure-Track/ Tenure-Eligible (Position F99999) School of Earth Sciences and Physics • Assistant Professor, Atmospheric Science/Meteorology, Tenure-Track (Position F99732) School of Human Sciences • Assistant Professor, Speech-Language Pathology, Tenure-Track (Position F99778) School of Mathematical Sciences • Assistant Professor, Mathematics, Tenure-Track (Position F99780) School of Nursing • Assistant/Associate Professor, Acute-Care/Medical-Surgical Nursing, Tenure-Track/Tenure-Eligible (Position F99841) School of Sport and Exercise Science • Assistant Professor, Sport Pedagogy, Tenure-Track (F99575) The University of Northern Colorado is a Doctoral/Research University enrolling 12,000+ graduate and undergraduate students. The University, founded in 1889, is located in Greeley, Colorado, which has a growing population of 93,000. Greeley is an hour north of Denver and 30 miles east of the Rocky Mountains.

The University of Northern Colorado is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity institution.

www.tcc.fl.edu (850) 201-8510 TDD (866) 221-0268 Fax (850) 201-8489 humres@tcc.fl.edu

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT KAVLI INSTITUTE FOR THEORETICAL PHYSICS

Tallahassee Community College • 444 Appleyard Drive • Tallahassee, Florida 32304-2895 Open Position The National Science Foundation's Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics at Santa Barbara invites applications and nominations for a position in THEORETICAL PHYSICS. A successful applicant will be offered a joint appointment as a member of the Institute and as a ladder faculty member of the Physics Department of the University of California, Santa Barbara. Duties of the member will be to carry out research and to provide scientific leadership for the Institute. S/he will have minimal teaching duties with the Physics Department while a working member of the Institute. The Institute and the Department are especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community through research, teaching and service.

Persons wishing to be considered, or wishing to nominate candidates, are requested to write by January 1, 2012 to Professor David Gross, Director Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics University of California Santa Barbara, California 93106-4030 The University of California, Santa Barbara, is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

TALLAHASSEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY VACANCIES

Tallahassee Community College, a dynamic and growing comprehensive community college located in Tallahassee, Florida, announces the following fulltime instructional positions for the 2012-13 academic year. The College’s fall enrollment of more than 15,000 students includes more than 40 percent minority students. The College enjoys a strong reputation for teaching excellence and for producing graduates with certificates or Associate in Arts, Science, or Applied Science degrees. Tallahassee is also home to two state universities, Florida State University and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. TCC partners with both universities and with a number of private higher education institutions to afford greater opportunities for all students, faculty, and surrounding communities.

Biology College Preparatory English (2) College Preparatory Mathematics (3) Computer Networking Graphic Design Technology

Criminal Justice English Health Education History (2)

AVAILABLE VACANCIES

Math (3) Nursing (2) Political Science Psychology

Faculty responsibilities include instruction, professional growth, curriculum development, academic advising, support of college policies and procedures, and participation in department and college activities and committees.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE Online applications will be available for submission beginning November 21, 2011. Applications received after 5 PM, Friday, January 13, 2012, may not be considered.

CONTACT INFORMATION FACULTY REVIEW TEAM • HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT Tallahassee Community College • 444 Appleyard Drive • Tallahassee, FL 32304-2895 P: 850.201.8225 • E: facpos@tcc.fl.edu • www.tcc.fl.edu The College will be closed for Winter Break 5 PM, Friday December 20, 2011 January 2, 2012 and will reopen on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 Tallahassee Community College does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, genetic information, national origin, religion, gender, marital status, disability, or age in its programs and activities. Inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies may be directed to: Renae Tolson, Equity Officer, Room 146 Administration Building, 444 Appleyard Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32304, (850) 201-8510, tolsonr@tcc.fl.edu.

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Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Wayne State University is seeking its next dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Founded in 1868, Wayne State University is a nationally recognized metropolitan research institution that offers more than 370 academic programs to over 30,000 students. Located in midtown Detroit, Wayne State’s main campus consists of 102 buildings which span over 200 acres, and its five extension centers offer higher education to people throughout Southeast Michigan. The 13 schools and colleges at the university include the School of Business Administration; the College of Education; the College of Engineering; the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts; the Graduate School; the Irvin D. Reid Honors College; the Law School; the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; the School of Library and Information Science; the School of Medicine; the College of Nursing; the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences; and the School of Social Work. Annual research expenditures for the university exceed $250 million.

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) enrolls more than 13,500 students and offers a range of majors, minors and co-majors across 19 departments and more than a dozen programs, centers, and institutes. With more than 400 faculty members, CLAS provides the core learning experience in the university. CLAS also has a number of top-ranked departments and receives more than $20 million in annual research funding.

Reporting to the provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, the dean is the chief academic and administrative officer. The successful candidate will be expected to provide visionary leadership for the college’s academic and research programs including budget management, faculty recruitment and resource development. Effectively working across the range of disciplines in CLAS and developing new or restructured programs that bridge those disciplines will be important.

The successful candidate will have strong administrative skills, preferably developed in a large, complex environment; the ability to raise funds effectively and develop resources; and excellent interpersonal and communication skills. This individual also should have a commitment to diversity consistent with the university’s mission as an urban public research institution. Candidates must hold a Ph.D. or equivalent terminal degree from an accredited institution and have a record of teaching and scholarly or professional attainment that merits appointment as a professor with tenure. For additional information on Wayne State University, please visit: http://wayne.edu/.

Initial screening of applicants will begin by January 9, 2012, and continue until the position is filled. Wayne State University will be assisted by Ellen Brown and Cynthia Greenleaf of Heidrick & Struggles, Inc. Inquiries, nominations and applications should be directed to the address below.

Nominations of qualified candidates are encouraged. Candidates should include a resume and letter of interest (electronic submissions preferred).

Wayne State College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean Search Heidrick & Struggles, Inc. 303 Peachtree Street, NE Suite 4300 Atlanta, GA 30308 Email: waynestate@heidrick.com Wayne State University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity employer, which complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. Wayne State University is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity for all persons regardless of race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

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The University of North Carolina (UNC) at Asheville Department of Foreign Languages Chair of Department of Foreign Languages, Associate or Full Professor General Information The University of North Carolina (UNC) at Asheville, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Western North Carolina, is the designated liberal arts institution in the UNC public university system. The successful candidate will join a vibrant community of dedicated teacher/scholars in one of the nation’s top-ranked public liberal arts universities. We value interdisciplinary programming and diversity in the liberal arts.

All departments at UNC Asheville contribute to the university-wide Integrative Liberal Studies program (our interdisciplinary liberal arts curriculum required of all undergraduates, including introductory (freshman) colloquia, writing and quantitative intensives, and other interdisciplinary courses). In addition, all faculty advise undergraduate students and develop an active research program that typically includes opportunities for undergraduate research.

Brief Description of the Position We are seeking applicants for a tenure-track faculty member to serve as Chair of the Department of Foreign Languages, which has 12 full-time faculty, 2 part-time faculty, and one office support staff. Currently the department teaches Spanish, French, German and Portuguese, offering majors in the first three; however, the department has begun to consider curriculum revisions in response to enrollment trends, student graduation rates and budget limitations. A successful candidate will be able to lead through this transition with vision and commitment, teach undergraduate language and culture courses, and infuse the undergraduate experience with the skills, aptitudes and values of the interdisciplinary liberal arts.

As UNC Asheville is committed to diversity and inclusion, the successful candidate will demonstrate ability to foster a work environment that encourages knowledge of, respect for, and ability to engage with those of diverse races, ethnicities, cultures and backgrounds. The candidate should also possess knowledge and understanding of diversity and inclusion issues, and their applications to pedagogy, curriculum, programming, service activity, and student and faculty success.

Qualifications Required for the Position • Successful record chairing a department of foreign languages • Doctoral degree and experience commensurate with prospective rank of hire • Native or near native competence in one of the current languages of instruction and a solid knowledge of English • Area of specialization open with preference given to candidates with experience in more than one language of instruction • Evidence of excellence in teaching and a strong scholarly record • A demonstrated commitment to diversifying faculty, curriculum and programming

Candidates with the following areas of secondary professional, scholarly and creative expertise are especially encouraged to apply: language practice and ethnicity or gender, cultural representation, linguistics and cultural identity, language and political history, indigenous literatures, and related fields.

Salary and Starting Date Salary is competitive and commensurate with education and experience. Anticipated start date is July 2012. Screening begins January 2, 2012 and continues until position is filled.

Application The initial application should consist of a cover letter, current curriculum vita, statement of administrative and teaching philosophies, three letters of reference appropriate to the criteria for the position and teaching evaluations, if available.

Send materials to Dr. Jane Fernandes, Provost and Vice Chancellor, 153 Phillips Hall, CPO #1410, University of North Carolina at Asheville, One University Heights, Asheville, NC 28804-8503.

We encourage applications from traditionally underrepresented people. UNC Asheville is committed to increasing and sustaining the diversity of its faculty, staff, and student body as part of its mission and its commitment to excellence in the liberal arts. UNC Asheville is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

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• Anthropology A nt h r o p o l o g y

•A Art rt ((Printmaking/Drawing) Printmaking / Drawing )

• Art Art (Drawing/Prints) ( Drawing / Print s )

•B iolo g y Biology

• Chemistry Ch e m i s t r y

•C ounseling / Transfer Counseling/Transfer

• D ig it a l M e dia A rt ((Multimedia) M u lt i m e d i a ) Digital Media Art

Counseling Openings •C ounseling ((Generalist)– G e n e ra li s t ) – 2 O p e ning s

• English English – 2 Openings O p e ning s

•D a n ce Dance

• English English as as a Second Second Language L a n g u age

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• French French

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• EEnglish nglish ((Reading) Re a d i n g )

• Physics Physics – 1 or or more more Openings O p e ning s

•H o r t ic u lt u r e Horticulture • IInternational nternational LLanguages anguages ((French) French ) • JJournalism o u r n a li s m • LLibrarian i b ra ri a n •M athematics – 2 O p e ning s Mathematics Openings •M usic ((Instrumental) I n s t r u m e nt a l ) Music •N ur sing – 3 O p e ning s Nursing Openings •P hysics – 2 O p e ning s Physics Openings •R eading Reading • SSociology ociolog y ((Gerontology) G e r o nto l o g y)

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The Hispanic Outlook MagazineÂŽ is also available in a digital format

Instructor, Plumbing (Part-Time) PT Plumbing Instructors needed to teach evenings 6-15 hrs/wk & will be responsible for planning, implementing, & evaluating the learning expâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s & performance for an assigned group of students.

Qualifications: High School diploma, reqâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d. Diploma or AAS deg is pref. 5 yrs related industry exp reqâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d. Plumbing license pref. Basic computer knowledge reqâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d. Acceptable background check reqâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d. Visit our website www.gtcc.edu for more information & application. Open until filled.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, GTCC is strongly committed to diversity & welcomes applications from all qualified candidates, particularly minorities and faculty underrepresented in higher education. EOE

www.hispanicoutlook.com for additional information 12/19/2011

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Assistant or Associate Professor – Tenure Track Research (50%) Teaching (50%) Department of Biological Statistics and Computational Biology Cornell University

The Department of Biological Statistics and Computational Biology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University invites applications for a tenure track position at the Assistant or Associate Professor level with an expected starting date of July 1, 2012.

The department is affiliated with Cornell’s Department of Statistical Science. Faculty appointments are on an academic year basis.

Applications should be received by December 15, 2011, but they will be accepted until the position is filled. Applicants should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae including a full list of publications, a research statement and up to three relevant research publications at https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/1274. Applicants applying at the Assistant Professor level should arrange to have three reference letters submitted. Applicants applying at the Associate level should include in their cover letter the names of three or more individuals who can be contacted for references.

Qualifications: Applicants must have a Ph.D. in statistics, biostatistics, or a closely related field, with a strong research program in statistical theory and/or methodology applicable to modern biological data.

Cornell University, located in Ithaca, New York, is an inclusive, dynamic, and innovative Ivy League university and New York's landgrant institution. Its staff, faculty, and students impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose and contribute creative ideas and best practices to further the university's mission of teaching, research, and outreach.

Cornell University is an affirmative action/ equal opportunity employer and educator.

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FACULTY POSITIONS SUNY Oswego invites exceptionally motivated applicants with excellent academic backgrounds committed to quality teaching, active scholarship, community engagement, and learner-centered philosophies. Located on Lake Ontario, SUNY Oswego enrolls 8300 undergraduate and graduate students in four colleges and schools.

Students can expect small classes, individualized faculty attention, a focus on liberal arts foundation and practical applications, a strong sense of community, a commitment to multiculturalism and diversity, and an outstanding faculty. SUNY Oswego was named one of "Top Up-and-Coming Schools" in U.S. News & World Report America’s Best Colleges 2010 and a "Best Northeastern College" by Princeton Review. Deadlines vary, so please check our website for details.

We seek outstanding faculty in the following disciplines:

AMERICAN HISTORY AMERICAN POLITICS ARCHAEOLOGY BUSINESS ETHICS COGNITIVE SCIENCE DIGITAL/BROADCAST MEDIA & AUDIO GENETICS GRADUATE LITERACY EDUCATION GRAPHIC DESIGN HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS LIBRARIAN: FIRST-YEAR EXPERIENCE/EVENING MANAGEMENT PUBLIC RELATIONS SCHOOL COUNSELING SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY STATISTICS STUDIO ART/ART HISTORY TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION WELLNESS MANAGEMENT For complete information about each position and online application procedures, please visit: www.oswego.edu/vacancies

PRESIDENT REED COLLEGE Portland, OR

Reed College, a prestigious college of the liberal arts and sciences located in Portland, Oregon, seeks its 15th President.

Reed provides one of the nation’s most intellectually rigorous undergraduate experiences, with a highly structured academic program balancing broad distribution requirements and in-depth study in a chosen discipline. The College’s approximately 1,400 undergraduate students are idiosyncratic, willful, intellectual, creative, and independent. For students at Reed, academic rigor and intellectual invention are the central focus of college life. They are by training an inclination uniquely adapted to the competitive, creative requirements of the modern world. They are guided by Reed’s faculty of dedicated teacher-scholars, who are uniquely committed to their pedagogical mission and regularly engage their students as collaborators in research, scholarship, and artistic expression.

As Reed celebrates its centennial year, the College remains marked by the intense intellectualism, resistance to social conformity, and unconventional creativity of its early years, but has also embraced an innovative and far-reaching approach to student support, enjoyed considerable growth in its endowment and facilities, and significantly increased the diversity of the student population. In the next decade, the College must attract and retain the highest quality students and faculty suited to its mission and become the undisputed premier liberal arts college on the Pacific Rim. That aspiration will require a leader who, working in close collaboration with faulty, staff, students, trustees, and alumni, can harness the strengths of Reed’s historical educational model to serve a vital future.

In addition to strong administrative leadership and fundraising experience, Reed’s next President must have the passion, eloquence, and energy to herald Reed’s message convincingly to all constituents.

S/he must exhibit a genuine commitment to Reed’s intellectual intensity and its academic traditions, as well as the warmth, humor, and enthusiasm to work with faculty, staff, and students in a hyper-engaged democratic community. A demonstrated commitment to diversity is essential, as is a nuanced understanding of the challenges involved in leading a community to seek out and embrace members with a wide range of different perspectives, values, and backgrounds.

The Reed College Presidential search committee, which includes trustee, faculty, staff, alumni, and student representatives, is being assisted by Isaacson, Miller, a retained national executive search firm.

The complete position statement may be found at www.reed.edu/presidential_search. All inquiries, nominations and applications should be directed in confidence to Reed.President@imsearch.com.

SUNY Oswego is an Affirmative Action Employer

12/19/2011

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#1 The

Hispanic Outlook Magazine

®

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND College Park, Maryland DEAN, PHILIP MERRILL COLLEGE OF JOURNALISM Position #106082

The University of Maryland, College Park, seeks applications and nominations for Dean of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism. We seek a strategic thinker with the ability to execute a vision and mission of excellence for a 21st century journalism school.

MAGAZINE for multicultural professionals in higher education Please visit

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to post your ad or find a career opportunity

For more advertising information call us at (201) 587-8800 ext. 102 or 106

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Desired qualifications for the ideal candidate include: (1) demonstrated administrative or management experience (including supervision, budgeting, planning and/or program development); (2) entrepreneurial experience (e.g. proposal development, resource generation, and fiscal management); (3) a proven track record in diversity efforts; (4) familiarity with or a leadership role in national professional organizations.

Applicants should submit a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and the names and contact information for at least four references. Apply online at https://jobs.umd.edu. Review of applications begins December 13, 2011 and continues until the position is filled. Nominations are encouraged and should be sent to the Committee Chair, Dr. Donald Kettl, kettl@umd.edu.

For more information, please contact Sandy Davis, (301-405-6813), sandyd@umd.edu.

The University of Maryland, College Park, actively subscribes to a policy of equal employment opportunity, and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry or national origin, marital status, genetic information, or political affiliation. Minorities and women are encouraged to apply.

TENURE-TRACK POSITIONS

California University of Pennsylvania seeks faculty for the following tenure-track positions: Athletic Training, Social Work, American Literature, Law Specialist, Psychology, Economics Entrepreneurship, Marketing Management, Invertebrate Zoologist, Legal Studies, Math, Computer Science and Geology.

A non-tenured scholars position is also available as are temporary faculty positions. To view full position details and apply, see our webpage at https://careers.calu.edu.

Integrity, Civility and Responsibility are the official core values of California University of Pennsylvania, an affirmative action /equal opportunity employer. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Bookstore Information & Technology Technician (Part-Time) PT position 25 hrs/wk responsible for operating the Jamestown Campus Service Center. Will take the lead in assisting all students with tech questions related to products, repairs, warranties & general service. Qualifications: Associates deg in Computer Technology &/or Information Systems or a closely related field req’d. 1 yr exp working in a customer service field providing technology assistance to customers. Background in general trouble shooting of software & hardware problems on PC’s, MAC’s & some exp in Adobe, MS Office programs & software installation. Acceptable credit history report & background check req’d. Visit our website www.gtcc.edu for more information & application. Open until filled. EOE

Outlook@sprintmail.com

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California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF LETTERS, ARTS, AND SOCIAL SCIENCES California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) invites nominations and applications for the position of Dean of the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences. Reporting to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, the core responsibilities of the Dean are to stimulate excellence in teaching, research, and scholarship and creative activities; to direct faculty and staff recruitment, development, and evaluation; to support initiatives that promote the professional development of faculty and staff and further the mission of the University; to manage fiscal and personnel components of the College; to oversee the Collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts in strategic planning and enrollment management, program review, and accreditation; to develop partnerships with the surrounding community and represent the College to external constituents.

Candidates must possess an earned terminal degree or equivalent; professional activity consistent with a senior faculty appointment; administrative experience and experience managing a budget; experience or understanding of strategic planning and external fund raising; experience in the application of retention, tenure, and promotion procedures in a University setting; a collaborative style of leadership and strong negotiating skills; and an appreciation and respect for diversity and for working in a multi-cultural, and multi-lingual environment.

Cal Poly Pomona, one of 23 campuses in The California State University system, is located 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. The beautiful and historic 1400-acre campus, once the Arabian horse ranch of cereal magnate, W.K. Kellogg, has an ethnically diverse student population of 21,000 students enrolled in 62 undergraduate majors and 19 masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree programs. Additional information about the University may be found online at http://www.csupomona.edu/.

First consideration will be given to completed application packages received no later than January 20, 2012. A completed application package will consist of: (1) a letter of interest in the position including a statement addressing the candidateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experience in regards to the positionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s qualifications; (2) a current curriculum vitae; and (3) names and contact information of at least 5 references. Finalists will be required to complete a University employment application. Additional information may be requested. Send completed applications electronically to: Search Committee, Dean of the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences c/o Mary Jane Wade, Search Coordinator Office of Academic Planning, Policy, and Faculty Affairs Cal Poly Pomona University (909) 869-3418 Email: classdeansearch@csupomona.edu California State Polytechnic University, Pomona is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer.

Complete and full information, including the duties, and required and preferred qualifications for this position may be found online at: http://www.csupomona.edu/~jobs/dated/employ2011/ DEAN%20OF%20CLASS%202.html

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DEAN USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences The USC Dornsife College is the largest and oldest of the USC schools and serves as the academic core of the University, advancing knowledge across the humanities, social sciences and sciences. It is home to more than 750 faculty members who are organized into 33 academic departments and programs as well as 31 institutes and centers. Faculty members of the USC Dornsife College garner more than $75 million annually in extramural funding. The USC Dornsife College offers 60 undergraduate majors and nearly 80 minors for its 6,600 undergraduate students, and more than 20 master’s and 20 Ph.D. programs for its 1,500 graduate students. In 2011, the USC Dornsife College was the recipient of the largest single gift in USC’s history — a naming gift for endowment of $200 million — which is unprecedented in higher education.

The University seeks an outstanding intellectual leader with a strong academic background and scholarly reputation, demonstrated administrative and management skills, and the ability to foster the continued development of the USC Dornsife College’s strong undergraduate programs and interdisciplinary centers and institutes. The Dean will be expected to facilitate an increase in the breadth and depth of excellence in the USC Dornsife College’s doctoral programs, to recruit additional transformative faculty, and to expand its external funding portfolio.

The Dean will join a university that has experienced unparalleled growth in its stature and impact over the

last several decades. The University recently launched the largest campaign in the history of higher education, the purpose of which is to further strengthen USC’s position as a global research university tackling the most important issues of our time.

The next Dean will contribute to the creation of new programs and to the planning and construction of state-of-the-art buildings to house USC Dornsife College faculty and students. In sum, the Dean will chart the future of the USC Dornsife College, work with and continue to recruit outstanding and dedicated faculty, partner with donors whose commitment to higher education is extraordinary, engage a large cadre of academically gifted graduate and undergraduate students, and work with the president, the provost, and the deans of USC’s professional schools to further the ascent of one of the nation’s most respected, ambitious, and exceptional research universities.

The review of nominations and applications will commence immediately. All candidate information will be held in strict confidence until the final stage of the search.

Interested parties should forward an electronic version (.doc preferred) of their curriculum vitae and an optional letter of interest to: Dr. Ilene H. Nagel Consultant to the Search Committee Leader, Higher Education Practice Russell Reynolds Associates uscdornsifedean@russellreynolds.com

USC strongly values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity in employment. Women and men, members of all racial and ethnic groups, people with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply.

Suffolk County Community College (SCCC) is an outstanding multicampus community college with an excellent reputation for high quality instruction, programs and services. The College is the largest community college in New York State and educates over 26,000 credit students and 10,000 non-credit and workforce training students on its three campuses Ammerman (Selden, NY), Eastern (Riverhead, NY), and Michael J. Grant (Brentwood, NY), as well as the Sayville Center and the Riverhead Culinary Arts and Hospitality Center. There are 493 full-time faculty and 1,458 adjunct faculty teaching 71 degree programs and 30 certificate programs. Suffolk County is the largest suburban county in the State of New York, with a population of over 1.5 million people. The attractive county includes rural and suburban communities. For more information visit the College web site at www.sunysuffolk.edu.

Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs SCCC seeks highly qualified candidates for the role of Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs. The successful candidate will be an experienced administrator who will foster collaboration among disciplines and work with faculty and academic administrators both at the campus level and college-wide. The Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs reports to the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs and among other duties is responsible for working with the faculty on the development of academic programs, supervising associate deans and leading the coordination of disciplines across the institution. For the full Position Profile, please go to http://www.sunysuffolk.edu/About/Employment.asp?id=458 For additional information, nominations or confidential inquiries, please contact John Steinecke, ACCT Search Services Specialist at jsteinecke@acct.org or 202-384-6539. A link to this position can be found at www.acctsearches.org/vice-presidentprovost

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ADVERTISING INDEX POSITIONS

NORTH CAROLINA

CALIFORNIA

Guilford Technical Community College

20; 43; 46; 49; 57; 60

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

61

University of North Carolina, Asheville

56

California State University, Bakersfield

53

University of North Carolina, Wilmington

49

California State University, Long Beach

49; 51

OHIO

California State University, San Bernardino

41

Cleveland State University

46

Cerritos College

48

College of Wooster

46; 49; 55; 57

Fielding Graduate University

58

OREGON

Fresno City College

55

Reed College

Rio Hondo College

57

PENNSYLVANIA

South Orange County Community College District

57

California University of Pennsylvania

60

University of California, Davis

43

Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania

47

University of California, Santa Barbara

55

University of Pittsburgh

51

University of Southern California

62

TEXAS

Alamo Colleges

COLORADO

University of Northern Colorado

54

44-45

VIRGINIA

46

WASHINGTON

Seattle Pacific University

DC

Gallaudet University

53

University of Mary Washington

CONNECTICUT

Southern Connecticut State University

59

61

54

FLORIDA

Tallahassee Community College

55

INSTITUTIONAL

University of South Florida

47

Boston College Law

MA

43

DePaul University College of Law

IL

38

Law School Admission Council

PA

41

Marquette University Law School

WI

40

New York Law School

NY

4

Nova Southeastern University

FL

40

South Texas College of Law

TX

42

Southern Methodist University

TX

42

ILLINOIS

Elmhurst College

43

KANSAS

University of Kansas

46

MARYLAND

University of Maryland, College Park

60

MASSACHUSETTS

Bunker Hill Community College

52

Stetson University College of Law

FL

39

Northeastern University

62

Thomas Jefferson School of Law

CA

40

Thomas M. Cooley Law School

MI

2

University of the District of Columbia

DC

42

MICHIGAN

Wayne State University

50; 56

MINNESOTA

St. Catherine University

54 *To see all our “Employment and other Opportunities,”

NEW YORK

including all Web Postings, visit our website at www.HispanicOutlook.com Borough of Manhattan Community College/CUNY

58

Cornell University

28; 54; 58

SUNY/Oswego

59

SUNY/Suffolk County Community College

62

12/19/2011

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

P ri min g the Pump. ..

CIVIC INVOLVEMENT AND SERVICE LEARNING HELP LATINO STUDENTS PREPARE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

Miquela Rivera, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist with years of clinical, early childhood and consultative experience. She lives in Albuquerque, N.M.

America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves. – Abraham Lincoln

A

recent study validated what people have long known: students who are engaged in civic activities and who hear political discussions at home are more apt to vote. Responsible citizenship, though, is more than voting (and unfortunately, not enough Latinos exercise that hard-earned right). If we expect the upcoming generation to take the reins of national leadership and guide in a reasonable, responsible way, the Latino community must involve it early and support its efforts. Doing so will help prepare Hispanic youth for higher education and develop an informed electorate. They will not necessarily accept what media pundits, Hollywood celebrities or even family members say about how issues are being handled nationally.

It should start at the kitchen table. Young Latino children can listen to adult conversations about national issues, military service and participating in the federal system of government. These need not be heated discussions about political candidates, but stories about relatives who served the United States or other countries in various capacities. Sharing these stories help children learn that such involvement is an integral part of life and a source of Hispanic pride. Latino children who see their parents and other adults in the family active in civic affairs quickly learn that individual contributions are essential to our collective well-being. And while households might strongly support one political party or another, children deserve to learn objectively – without vilifying one group or another – how the system works.

The conversation should continue in the classroom, where students are formally taught how the federal government is supposed to work and how it compares to other government systems across the globe. While many school districts fear that teachers will try to persuade students of their particular views, students need to hear – and be taught to research – the issues and possible answers. Without knowing the basics of what the government is – or is not – obliged and allowed to do, young Latinos will not be poised to decide what is right or in keeping with their values

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and beliefs. Teachers, then, should not espouse a particular view, but instead explain the full range of each and let students discuss the issues and draw their own conclusions.

Service learning, though, might be the strongest way to connect a Latino student to civic knowledge and responsibility. An opportunity to work in the community – for pay or not – offers a Latino student the opportunity to put into context and action the principle being taught in school. And if the community-based learning supervisor helps guide the student, the relationship that develops can be key to instilling in the student a commitment to serve. Many high schools now employ the “senior experience” whereby 12th-graders find a community-based placement in which to serve off-campus the last few weeks before graduation. This is more than a smart transition activity (most high school seniors are increasingly disengaged by late in their last year and often get into trouble as graduation approaches). Required senior experience is a way to engage Latinos early in a project of their choice to which they can develop a sustained commitment beyond high school, if they wish. If the Hispanic student can help others and see his values and efforts at work, he will more likely engage in other civic activities that promote those values, too.

From the discussions at home, classes at school and communitybased learning, questions from young Latino students about governance evolve naturally. They are able to see what works well and what doesn’t, where inequities lie and where remediation is sorely needed. As they identify issues or concerns that interest them, they automatically begin to question the system and what is being done, right or wrong. And if they experience the system as being misaligned or biased, they can then decide if they want to work to rectify it.

Learning civics and government and participating in communitybased service learning, then, come together to help assure that Latinos in the future will have a clear, audible voice that is heeded in elections, higher education, and many venues in between.

This article appeared online only in the 12/19/11 Issue

TARGETING HIGHER EDUCATION

Legal Opportunities for Hispanics

E

by Gustavo A. Mellander very year, The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine devotes an issue to the law, wherein a wide variety of relevant issues are covered. We explore the law and particularly Hispanic involvement therein. We arrive once again at that juncture.

I fear not much has changed in the past 12 months. Last year, I reported that although Hispanics comprise 16 percent of the nation’s population, only 3.8 percent were attorneys. I report this year that most of them work as immigration attorneys. No sin, per se, but the need for more, many more, Hispanics in many other segments of the legal profession are crystal clear. We should do more to encourage Hispanics to become lawyers. It is a useful and needed profession.

Judges Most Hispanics are pleased that Sonia Sotomayor was appointed to the United States Supreme Court. Significant as that appointment was, no one believes it is the be-all and end-all. Clearly, parity has not been achieved.

Amanda Hernández from Fox News Latino recently placed that in perspective and raised another issue when she reported that only 3 percent of state supreme court justices in the United States are Hispanic. According to a study commissioned by Fox News Latino, of 326 state supreme court justices nationwide, only 10 are Latino. That low number is even more momentous since recent census data show that Hispanics now total well over 50 million. By every indication, that trend is far from over.

Further, even though Hispanics accounted for more than half of the U.S. population growth since 2000, the number of Hispanic justices on state supreme courts has not changed much. Back in 1990, the number of Hispanics on state supreme courts was six, now, 20 years later, the number has only risen to 10.

Latino leaders worry about the effects of this disparity. The lack of Hispanics on state supreme courts surges forth as a potentially serious problem, especially in some southern states. That is because Hispanic population growth in states like Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee has soared since 2000. These states still have yet to appoint their first Hispanic supreme court justice.

Bunched Up There is another disparity. The current 10 justices are concentrated in only six of the 50 states – two in Colorado, two in Texas and three in New Mexico. The three others come from New Jersey, Florida and Oregon – and the New Jersey judge has announced he will not seek re-appointment.

The lack of diversity on state supreme courts worries legal scholars and experienced practitioners who contend that diversity matters when it comes to judicial decisions.

“Diversity on the court is essential to ensuring that all perspectives and viewpoints are fully represented and considered during the deliberative

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process,” the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey declared in a statement. Latinos on state supreme courts are considered crucial because increasingly important decisions affecting Latinos are being made at the state level. A state supreme court frequently becomes the deciding authority in matters dealing with anti-immigrant legislation, budget cuts and other issues that affect Hispanics.

Further, state supreme courts often serve as training grounds for federal judgeships, so they play an important role there as well.

Relatively Low Numbers Some observers feel the root of the problem is the relatively low number of Hispanic lawyers. It is of concern to many. How do we address this issue? It won’t resolve itself if ignored and it can’t be resolved overnight – but with a concerted plan, it can be resolved in years to come.

A logical first step is to encourage more Hispanics to study law. That means we have to increase the number Hispanics who finish high school.

Then they must succeed in college and graduate high enough to be accepted to law school.

HNBA Luckily, more than ever before, many helpful resources exist. One of them is the Hispanic National Bar Association, HNBA, a nationally recognized professional association, nonprofit, representing the Hispanic point of view in the legal profession, including would-be law school students.

It sponsors many programs to help young Hispanics learn about the profession, such as which undergraduate programs of study are recommended, how to enhance one’s opportunities to be selected by a law school, how to succeed there, and later, HNBA offers good advice for launching one’s career. It shares the profession’s salary ranges, explains work conditions and professional opportunities for the legally trained.

Founded in California in 1972, HNBA represents the interests of the more than 100,000 Hispanic attorneys, judges, law professors, law students and

paralegals. Given the pivotal importance of the law to all, its influence stretches beyond those actively involved in legal matters. Individual attorneys may join, and many local Hispanic bar associations are affiliated with the HNBA. It collaborates with the local Hispanic bars in over 100 cities, as well as with other specialty bars and the American Bar Association. One of HNBA’s initiatives is Project S.A.F.E. – a voter protection project. Steps and procedures have been devised to ensure that the Latino community can be assured it can participate fully and freely in local and national elections.

Thus the Safe And Fair Elections name tag. But why the initiative? The program was created in response to a well-documented history of voter-suppression tactics aimed at Hispanic communities. The effect of those tactics grows significantly as Latinos become an increasingly important and growing segment of the electorate. Specifically, to help Hispanic citizens exercise their right to vote, the HNBA conducts voter education programs. It also recruits volunteers to provide on-site live assistance to voters who have questions or need to report problems at polling places. It sponsors and trains teams to monitor election activities. All HNBA election protection activities are nonpartisan and are usually undertaken in collaboration with other nonpartisan local and national entities.

La Promesa en el Derecho is another of its broad-based initiatives.

Crafted as a community outreach and education program, it is designed to instill confidence and trust in America’s legal system. Basically an educational effort, this program explains and clarifies the promise of America. A booklet has been prepared that provides one-page explanations of 10 basic features of the American system of government: 1) The Constitution of the United States, 2) Separation of Powers, 3) the President of the United States, 4) the Congress of the United States, 5) the Supreme Court of the United States, 6) the Courts, 7) the Jury Process, 8) Basics Rights in a Criminal Proceeding, 9) the Freedom to Engage in Civic Activities and 10) Voting.

The booklet, written in both English and Spanish, targets the Latino community, many of whom have lived in different environments. But it is a useful civics education tool for all Americans, regardless of ethnic background or national origin. In addition to being a community education tool, La Promesa is intended to foster interest in the law among Latino students.

Recognizing that an informed citizenry is vital to a viable democracy, HNBA sponsors a Law Day program throughout its 19 regions. It targets elementary, middle school and high school students. It highlights protections and obligations of citizenship. The HNBA National Mentoring Program, launched in 2006 in collaboration with the Hispanic National Bar Foundation, was created to address the needs of aspiring Hispanic law students and new lawyers for mentors. The mentoring program is a formal system through which Hispanic students at all stages in their education and new attorneys have access and the opportunity to communicate and learn from HNBA members. Law school students and recent graduates are paired with a practicing attorney-mentors for guidance, information and networking opportunities for professional development. Additionally, college and high school students are paired with law student and attorney mentors to expose them to the legal profession and provide guidance and support on the road to law school. This model provides several benefits. First, it offers mentors the opportunity to contribute and students the benefit of a mentorship.

Second, it addresses the needs of individuals at every level in the pipeline to a successful legal career. Third, the program is coordinated by a National Mentoring Program Committee that functions as a facilitator and a clearinghouse of information on best practices. This is an excellent program. Those of us in higher education should encourage students to participate.

Another initiative is the Presidential Commission on the Status of Latinas in the Legal Profession. If there are few Hispanic males in the legal profession, one can well imagine how very few opportunities exist for Latinas. They are severely underserved and underrepresented. This initiative, established in 2008 by then-HNBA President Ramona E. Romero, explores and assesses the status of Hispanic women in the legal profession.

She knew firsthand that Latinas were marginalized and severely ignored in many segments of the profession. For example, according to Diversity & the Bar, in 2007 there were only two Hispanic women serving as general counsel of Fortune 1000 companies. The underrepresentation at major law firms, where Latinas comprise only 0.39 percent of partners and 1.8 percent of associates, is both marked and troublesome, since such law firms serve as talent sources for other segments of the profession. Those areas include but are not limited to the judiciary, high-level government appointments and corporate legal departments. While much has been written about the status of minorities and women in the profession, there has been little, if any, focus on the particular issues facing Latinas. The commission is tasked with identifying and removing barriers to the professional development and advancement of Hispanic women attorneys. Further they are charged to develop and recommend solutions to overcome those challenges. Internally, the commission has been asked to develop both short-term and long-term strategic and programmatic recommendations for implementation by the HNBA. These are just a few of the association’s initiatives. Students, in their high school years, should avail themselves of their resources.

Bottom Line What does all this mean? First, many thorny issues exist for Hispanics and the law. There are real struggles out there. But since creditable persons and institutions are working to address them, I think we should be optimistic that the future will be better. Young people should be encouraged to explore the growing possibilities that exist in the legal professions.

Hopefully, most will be motivated by idealism, such as helping all receive justice and righting society’s shortcomings. Some may be motivated by the television Perry Mason perception of the legal profession. That rendition is entirely misleading if not outright false. Other students might be enticed by high income possibilities – and making money is not a sin. I hope more Hispanics earn much more in the years ahead. While it is true that income in the legal profession can be very high, only a few achieve those heights.

Many attorneys earn rather average professional incomes.

More than half of all lawyers don’t even practice law, yet they invariably note that law training helped them succeed in a variety of other professions. Law school training is rigorous, and many credit it with providing them with serious discipline traits, an attention to logical thinking, and a respect for words.

As a lawyer told me, “In law school, I learned the difference words can make. My professor kept saying, ‘remember the difference between a lightning bug and lightning.’”

Dr. Mellander was a college president for 20 years. More recently, he was a graduate school dean at George Mason University.

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