10/01/2012 The Latino vote will count. by Hispanic Outlook on Education Magazine

OCTOBER 01, 2012

•

$3.75

www.HispanicOutlook.com

VOLUME 23 • NUMBER 01

the latino vote will count Also available in Digital Format

Cloud Computing

STEM Enrollment

Mentoring Latinas

#1 The

Hispanic Outlook MagazineÂŽ

8; 7D 7=;DJ E< 9>7D=;$ HE8;HJ CEHH?I KD?L;HI?JO ;N;9KJ?L; 7II?IJ7DJ JE J>; FH;I?:;DJ <EH :?L;HI?JO 7D: ?D9BKI?ED 5REHUW 0RUULV 8QLYHUVLW\ ORFDWHG LQ WKH ZHVWHUQ VXEXUEV RI 3LWWVEXUJK 3HQQV\OYDQLD VHHNV DQ H[SHULHQFHG OHDGHU WR VHUYH DV ([HFXWLYH $VVLVWDQW WR WKH 3UHVLGHQW IRU 'LYHUVLW\ DQG ,QFOXVLRQ 7KLV SRVLWLRQ LV D VHQLRU DGPLQLVWUDWLYH SRVLWLRQ UHSRUWLQJ GLUHFWO\ WR WKH 3UHVLGHQW VHUYLQJ RQ WKH 3UHVLGHQWÂˇV &DELQHW DQG ZLOO VHUYH DV FKDLUSHUVRQ IRU WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ÂˇV &RXQFLO RQ ,QVWLWXWLRQDO (TXLW\ &2,( $SSOLFDWLRQV FRYHU OHWWHU FXUULFXOXP YLWDH DQG QDPHV RI Ă&#x20AC;YH UHIHUHQFHV DQG DOO TXHVWLRQV VKRXOG EH VXEPLWWHG LQ FRQĂ&#x20AC;GHQFH WR HE8;HJCEHH?I6:B@7D:7IIE9?7J;I$9EC 9LVLW HCK$;:K IRU LQIRUPDWLRQ DERXW 5REHUW 0RUULV 8QLYHUVLW\ DQG GHWDLOV RI WKLV HPSOR\PHQW RSSRUWXQLW\ 7KH SRVLWLRQ LV DYDLODEOH -DQXDU\ RU VRRQHU 7R UHFHLYH IXOO FRQVLGHUDWLRQ DSSO\ E\ 2FWREHU $W 5REHUW 0RUULV 8QLYHUVLW\ ZH EHOLHYH WKDW LQVWLWXWLRQDO HTXLW\ UHĂ HFWV RXU FRQWLQXHG FRPPLWPHQW WR D FRPPXQLW\ ZKHUH HYHU\RQH LV ERWK YDOXHG DQG UHVSHFWHG ,QVWLWXWLRQDO HTXLW\ HQFRPSDVVHV UDFLDO HWKQLF JHQGHU DQG UHOLJLRXV GLYHUVLW\ FXOWXUDO SHUVSHFWLYHV QDWLRQDO RULJLQV VH[XDO RULHQWDWLRQ SK\VLFDO DELOLW\ DV ZHOO DV VRFLRHFRQRPLF FRQWH[WV DQG HGXFDWLRQDO EDFNJURXQGV (2(

HCK$;:K%@E8I F?JJI8KH=>" F7

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

â&#x20AC;˘

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

MAGAZINE for multicultural professionals in higher education Please visit

www.HispanicOutlook.com

to post your ad or find a career opportunity

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

Or send your Advertisements to:

Outlook@sprintmail.com

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

Ricardo Fernández, President Lehman College Mildred García, President California State University-Fullerton

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

Juán González,VP Student Affairs University of Texas at Austin Lydia Ledesma-Reese, Educ. Consultant Ventura County Community College District Gustavo A. Mellander, Dean Emeritus George Mason University

Administrative Assistant & Subscription Coordinator – Barbara Churchill

Loui Olivas,Assistant VP Academic Affairs Arizona State University

DC Congressional Correspondent – Peggy Sands Orchowski

Eduardo Padrón, President Miami Dade College

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

Antonio Pérez, President Borough of Manhattan Community College María Vallejo, Provost Palm Beach State College

Art & Production Director – Avedis Derbalian Graphic Designer – Joanne Aluotto

Editorial Policy The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine® is a national magazine published 23 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

Sr.Advertising Sales Associate – Angel M. Rodríguez Advertising Sales Associate – Cyndy Mitchell

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

Article Contributors Frank DiMaria, Marilyn Gilroy, Mitchell A. Kaplan,Tania Moran, Miquela Rivera, Jeff Simmons, Gary M. Stern

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®.

Advertising Sales TEL (201) 587-8800 ext. 102/106 FAX (201) 587-9105 email: Outlook@sprintmail.com

Editorial Office 80 Route 4 East, Suite 203, Paramus, N.J. 07652 TEL (201) 587-8800 or (800) 549-8280 FAX (201) 587-9105

The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine® is a member of

“‘The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education’ and ‘Hispanic Outlook’ are registered trademarks of The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Publishing Company, Inc.”

and a sponsor of

Letters to the Editor

Want a Subscription?

The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine ®

Visit: www.HispanicOutlook.com

80 Route 4 East, Suite 203, Paramus, N.J. 07652

or call toll free 1 (800) 549-8280 ext. 108

email: sloutlook@aol.com Postmaster: Please send all changes of address to: The Hispanic Outlook, P.O. Box 68, Paramus, N.J. 07652

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

•

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

Esquina E ditorial

The

National Weather Service confirmed last month that a tornado had indeed set down in New Jersey. But it was preceded by another tornado of sorts – the new president of Rutgers University, who came in amid a highly controversial merger between Rutgers, Rowan University and the two campuses of New Jersey’s College of Medicine and Dentistry. Elements of the take-over still need approval by the Rutgers and Rowan boards. Hispanics are now nearly 18 percent of New Jersey’s population but just 10 percent of Rutgers’ 58,000 pre-merger student body. Room for growth there. New president Robert L. Barchi aims to improve Rutgers’ marketing as “one of the nation’s great universities,” according to an interview by Star-Ledger columnist Bob Braun. “The only other university in the state we should be marketing against,” he says, “is Princeton, because there is no other comprehensive university of its quality in the state.” Barchi told Braun, “You’ve got to steal somebody else’s lunch.” You have to “get your fair share of students from Delaware and Pennsylvania.” Barchi, who says, “I’m not in this game to be beloved,” earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Georgetown, his Ph.D., in biochemistry, and M.D. at the University of Pennsylvania. And comes to New Jersey, where he lived as a boy, after being president of a private heath sciences university, Thomas Jefferson, and provost at U Penn. Last month, a federal judge confirmed the legality of the “show me your papers” part of Arizona’s new immigration law. Heads of the Phoenix and Tucson police departments and of the Pima County sheriff’s office “were critical of it but ultimately said they would obey whatever parts the courts found to be constitutional,” according to Fox News. Some law professors predict continuing challenges to the law, once arrests start taking place. ¡Adelante! Suzanne López-Isa Managing Editor

Tenured Associate/Full Professor, MIT Program in Science, Technology, and Society MIT’s Program in Science, Technology, and Society invites applications for a tenured associate or full professor position. The area of study is open to all domains of STS scholarship. Graduate and undergraduate teaching and advising are required. Interest in establishing scholarly connections at MIT beyond the STS Program is desirable. Candidates must demonstrate excellence in research, a record of effective teaching and thesis supervision, and leadership and service to the profession.

Candidates must hold a Ph.D, and an extensive record of publication, research activity, and leadership are expected. The appointment is anticipated to begin in academic year 2013-2014. MIT is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women and members of minority groups.

Applications should consist of a current curriculum vita, a statement describing current and future research plans, a statement of teaching philosophy, and the names and contact information of three suggested references. To apply please visit: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/1916.

Applications will be reviewed beginning November 1, 2012; the process will continue until the position is filled. Contact:

Paree Pinkney, Administrative Officer ppinkney@mit.edu

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

•

The right fit is everything. A good client relationship is more than just chemistry. It’s about finding the right mix of cultural insight, planning and creative thinking. Plus 22 years of experience marketing to Hispanics in higher education doesn’t hurt either. That’s what we bring to our client relationships. We can help you find the right fit for your institution. Why not give us a call. 1-800-549-8280 ext. 102 or 106 or visit us at: www.HispanicOutlook.com HISPANIC OUTLOOK MAGAZINE®

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

Po lit i cal Beat

The Pangs of War and Leadership

by Carlos D. Conde

excruciatingly painful photo of two parents, each clutching an American flag, their tearful faces engulfed in grief as they buried their young Marine son, Lance Cpl. Gregory T. Buckley Jr., illustrates a war in a faraway place that for a growing number of Americans seems fruitless. They wonder if it will ever end – and if there is another international conflict down the road. Some might quarrel with the word fruitless. The U.S. is, arguably perhaps, about exceptionalism, the belief that we are different from other countries in that we have a specific world mission to spread liberty and democracy. It’s part of our American creed, and we take our role as leader of the free world seriously. Our conflicts have always seemed open-ended. We’ll stay until we achieve our objectives, damn the cost and sacrifice. Still, you wonder why this and other Middle East involvements have not created peace demonstrations like those of the Vietnam War. Maybe it’s because we all abhor the Sept. 11 terrorist attack or because it’s a new era and we have other preoccupations. We are in Afghanistan to counter the atrocities that fanatical terrorist groups have inflicted on

Americans and others in the name of Allah. Our leaders have convinced us that if we don’t take them on over there we risk another encounter here like the Twin Towers attack – so, bombs away. Our involvement, which revolves around protecting our homeland, at times seems debatable. President Obama says we’ll soon be done with combat in that region, save for some training and care-taking work. Our men and women are coming home, most of them, prayerfully, still intact and not maimed or in a casket like Cpl. Buckley. That commitment is not absolute even if Obama gets a second term, since his pronouncements usually leave some wiggle room. His Republican opponent, Mitt Romney, seems more preoccupied with domestic issues and has not fully articulated his policy on Afghanistan and other foreign hot spots, nor has he talked much about an exit, except to say he too will phase out our combat involvement. If he wins, will he adopt the Obama plan of a 2014 exit or provide his own? Both campaigns have a scant few weeks to articulate their plans. Meanwhile, the candidates are still figuring out the political currency required and a palatable plan. Either way, or either party, past experience tells us that the U.S. will always be somewhere policing the world. The sacrifice of our nation’s youth will continue, and many, like Cpl. Buckley’s grieving parents, will find it hard to understand why it had to be their son. Cpl. Buckley, 21 and within weeks of coming home, was killed in a “green on blue” attack, the enemy disguised as a friendly ally to penetrate American troops in

suicide attacks. His parents said the whole world was his oyster, with the best yet to come. His mother told The New York Times, “He was the most lovable, caring human being. He wore his heart on his sleeve, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.” Nothing and no one, not even the U.S. president or Buckley’s war zone commander, could assuage his parents over their loss and the mother who cried out, “our forces shouldn’t be there. It’s over. It’s done. If they want to kill themselves, let them.” He served his country with a passion and may have died heroically – but for what, she asked. The New York Times carried a front-page story on Cpl. Buckley’s funeral and, inside, in a three-page spread, photos of 1,000 of the more than 2,000 American soldiers killed in a war that began with a U.S. invasion two months after Sept. 11, 2001. Most were 20 to 30; men and women, Latino, Black, Anglo, Asian; many proudly posing in military uniform and beret, their handsome faces the flower of America society. To a dispassionate observer, nothing much has changed in Afghanistan except the American body count. The conflict there and in Iraq is not the conventional war Americans are used to fighting. The Taliban trickle style is a car bomb here, a suicide bomber there – but still maddeningly attritional in the most unexpected ways, wearing down soldiers’ psyches, though that’s not what our generals would say. More than 4,480 died in the Iraq war of eight years, launched for similar reasons. All agree we cannot get complacent lest we risk

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

•

a repeat of Sept. 11 – but to what extent should our involvement be? Former President Bush’s national security advisor and secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, said at the GOP national convention, “If we are not inspired to lead again, one of two things will happen: no one will lead and that will foster chaos, or others who do not share our values will fill the vacuum. My fellow Americans, we do not have a choice.” Astonishingly, neither Romney nor running mate Paul Ryan mentioned the Afghan war in their convention addresses, so the Republican strategy remains nebulous. You have to wonder if whoever is elected president can meet the challenge of our Afghanistan malaise and stop the bleeding of blood and money. There are currently 88,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, down from a peak of about 100,000. The war has been excruciatingly expensive, costing $443 billion from 2001 to 2011, including the siphoning by corrupt Afghans. The Pentagon budget for 2013, excluding war-related expenses, is $525 billion. As that crusty former Illinois senator, the late Everett Dirksen, said many years ago about government profligacy – “a billion here, a billion there and pretty soon you are talking real money.” Add to that the priceless cost in American lives.

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.

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

MAGAZINE® OCTOBER 01, 2012

CONTENTS Boosting the Latino Vote by Jeff Simmons

Cloud Computing on Campus 101 by Frank DiMaria

Debt Has Negative Impact on Enrollment in STEM 16 for Latino Students by Marilyn Gilroy

Patching the Pipeline: Physician Shortage in the U.S. 19 by Mitchell A. Kaplan

Page 8

Mentoring Latinas Program Making Strides at Three New York Colleges by Gary M. Stern

I Am a Dreamer by Tania Moran

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

Page 12

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

•

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

DEPARTMENTS Political Beat

by Carlos D. Conde

The Pangs of War and Leadership

Uncensored

by Peggy Sands Orchowski

Interesting Reads Book Review

by Mitchell A. Kaplan

Social Work with Latinos: A Cultural Assets Paradigm

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

Page 16

Targeting Higher Education Hispanics and the 2012 Elections by Gustavo A. Mellander (Online only)

Priming the Pump...

by Miquela Rivera

Coaching Students: Six Critical Abilities and Traits

Back Cover

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

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

Page 19

â&#x20AC;˘

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

Boosting the

hen Huey Rey Fischer returned to classes at the University of TexasAustin this semester, his focus was broader than completing studies and earning credits. He also was devoting his nonacademic hours to voter registration drives and arranging speaking engagements by political figures. It’s election season, and the battle for the White House is unfolding at colleges and universities across the United States, as registration drives, get-out-the-vote initiatives and speaker series aim to boost attention and turnout. “It’s going to be thrilling,” the 20-year-old Fischer said. “There’s already a buzz around campus. Student government will get involved to get out the vote, the Black Student Alliance, Latino Leadership Organization, and other groups. There’s definitely going to be a great deal of activity on campus.” “I think it’s critical that we start now and that we start at the college age,” said Fischer, who served as president of the University of Texas Democrats until mid-July. “If we get people engaged and into a pattern of voting early on, then this can carry on for the rest of their lives.” Amid the home stretch of the presidential race, campaigns on both sides of the political aisle have been striving to shore up stronger support from the Hispanic vote, efforts fueled by hot-button issues and an evolving demographic landscape. The seismic shift in the Hispanic population – and its expected continued growth – has prompted greater attention, interest and outreach. Among this growing voting bloc is a younger Hispanic populace that is able to vote but shows up in smaller percentages at the voting booth. This Hispanic gap is generating more substantial ground efforts to fortify foundations, organizational initiatives to increase registrations, and grass-roots campaigns tailored to heighten visibility of the election. The efforts showcase the reality that younger, more politically aware Hispanics could substantially influence the future of the country’s political landscape. “We have certainly seen a trend of an increasing number of Hispanic voters in election cycles, both midterm and presidential, for the last 20plus years,” said Mark Hugo López, associate director of the Pew Hispanic Center in Washington, D.C. “It’s possible we will see a record number of Hispanic voters in 2012.” Hispanics represent one of the country’s fastest-growing populations,

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

•

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

and its largest minority group, amounting to about 16.4 percent of the U.S. population. The U.S. Census counted 50.5 million Hispanics in 2010, up from 35.3 million 10 years earlier. Over the same period, the number of eligible Hispanic voters – adults who are U.S. citizens – also

LEADERSHIP

increased, from 13.2 million in 2000 to 21.3 million in 2010, the Pew Hispanic Center reported. A Pew Hispanic Center report last year reasoned that rapid Hispanic population growth helped fuel increasing electoral participation. Despite this, Hispanic representation among the electorate remains below its representation in the general population. In 2010, 16.3 percent of the nation’s population was Hispanic, but only 10.1 percent of eligible voters and fewer than 7 percent of voters were Hispanic. This gap, the center reported, was driven by youth and noncitizenship among adults. More than one-third of Hispanics (34.9 percent) were younger than the voting age of 18, a share greater than that of any other group. And an additional 22.4 percent were of voting age, but were not U.S. citizens. As a result, the share of the Hispanic population eligible to vote – just under 43 percent – was smaller than it is among any other group. In the 2008 presidential election, a record 10 million Hispanics cast votes, about half of those who were eligible. In contrast, the Pew Hispanic Center reported, 66 percent of eligible Whites and 65 percent of eligible Blacks voted. Hispanic voter turnout rates lag behind of other groups partly

Latino Vote

percent of young Latino eligible voters voted, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. In contrast, among eligible Hispanic voters ages 30 and older, the voter turnout rate was higher, at 37.4 percent in 2010. Young Hispanics enrolled in higher education represent a growing percentage of eligible – and often untapped – voters. According to a Pew Hispanic Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data released last year, the number of 18- to 24-yearolds attending college in the country rose to an all-time high of 12.2 million in October 2010. That number was fueled by a 349,000-student rise (24 percent) in Hispanic enrollment from 2009 to 2010, making them the largest minority group on the nation’s college campuses. “That’s quite interesting, since this is the first time this has happened – where Latinos have surpassed African-Americans as the largest minority group on two- and four-year campuses,” López said. Meanwhile, during that same period, the number of young adult African-Americans rose by 88,000; Asian-Americans, by 43,000; while Whites fell by 320,000. As a result of these shifts, the center reported, young Hispanics for the first time outnumbered young African-Americans on all campuses. “Demographic trends show that 50,000 to 60,000 U.S.-born young

Latinos turn 18 every month. The youth component of the Latino population is a larger component of the Hispanic electorate than it is for other groups,” López said. López said that a quarter or more of all eligible Hispanic voters are between 18 and 29 years old, while one out of every five eligible voters in the United States – about 20 percent – is eligible to vote. “When you look at 2008, there were a large number of first-time young voters among Latinos,” he said. “About half of all 18- to 29-year-old Latino voters were first-time voters. We have more young Latinos than ever going to college, and when you take a look at how Latinos are getting engaged, many of them were first-time voters, particularly in 2008.” In 2010, Hispanic college graduates had the highest voter turnout rate (50.3 percent) among eligible Hispanic voters, while young Hispanics ages 18 to 29 had the lowest (17.6 percent), the center reported. Peter Levine, director of research and director of the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning & Engagement (CIRCLE), which is at Tufts University’s Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service in Medford, Mass., said turnout in general among young people, including Hispanics, was very poor in the 1990s. However, he said younger Hispanic turnout has been on the upswing due to population growth, efforts by organizations to generate stronger voter registration and greater attention paid to Hispanics by campaigns. “I do think there’s been better organization in the community itself, so you see things like Voto Latino and Rising Up, but also the demographic group has gotten more attention from political campaigns,” he said. Additionally, he noted stronger galvanization of the community around issues such as immigration. Campaigns “recognize the growing size of the demographic group, but they also campaign specifically on short-term horizons,” Levine said. “They are not thinking of the longer-term future of the party but thinking about winning in November. Some think that the turnout rate is low and so it won’t pay off for the campaign, so it’s mixed.” Levine also noted greater levels of participation among those young Photo © All rights reserved by NALEO Educational Fund

because of the large share of Hispanic eligible voters under 30 years old. And, historically, young people have voted at lower rates than older eligible voters. Among younger voters, Hispanics have had some of the lowest voter participation rates: in 2010 just 17.6

by Jeff Simmons

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

•

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

adults attending college versus those who don’t, pointing out that Hispanics have a lower rate of higher education engagement than Whites to begin with. So, he added, there is often a giant difference – about 2-to-1 – of those old enough to vote and those who actually register and vote. That’s where organizations such as Voto Latino and other organizations have entered the scene. This fall, groups organized National Voter Registration Day to take place shortly after the new semester began. Among six leading participants was Voto Latino, which joined coordinated efforts to create awareness of voter registration. “Our message is clear: It’s important that we register to vote and vote

It’s election season, and the battle for the White House is unfolding at colleges and universities across the United States, as registration drives, get-out-the-vote initiatives and speaker series aim to boost attention and turnout. because the issues that we are facing today are personal,” said Sindy M. Benavides, Voto Latino’s vice president for field and political operations. “Whether it’s the creation of jobs, our economy, education, immigration, health care or opportunities for small businesses and for our veterans, all of these issues have one thread in common: they are personal; they impact us directly; they impact our families and friends, our communities and our nation.” Voto Latino has been working closely with field organizers in, among

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

•

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

other states, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida and New Mexico, to energize Hispanic voters ages 18 to 35. Voto Latino has involved young Hispanic leaders, and launched America4America, which recruited Ugly Betty actress America Ferrera to heighten the dialogue around electoral participation. Voto Latino is focused heavily on the younger Hispanic vote, and is forging stronger connections at college and university campuses, and through the Internet. In fact, the nonprofit developed a voter registration widget – with TurboVote – to allow people to register online. TurboVote allows people to use laptops or tablets to fill out registration forms online, which are then sent to registrants in the mail with preaddressed, pre-stamped envelopes to be signed and returned. “We want to ensure that Latino Americans are registering to vote, and we want to ensure that this year millions of Americans don’t sit out because they do not know how to register,” Benavides said. “Younger Latino Americans will be key in this fall’s presidential election. We know that young voters had an impact in 2008, and we want to ensure that we break the perception that young voters are disengaged.” Additionally, Voto Latino recently launched RepUrLetters, a campaign activating Hispanic sororities and fraternities to register voters through the online effort. The organization is training sorority and fraternity volunteers on registration and get-out-the-vote techniques. “We are working closely with the leadership and organizations of various colleges and universities to register voters on campus through class and ‘dorm storms,’” she said. Joining Voto Latino in the National Voter Registration Day campaign has been Hispanic Vote, which, too, is partnering with Turbo Vote. “We need to organize because we believe young people have the ability to make changes in the country,” said Laura Ramírez Drain, executive director of Hispanicvote.com. “Many don’t want to be involved, and schools don’t promote the vote. Many Latinos feel that they select a president, but when they are elected, they don’t follow through on their promises.” “We believe the Latino vote will make a difference in the selection of the next president. President Obama will win or lose depending on the Latino vote. It will make a big difference,” she said. The organization planned to focus on five key battleground states: Florida, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and Virginia. In other states, students are taking up the cause, as well. Fischer is hoping he can reach many of the Hispanic students at his campus, the University of Texas campus in Austin. His Democratic club is the largest and oldest political club on campus, and the largest college Democratic club in the country, with about 250 dues-paying members. Fischer said that his club mirrors others on college campuses, where they focus on local issues as well, but champion bread-and-butter issues like the economy – and its impact on, say, tuition, crime and funding to maintain educational services. “We tend to act as a lobbying and activist group for students,” said Fischer, who chairs the Texas Young Democrats’ Hispanic Caucus and was recently elected as a committeeman to the State Democratic Committee, representing the Hispanic Caucus. This fall, he said, will be no exception. “We plan to get really involved” in engaging students, he said. “It’s a pretty high-profile race and a race that many students are paying attention to. The stakes are pretty high.” Fisher’s club plans to campaign for President Barack Obama, and its

leaders hope enthusiasm around the election trickles down into involvement in local political races. The club was planning to host rallies, phone banking, door-to-door outreach, and the speaker series. Fischer expected the conversation to revolve around issues such as the DREAM Act, funding for higher education, and candidates’ positions. “Young Hispanics will have the potential to win the election here in Texas, but they need to get out to the polls,” said Fischer, a junior majoring in Latin American studies. “There is a lot of influence we can have if we just speak out, get involved and campaign. I like seeing the end result of the work I put in.” “I do want students to be aware of what’s going on,” Fischer said. “Students should be aware of the civic process.” The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine repeatedly reached out to representatives from both major presidential campaigns but did not receive responses about outreach to Hispanics, including on college campuses. Recent polls have shown that Hispanic voters overwhelmingly support Barack Obama over Mitt Romney. In mid-July, Latino Decisions released a national poll of registered Hispanic voters showing Obama capturing 70 percent of the Hispanic vote compared to 22 percent for Romney. The poll was commissioned by the Center for American Progress Action Fund and America’s Voice. While anger and frustration have been directed at Republicans over immigration issues, frustration and anger have been directed at Obama over the country’s lingering economic woes. Both campaigns have pursued media targeting a Hispanic constituency. Obama’s campaign issued Spanish-language television commercials in four swing states early on and organized voter registration drives in Hispanic neighborhoods. Romney’s launched “Juntos con Romney” (“Together with Romney”) teams in 15 states and placed similar television and radio spots. Additionally, both candidates aimed to drum up Hispanic support when addressing members of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) earlier this year. NALEO projected that 12.2 million Hispanic voters would show up at the polls this election day. Engaging those younger Latinos, on and off campus, presents both challenges and opportunities. The new ways of communicating – through social media, for example, and older traditional methods – such as television advertising, are not necessarily the best ways to turn calls into action, experts said. Instead, concerted efforts at direct communication prompt more tangible results than advertising and requests sent through e-mail blasts. Melissa R. Michelson, professor of political science at Menlo College in Atherton, Calif., said that a simple technique works best when attempting to get Hispanics to register: do it in person. Younger Latinos often aren’t aware they can and should vote, and if they are, they often don’t know how to follow through with it. Further enhancing their low turnout are institutional barriers such as filling out registration forms properly and cognitive barriers such as an inability to choose whom they would vote for. “Both of those are pretty significant barriers,” said Michelson, who has written a number of studies and articles examining political behavior, voting and elections, and race and ethnicity, including Hispanic politics. “Often, below the presidential level it’s a very difficult choice to make those cognitive choices,” she said. “Part of what my research has found is that students just need a little help. If you want them to register to vote, you have to sit with them and go through the registration form, show them the

information they are being asked to provide.” Explaining to younger adults the process and the system often helps to diminish any confusion or fears about registration, and election day. “So that’s a big hurdle,” she said. The other hurdle, Michelson explained, is that younger Latinos often don’t feel that their issues are being considered in broader campaign efforts. “The requests have to be personal,” she said. “You can’t just put stuff on television or a banner ad on the Internet. You have to talk with people one on one, call them on the phone, interact with them face to face, and say ‘I want you to vote. I’m talking about you.’ You have to make it clear that when we are talking about getting out the vote, we are talking about them; we are not talking about rich old White people.” Michelson details the results of nearly 300 experiments to increase the vote among communities of color, including Hispanics, in a new book, Mobilizing Inclusion: Transforming Citizenship Through Get-Out-theVote Campaigns, which she co-authored with Lisa García Bedolla of the University of California-Berkeley. “It needs to be a personal, sociocultural interaction. It has to be a phone call, or a face-to-face visit to transform people’s preconceptions in these traditionally marginalized communities,” she said. This fall, she expects to see massive ground efforts in states like Arizona, Nevada and North Carolina, among others, to urge Hispanics to turn up at the polls. Armed with research showing sizeable untapped pockets of Hispanic voters, “folks would just need to get out there and register these available unregistered citizens. The numbers are there in some swing states.” “The real battle right now is not so much getting out registered voters but this pool of unregistered Latino voters who could make a difference,” she said, “and a lot of folks are trying to figure out how to register them, not how to mobilize the registered.” The Student Government Association at Florida International University is attempting to do just that: use face-to-face interaction to register more Hispanic voters. Students are promoting TurboVote to generate results this fall. “Their motto is that they make voting as easy as renting a Netflix movie,” said Laura Farinas, president of the association. “The simplicity in it is that it’s very easy to get students to register. It gives them the ability to register online, and then they get updated with reminders.” “Eight out of 10 students will tell you they have registered when they haven’t, because they just don’t have the time,” she said. “You have students who go to class, have two different jobs, and then have to go back home, and it really makes a difference when you tell them you could do this [register] from home, and that you don’t even need a stamp or an envelope.” Farinas, a 22-year-old Cuban-American, was preparing for registration drives and events – even asking faculty to remind students – to kick off with the fall semester. She had a lofty goal: to reach at least one-fifth of the 50,000-student body. Her hope is that many of the new enrollees will be Hispanic. “We are a huge group, not only in the United States as a demographic but here in South Florida,” she said. “I feel we have a lot of potential to invigorate and engage students in the electoral process. It’s important to have a quantity of students say, ‘I want to have my voice heard, and I want to advocate for the issues that pertain to me.’”

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

•

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

INNOVATIONS/PROGRAMS

Cloud Computing on Campus 101

It’s

by Frank DiMaria

a common scenario on campus. A student wants his computer computer files while having access to them from anywhere. files available on the computer in his dorm room and on one Budget-conscious researchers needing to collaborate with colleagues in the library. That calls for a flash drive. But should that flash and requiring high-performance computers benefit from the public cloud. drive go missing, catastrophe. As cloud computing becomes more ubiqui- “A group can collaborate and run some tests very inexpensively. You can tous, flash drives – and their ever-present school spirit lanyards – will go essentially rent the space, hardware and systems. ... What you have done is the way of the dinosaurs as all students will access their files from any turn capital costs into operational costs. It allows you to expand your capacomputer on or off campus. bilities and horizons and be able to outreach that way,” says Dreher. A Cloud computing, although a mystery to many, has been around for drawback to the public cloud is that it is not always secure. years. Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo mail, Flickr, A community cloud is similar to a pubTwitter, Facebook, Skype, and YouTube are lic cloud, but it is restricted to a particular all cloud services. Even Netflix delivers its population. The cloud infrastructure is content using a cloud computing service shared by several schools and supports a offered by Amazon. According to Gartner specific community that has shared conInc., nearly one-third of organizations cerns and may be managed by the schools either already use or plan to use cloud or a third party. Community clouds may computing. The time has come for academe physically be on or off campus. to explore this option. Private clouds are not available to the Cloud computing is a broad term that general public – and are not cheap. They refers to the delivery of computing and offer institutions significant control and storage capacity as a service to a commuhigher security because they are available nity of computer users. Patrick Dreher, only to those users associated with the instiPh.D., a computer science professor at tution who have been granted access. The North Carolina State University and a cloud hardware for a private cloud is physically computing researcher, says that cloud located on campus. Private clouds are ideal computing allows users to seamlessly and for researchers who have grant money to securely provision and or combine comspend on hardware, says Dreher. puter hardware, operating systems, appliA database on the private cloud restricts cation software, storage and a rich set of access based on a set of user rights. “Let’s customizable services. Cloud systems are say you have a very large research project scalable, up and down and in and out, and with three pieces to it. Some collaborators have resources that are accessible over a work on sub-project A; another set, on subnetwork based on a service-oriented archiproject B; and another set, on sub-project tecture. C. The database keeps track of all that Patrick Dreher, Ph.D., computer science professor at North The cloud essentially offers institutions Carolina State University and a cloud computing researcher information so the collaborators who are three elements – the ability to purchase working on sub-project A don’t get access hardware as a service, to purchase infrastructure as a service and to pur- to sub-project B and C,” says Dreher. chase software as a service. Depending on the type of cloud and the serA hybrid cloud is a composition of two or more clouds that remain vices schools require, they will choose one of four deployment models: unique entities but are bound together by standardized or proprietary public cloud, community cloud, private cloud or a hybrid cloud. technology that enables data and application portability. The biggest benefit to a public cloud is low cost. Windows Azure, Whatever the deployment model, one of the more intriguing elements Amazon Cloud Drive and other public cloud services allow computer users of cloud computing is its ability to allow users to access the hardware, to upload documents, photos, music files and more to a relatively secure platform, software and their files regardless of their location or the device environment. Many use a public cloud service to back up their important they prefer – desktop, laptop, tablet, smartphone. For example, a profes-

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

•

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

sor uses a specific software to deliver a lesson. The cloud makes that soft- using cloud-based CRM (Customer Relationship Management) services. ware available, only to that professor’s students, from any place or on any When discussing academe’s conversion to cloud computing, Greene device. This ensures that “everybody is on the same page, singing from the uses the metaphor of low-hanging fruit, dividing clouds into three levels. same sheet of music,” says Dreher, and that the students and professor are Schools jump at the opportunity to offer their users cloud computing when using the correct version of the software. it is inexpensive, or the lowest-hanging fruit. But the more expensive Schools retain control by creating an “image,” a collection of software clouds, the highest fruit, have to wait. The low fruit, says Greene, is e-mail. and computer libraries specific to an individual’s user ID and password. Google and Microsoft offer free cloud e-mail services to schools for faculty, When a user logs onto the cloud, only the software dedicated for that user staff and students. “Many campuses say, ‘Sure, why not?’ Especially since is accessible. “A good cloud computing configuration keeps track of all Microsoft and Google will let you brand it with your domain name even that and provides students wide flexibility and standardization so that though the service is being provided by them,” says Greene. everybody has equal access to the infrastructure to get their work done,” The middle cloud comprises learning management systems and camsays Dreher. pus calendars. Since providers of these services were quick to offer them Virtualization, often associated with cloud computing, is a systems to campuses years ago, institutions view these tools as beneficial, proven administration and data management tool that enables schools to use a products. “Higher education is a risk-averse market in the sense that not a single piece of physical hardware to perform the work of many. Multiple lot of campuses are willing to take big risks on a lot of this stuff,” says operating system instances running on one hardware device are far Greene. CIOs and presidents would rather watch as other schools test the more economical than dedicating a single piece of hardware to every waters before they take the technological plunge. “I want to see what my server task. peers are doing,” Greene says. “In the past, you might have had 100 servers. Now you can do the same The highest clouds, which are the subject of much discussion these work with 50 or 35. Our data show that days and the most expensive to implement, campuses are moving toward virtualization involve three separate high-end functions. as a way to extend technology and reduce The first is ERP (enterprise resource plancosts,” says Kenneth C. Greene, founding ning), like campus finances, student director of the Campus Computing Project. records, grant management, etc. The secVirtualization is one step on a continuond is file storage and backup, and the um toward cloud computing. But schools third is high-performance computing, the that employ virtualization own the hardware technology-intensive tasks used by research and the system and employ the people who institutions. Most schools are slow to run them. embrace these clouds, and Greene can’t In a 2011 white paper, Cisco Systems blame them. called cloud computing an “attractive “Compared to some of the offerings in advantage to higher education because of the corporate market, the key providers its potential to reduce information and that would do the high end, particularly communications technology (IT) costs by storage and administrative systems, have virtualizing capital assets such as disk storlagged a bit behind the actual conversation age and processing cycles into a readily in terms of making these services available available, affordable operating expense.” (to higher education institutions). There The paper urged university CIOs to move to are five or six companies that effectively cloud computing. dominate the administrative systems market But few have heeded this advice. The in higher education, and each in its own 2011 Campus Computing Project’s annual way has been slow to provide hosted or report indicated that just 4.4 percent of colcloud-based services to campuses. The leges and universities surveyed have moved campus folks are ambivalent, asking ‘Will it to or are planning to move to the cloud for really save me money? What are the service director of enterprise support services, benefits?’” says Greene. ERP (administrative system) services Mike Chapple, senior Notre Dame University (range: from 1.3 among public universities Another factor that often delays an instito 7.1 percent for private universities). tution’s move to cloud computing is securiSimilarly, just 6.5 percent have embraced the cloud for storage, archiving ty. Since information stored on the cloud might not reside on campus, or business continuity services. Although cloud computing should offer some CIOs feel they do not have control of the data. significant benefits for research and high performance computing (HPC) To help schools afford the most expensive clouds and to keep their activities, just 2.4 percent of public universities and 6.6 percent of private information secure, some technology companies are allowing schools to universities report migrating these activities to the cloud. pool their resources, making even the highest clouds more affordable. Other cloud services, however, posted slightly higher numbers. About Internet2 is one of those companies. Its program called Net+ allows 28 percent report that they have moved or are migrating their learning schools with pooled resources to work with cloud providers to negotiate management systems (LMS) application to the cloud, and 10.9 percent are collaborative agreements meeting the needs of several institutions.

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

•

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

Notre Dame struck an agreement with a cloud vendor through Internet2 and now employs Box, a file-sharing service that lets users store all their content online. Mike Chapple, senior director of enterprise support services at Notre Dame, says that Box users can even share files with individuals at other schools. “It makes it easier for them to collaborate. It’s much easier to share files and work together with a tool like this. Another thing is that it gives them access to the information they need wherever they are,” says Chapple. In essence, the data are wherever the user is. Users needs and pure economics drove Notre Dame’s decision to employ cloud computing. Faculty and staff “use these tools at home in their personal lives, so they have come to expect them at work. We have had demand from our users for the productivity tools that they are familiar with,” says Chapple. Aside from accommodating users, cloud computing offers Notre Dame economy of scale. Cloud providers enjoy significant aggregation, which allows them to deliver the services that users have come to expect more cost effectively than Notre Dame could. “In some cases at no charge and in others at a much lower cost then we are able to achieve if we do it ourselves,” says Chapple. As always, security is a concern when dealing with sensitive files. Notre Dame offers cloud computing to its users to ensure that their files are secure. When schools enter into contractual agreements with cloud vendors offering secure file storage, it dissuades users from employing public cloud tools, which may or may not be secure. “Having a cloud service’s agreement is something an organization should do rather than individuals,” says Chapple. Notre Dame’s agreement with Box cites an array of terms such as file backups, disaster recovery and service level agreements. “So you should be able to have the assurances that information you are putting into the cloud service is going to be secure and backed up to the same or greater standards that you would have if you did it yourself,” says Chapple. North Carolina State moved to cloud computing nearly 10 years ago and now has what Dreher calls one of the world’s oldest clouds. North Carolina State’s virtual computing lab was designed specifically for a higher education institution. Universities have two primary functions, says Dreher. First they are charged with educating students. To achieve that goal, they must provide support and infrastructure within the teaching and learning environments. Both professors and students need access to computer systems within these environments. The second function is performing research. Most researchers need access to high-performance computers. “At NC State, we learned how to marry these two systems,” says Dreher. During the day, a significant portion of computer provisioning is designed to be used by students and professors in the teaching and learning environments. But between midnight and 7 a.m., when most students are sleeping, the hardware is dynamically re-provisioned to support the highperformance computing research clusters. “Researchers can now access a larger number of hardware nodes so they can get better performance and better throughput for their computations. This has an economic advantage for universities in that it drives costs down. It drives it down for the teaching and learning aspect and for the researcher,” says Dreher. Cloud computing is not just for research universities. Even America’s small colleges and community college systems can benefit from the cost effectiveness and power of the cloud. The Lone Star College System in Texas serves more than 85,000 active students. In 2008, faculty and students experienced unreliable IT infrastructure, says Link Alander, the sys-

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

•

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

Link Alander, interim vice chancellor/CIO, Lone Star College System, Texas

tem’s interim vice chancellor/CIO. “You can count on things being down more than being up,” says Alander. He embarked on a project to purchase infrastructure as a service and to virtualize a large portion of the system. In essence, Alander was outsourcing some computer equipment used to support operations, including storage, hardware, servers and networking, and getting some of his equipment to “multitask.” Cloud computing enables him to get more performance out of each server than ever before. Currently, the Lone Star System is running at 93 percent virtualization. By moving to virtualization, the cost per server dropped tremendously, says Alander. After the first year of virtualization, the system saved more than $641,000 in capital expenditures. The following year, when it came time to architect a new ERP solution, Alander designed it 100 percent on a virtual platform, saving him money on the hardware he would have spent if it was not a virtual design. Whether schools leap into cloud computing today or 10 years from today, eventually all will need to take the plunge. As the Cisco white paper says, “University CIOs’ interest in cloud computing is or will be the foundation for future IT efforts, and you should, therefore, address and incorporate this factor into existing IT strategy as soon as possible.”

UNCENSORED

by Peggy Sands Orchowski

BECERRA REVEALS BIPARTISAN NEGOTIATIONS FOR DREAM ACT – The case for DREAMers is extremely compelling and has gotten much sympathy from both Democrats and Republicans. Congressman Javier Becerra revealed in a Center for American Progress panel in mid-July that he has had numerous productive meetings with Republican legislators to get DREAM Act legislation through, maybe even soon after the election. Of course, he would not reveal to this persistent reporter the names of the Republicans with whom he has been conducting these negotiations. Aaaagh! But he smiled charmingly as he denied me the information.

H1B VISAS DESIGNED AS TEMPORARY NOW BECOMING PERMANENT – According to congressional and White House staffers who worked on the creation of the H1B visa in the 1990s, the original intent was that it was only to be a temporary work permit. “We knew we had skill gaps, and the visa was developed to temporarily fill those until American students caught up. But we can’t wait for our elementary and high schools to improve,” said Jared Bernstein, an Obama economics advisor who spoke at a panel in Washington, D.C., on expanding the H1B visa. “In addition, many of our middle-aged workers have obsolete skills and need retraining. That will take time, and we can’t wait.” To Bernstein and others on two panels from companies such as IBM, that means bringing in and retaining more foreign high-tech workers on H1B temporary visas. Only thing is, the trend today is to convert the temporary visa to a permanent one. Today most H1B workers apply for a green card within weeks of arriving, and there is legislation in committee to automatically give foreign student STEM graduates green cards. “It makes no sense to train the best and brightest from all over the world and then kick them out,” Jared said, in an oft-repeated phrase that even President Obama has used. The problem is, “best and brightest” is a known euphemism for “young and recently graduated with the latest knowledge.” If H1Bs stay on permanently, in 10 years they too will be middle-aged with obsolete skills. Increasingly, all jobs are temporary as well. Everyone is a temporary worker now. What is needed to be fair to native and immigrant workers alike is to make sure the bar is raised so that companies have to prove there is not an adequate supply of labor already here. And have continual retraining for those tech workers in their mid years for those evolving jobs. Not everyone in the workforce can or should be a first-generation immigrant.

packed audience at the Brookings Institute in Washington, D.C., during the summer, in a gathering about technology and education. “But he also loves music. I think there should be as much emphasis and support of art as on STEM,” said the Alaskan native, who when he was 26 was the youngest person ever elected to the state assembly. “The label for STEM should be changed to STEAM – science, technology, engineering, art and math,” Begich concluded.

“STEM” FIELDS SHOULD BE RELABELED “STEAM” – It turns out that the 10-year-old son of Alaska Sen. Mark Begich loves math and science. “I’m thrilled that he is turned on to the STEM fields already,” the Democratic first-term senator told a

MINORITIES NOW FAVORED FOR TOP SCHOOLS ADMISSION – The tables may have turned for minorities. According to a recent Op-Ed by former Harvard President and Obama economic advisor Larry Summers, “Today minorities have a better chance of getting help to apply for, be admitted in and help finance their college educations in America’s top schools than do [White and male] low-income students.”

VIRGINIA U’S PREZ SAVES JOB, BUT MAY ENDANGER UNIV QUALITY – Often truth can be stranger than fiction. The saga of the University of Virginia (UVA) president who was fired one week and then rehired the next is such a story; the ending was almost a case of “you can’t make this stuff up.” We all heard that university trustees fired President Teresa Sullivan because she was not guiding the university into Internet education as other elite universities were. It was believed the president was too close to her faculty roots and too committed to faculty-taught small classes. But it turns out Sullivan had already negotiated agreements with one of the biggest providers of global Internet courses, COURSERA. It and EdX broadcast the lectures of top professors at Harvard, MIT and others; for a small user fee, if any, the lecture goes global and professors can have hundreds of thousands of students following them. Profs aren’t paid, universities make no money, and it costs them nothing but “some staff time” (Oh, that!!) – but it shows that UVA has the “online vision” of other vaunted universities, and trustees were thrilled, according to many newspaper accounts. At this point, only on-campus students can earn a UVA academic degree. But online course developers say it’s only a matter of time before any student can earn the prestigious degrees as well. 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.

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

•

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

REPORTS

Debt Has Negative Impact on Enrollment in for Latino Students

roviding a low debt pathway to STEM degrees could be one of the essential keys to broadening participation for Latinos in those fields. A recent report from the University of Southern California (USC) Rossier School of Education’s Center for Urban Education says that controlling undergraduate debt can increase the number of Latino students who become scientists, engineers, and mathematicians by enabling them to continue to invest in advanced degrees. Researchers have found that underrepresented students, particularly Latinos, borrow at higher rates to pay for undergraduate degrees, which limits their ability to invest in graduate and professional schools. “Debt stifles investments in professional preparation among Latinas and Latinos,” the study notes and points out that Latino students average higher levels of financial need than any other racial-ethnic group. The report, Reducing Undergraduate Debt to Increase Latina and Latino Participation in STEM Professions, examines the borrowing patLatino STEM Baccalaureates, by Institutional Pathway

Non-HSI Bachelor’s Degree recipients without Associate’s 66.7%

Non-HSI Bachelor’s Degree recipients with Associate’s 13.5% HSI Bachelor’s Degree recipients without Associate’s 13.5% HSI Bachelor’s Degree recipients with Associate’s 6.5%

Source: Reducing Undergraduate Debt to Increase Latina and Latino Particpation in STEM Professions, Center for Urban Education, 2012.

terns of undergraduate students and the relation of that debt to enrollment in graduate school. “A recurring concern has been that debt aversion, or a reluctance to borrow, constrains college choices [for Latinos] and limits access to institutions with higher sticker prices, like privates and highly selective colleges and universities,” says the report. “This is a particular concern because

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

•

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

by Marilyn Gilroy

these same highly selective institutions often have more extensive and wide-ranging academic programs in STEM fields.” The study shows that even low amounts of debt can have a negative impact on graduate enrollment. Latino students with low debt were nearly 14 percent less likely than students without debt to go on to graduate or professional school. Those with high debt, relative to others in their class, are 17 percent less likely. The National Academies recently issued a report calling for a short-term goal of doubling participation of AfricanAmericans, Hispanics, Native Americans and other racial-ethnic groups in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), with long-term goals that call for tripling and even quadrupling their enrollment. The Center for Urban Education’s report makes it clear this increase is unlikely without addressing the issue of financing undergraduate education. But such a move would require federal policy changes and political compromises. “With growing attention to student loan debt, this is the opportune time for lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to consider innovative ways for the federal government to support student investments in STEM degrees by providing a more balanced package of loans, grants, work-study aid, and community or business sector support,” said Dr. Alicia C. Dowd, associate professor at the University of Southern California, co-director of the Center for Urban Education and co-author of the report. Increased undergraduate debt already is a national concern because it can decrease recent graduates’ ability to function in society. This report raises the issue that undergraduate debt is not just a quality-of-life concern for graduates, but might be negatively impacting the nation’s workforce by limiting the number of students who go on to graduate school. A prior report in this series noted that increasing participation of Latino STEM students at all degree levels is not just a matter of fairness and social equity, but of workforce need. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment in STEM occupations will increase by 21.3 percent from 2008 to 2018 – more than double the growth in other occupations. Latinos are the fastest-growing demographic group and are projected to make up 25 percent of the U.S. population in 2020. By 2050, the majority of schoolaged children will be Latino. Recommendations from the report include: Continue and enlarge the federal Pell grant program. The use of Pell grants to fund summer terms needs to be expanded. Summer terms enable continuous enrollment, which is associated with timely degree completion. STEM students, in particular, have heavy course loads and will

benefit from the ability to spread their courses over the full calendar year. white collar STEM jobs. Crotty said recruiting and retaining more Reduce the risk of unmanageable debt by keeping interest Hispanics in STEM is a shift that “must happen if this nation is to maintain rates steady at their current levels. Although Congress renewed low its top-tier economic status.” interest rates (3.4 percent) on federally subsidized loans, the extension is It’s not that there hasn’t been progress on getting more Hispanics to for a one-year period only. Rates could double after that. earn advanced degrees. In recent years, Hispanics have been the only U.S Expand access to research assistantships, particularly at insti- racial/ethnic group to experience an increase in first-time graduate enrolltutions that serve high numbers of Latino such as Hispanic- ment, according to the Council of Graduate Studies. In fall 2010, Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) and community colleges. Use Title V HSI graduate school enrollment increased 4.9 percent over fall 2009. During STEM funds to create fellowship and scholarship opportunities for under- that same period, first-time graduate school enrollment declined among represented students at two-year and four-year HSIs. This is valuable African-Americans and Whites. because such targeted funds reduce the need to borrow and may increase Hispanics also experienced strong growth in many broad fields, led by a student’s chances of finding work in STEM fields and improve their pre- gains of 13.1 percent in health sciences, 9.6 percent in mathematics and paredness for entry to graduate and professional study. computer sciences, and 6 percent in social and behavioral sciences. Only Create a STEM-focused work-study program. Congress should one decrease occurred for Hispanics/Latinos between 2009 and 2010 – a authorize a more targeted use of work-study funds through a STEM work- 2.1 percent decline in physical and earth sciences. study program that will align with and support the current investments in Despite the gains mentioned above, Hispanics are still less likely than STEM at HSIs, say Malcom and Dowd. Such a program should enable the their Asian or White peers to enroll in the natural sciences and engineerstudents who are working their way through college at two-year and four- ing, with only 12.9 percent majoring in those areas. This means the year HSIs to earn decent wages and gain valuable experience conducting increases in Latino graduate school enrollment are not enough to meet research that will help position them for graduate and professional school present and future needs. enrollment and success in STEM professions. “We’ve seen some good news with the number of Latinos completing Explore the potential of Individual Development Accounts master’s and doctoral degrees, but this critical demographic is still severe(IDAs). Congress should authorize federal matching The Effects of Debt on the Likelihood of Graduate or Professional funds for demonstration proSchool Enrollment, by Race and Hispanic Ethnicity grams to test and develop the use of Individual Students with High Debt Compared to Students with No Debt Development Accounts African-American Asian Latino White (IDAs), which provide incentives for college savings. A -5.7% -5.6% -17.1% -6% fully operational IDA savings Students with Low Debt Compared to Students with No Debt program should aim to elimiAfrican-American Asian Latino White nate the need to take loans, particularly among students -10% -10.2% -13.8% -5.5% at community colleges and Source: Reducing Undergraduate Debt to Increase Latina and Latino Particpation in STEM Professions, Center for Urban Education, 2012. HSIs. Monitor the use of Title V HSI-STEM funds to ensure they’re promoting Latino stu- ly underrepresented among all STEM master’s and doctoral degree recipident preparation and success in STEM. HSIs that receive Title V STEM ents,” said Dr. Lindsey E. Malcom, assistant professor at George funds must be evaluated to make sure these monies are enabling more Washington University and co-author of the Center for Urban Education Latinas and Latinos to enter, succeed in, and graduate from STEM fields report. “Advanced degrees are typically required for entry into STEM prowith sufficient preparation for graduate and professional study. fessions and faculty positions, so these trends must improve.” Finally, the study also suggests the use of a disaggregate analysis of student Organizations have been responding to the challenge. The Society of loan debt by race and ethnicity to monitor borrowing in federal subsidized Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) has emphasized its mission of promotloan programs. For example, more White and Asian-American STEM students ing STEM awareness, access, support and development within the Hispanic take on some amount of debt at less selective institutions, and the proportion community. To this end, it has increased its mentor scholarship programs while of borrowers decreases at very and highly selective schools. For Latino and also stressing the importance of science and marketing it as a “hip” discipline. African-American students, the type of institution is not as important. Overall, In addition, experts have been urging corporations, foundations and they borrow at much higher rates than other racial-ethnic groups. the federal government to put more attention and funds into community Creating Low Debt Pathways to STEM Degrees colleges because that is where the bulk of minorities, especially Latinos, go Getting more Latinos to enter STEM fields is a high-stakes initiative, to school. Although the HSI and community college transfer pathways are according to many experts in business and government. Last year, Forbes very important for Latino students seeking bachelor’s degrees, they are magazine framed the issue by publishing an article titled “Are Hispanics underutilized as a source of STEM degree production in the United States. America’s Next Great Stem Innovators?” The article stated that 3.2 million Only 6.5 percent of Latino STEM bachelor’s degree holders transferred STEM jobs go unfilled because there are not enough qualified applicants. from a community college with an associate degree and then earned a The author, James Crotty, called upon leaders of the STEM education move- STEM bachelor’s degree at an HSI. As Dowd and Malcom point out, twoment to find ways to move Hispanics from low-paying blue collar work into year institutions and HSIs offer relatively low-cost alternatives for the many

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

•

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

Latino students who are using financing strategies that rely on loans, scholarships, grants and wages earned from work off campus to pay their way through college. This pathway strategy was emphasized at the recent U.S. News STEM Solutions Summit on closing the gaps in STEM education and workforce development. Several panel discussions focused on the need to produce more STEM graduates, especially those with certificates and associate and bachelor’s degrees. As participants noted, some community college students will go on to get four-year degrees, but many will head straight into the workforce, especially if they obtained associate degrees or certificates in health, technology, information, management or business. With nearly half (44 percent) of all U.S. undergraduates enrolled in the nation’s community colleges, these institutions can provide unique opportunities and STEM workforce solutions.

V. Celeste Carter, program director at the National Science Foundation and panelist at the STEM Summit, has urged industries to work with community colleges to make certification and degree programs more transferable as steppingstones to workforce opportunities. Uri Treisman, professor of mathematics at the University of TexasAustin, another panelist, said that rather than focusing on getting Latinos into elite colleges, such as MIT, the STEM workforce would be better served by encouraging students to enroll at a community college. Two-year colleges not only provide skills needed for entry-level STEM jobs, said Treisman, but they also are the first step toward transferring to a STEM bachelor’s degree program. “A 10 or 15 percent increase in STEM degrees completion would solve our national problems,” he said.

2013-2014 Tenure-Track Faculty Positions CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON (CSUF), is seeking to hire 32 dynamic faculty who are committed to providing an exceptional educational experience to a diverse student body. CSUF is nationally ranked for baccalaureate degrees awarded to minority students and is designated as an Hispanic-Serving, Asian American-Serving and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving institution. Faculty enjoy a number of advantages associated with working at a top-ranked university: an exciting and collegial environment; extensive faculty development programs; grant development and research support; technology-assisted "smart" classrooms; an assigned laptop computer and iPad, and free remote internet access and software for home use. Faculty and their families have access to high-quality health care plans; on-campus childcare; an educational fee waiver program; access to affordable housing options only minutes from campus; and, a location in attractive Orange County with a Southern California coastal climate. For full position descriptions, visit http://diversity.fullerton.edu/jobs/ All appointments, are effective August 2013 and will be at the rank of Assistant Professor unless otherwise specified.

COLLEGE OF THE ARTS Visual Arts • Entertainment Art - Animation • Entertainment Art - 3D Animation

COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATIONS Communications • Public Relations Human Communications Studies • Communicative Disorders

MIHAYLO COLLEGE OF BUSINESS & ECONOMICS Accounting (2) • Audit, Tax & AIS Finance • Corporate Finance, International or Investments Information Systems & Decision Sciences • Information Systems • Business Statistics (L) • Decision Sciences (L) Management (2) • Operations Management Marketing • Marketing

COLLEGE OF HEALTH & HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES

Child and Adolescent Studies • Child/Adolescent Development Health Science • Public Health Nutritionist Kinesiology • Gerokinesiology Nursing (2)- APRN Doctoral Faculty • Informatics • Health Policy/Advocacy

African American Studies (2) • African American Health Studies • African American Musicologist American Studies • Immigration and Ethnicity in the West English, Comparative Literature & Linguistics • Rhetoric and Composition History • 19th-Century United States Modern Languages & Literatures • Spanish Literature (Peninsular) Politics, Administration and Justice • Urban Politics and Policy Psychology • Child Psychology Sociology • Criminology & Deviance • Quantitative Methods/Statistics

COLLEGE OF NATURAL SCIENCES & MATHEMATICS Biological Sciences • Cell Biology • Microbiology Chemistry/Biochemistry • Biochemistry Geological Sciences • Low Temperature Geochemistry Mathematics (2) • Applied Mathematics

The University offers excellent comprehensive benefits summarized at: http://hr.fullerton.edu/Benefits/Faculty_Unit_3.pdf CSUF is an Equal Opportunity/Title IX/503/504/VEVRA/ADA Employer www.fullerton.edu

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

•

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

(L) Lecturer, non tenuretrack position

Scan QR code for more information.

INNOVATIONS/PROGRAMS

Patching the Pipeline: Physician Shortage in the U.S.

The

by Mitchell A. Kaplan

United States is facing a critical shortage of qualified physicians, which health care experts and researchers believe is slated to grow worse in future decades. Data from the 2010 census reveal that there are only 954,000 board-certified physicians currently practicing medicine in the U.S. today, a number far below what many policymakers and medical educators estimate will be needed to provide health care services to our expanding patient population that will be growing older and more diverse in the years ahead. According to forecast data from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), cited in the April 2010 issue of The Wall Street Journal, and published findings from a 2005 study conducted by the Council on Graduate Medical Education (COGME), our nation is expected to have a shortfall of 85,000 to 150,000 physicians within the next 10 to 15 years, largely because the supply of students being trained at U.S. medical schools is not keeping pace with the increased demand for health services. Health care experts predict that the bulk of the physician shortage will be most severely felt among primary care providers such as general practitioners, internists, family physicians and pediatricians, the main coordinators of patient care. Current AAMC statistics reveal that there are only 352,906 primary care physicians presently in practice in the U.S., just a fraction of what many believe will be needed in future decades. Findings from research conducted by AAMC’s Center for Workforce Studies predict that if current trends continue, the U.S. could witness a shortage of 45,000 primary care and 46,000 specialty physicians and surgeons as early as 2020. AAMC research also predicts that the forthcoming physician shortage will have some dire effects upon patient care delivery. These include 1) longer waiting periods for doctors’ appointments; 2) patients traveling longer distances from home to receive care; 3) shorter doctor visits; 4) increased use of nonphysician health care professionals such as nurse practitioners, physician assistants and medical assistants to provide treatment services; and 5) higher consumer prices for care. Findings from 33 state, six national, and 22 specialty studies summarized in a 2011 AAMC report substantiate the scientific evidence that our nation’s current supply of physicians is inadequate, and highlights specific social and eco-

nomic factors that will contribute to present and future workforce shortfalls. Key among these factors are: 1) retirement of thousands of older physicians from the provider labor force in many states around the country; 2) difficulties in recruiting enough younger physicians to replace them; 3) underrepresentation of Hispanics and other minorities in medical education programs; 4) restrictions on the number of government-funded residency positions at teaching hospitals nationwide; 5) lower number of physicians practicing medicine in rural areas; 6) growing national shortage in specific specialties such as cardiology, dermatology, endocrinology, general surgery, neurosurgery, neurology, psychiatry, allergy and immunology, emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, orthopedics, urology, and vascular surgery. Other factors expected to play a pivotal role in the rising tide of the physician shortage are the 1) growth of the aging baby boomer population, which will become a major consumer of health care services in coming decades; 2) increase in the number of medical malpractice lawsuits; and 3) lower professional fees paid to physicians by Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance companies. Given these facts, it is not surprising that thousands of U.S. physicians are considering early retirement or leaving the medical profession altogether as restrictions on government and private insurance reimbursements for service continue to tighten. AAMC research also reveals that tighter restrictions on insurance reimbursements for medical services represent one of the main economic reasons today’s medical students are avoiding career paths in primary care, family medicine, and pediatrics in favor of higher paying specialties. The passage of health care reform legislation by the federal government in 2010 has sparked a considerable push for medical schools around the United States to find ways to produce more physicians with the skills and knowledge needed to accommodate the increased demand. The new law will provide 32 million previously uninsured Americans and 36 million Medicare-eligible older adults with coverage that will give them access to medical care. National projections by the Association of American Medical Colleges indicate that their enrollment will substantially increase physician workloads and further exacerbate the physician shortage – in the not-too-distant future.

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

•

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

Consequences of the Physician Crisis on the Patient Care Quality The impending influx of millions of the newly insured and of Medicareeligible older adults into the health care system over the next 10 to 15 years is raising some serious concerns among physician organizations and think tank researchers about who is going to be delivering health care services to these two emerging patient populations. Professional groups such as the Physicians Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping physicians provide high-quality health care services to patients in difficult practice settings, has spent a considerable amount of time and economic resources on doing research that analyzes the practice-related issues that are fueling the physician crisis in this country. In 2008, the foundation, in collaboration with Merritt Hawkins and Associates, a national physician search and consulting firm, conducted a comprehensive workforce survey of primary care physicians in the United States to assess the professional problems facing this group that could lead to an escalating shortage. The survey focused on three major areas of professional concern: 1) causes of physician dissatisfaction, 2) state of their practices, and 3) future of patient care quality. Findings revealed that 63 percent of respondents reported that increasing paperwork caused them to spend less time with patients, 76 percent reported that the workloads in their practices were full to capacity or that they felt overextended, less than 6 percent assessed the morale of their professional colleagues as being positive, and 78 percent reported that within the last five years the practice of medicine had become less satisfying for them. The study also found that physician frustrations associated with dealing with managed care organizations, the rising cost of liability insurance and defensive medical procedures, increasing demands on their professional time, and rising practice costs in the wake of lower-income potential were among the growing list of impediments to the delivery of patient care in most practice environments. The Physicians Foundation believes that the implementation of health care reform will add another layer of bureaucratic regulation to an already overburdened health care system and intensify the nationwide shortage of physicians. The foundation also believes that the new law will severely compromise the quality of care that physicians deliver to patients, especially those from underserved minority communities who already face considerable social, economic, and cultural barriers when they attempt to access medical services from health care institutions in the United States. Why Does America Need to Increase Its Supply of Minority Physicians? Compelling evidence in the professional literature suggests that minority patients receive a poorer quality of care in comparison to their White counterparts. Research summarized in Unequal Treatment, a 2003 report by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, in Washington, D.C., highlights this disturbing phenomenon. The studies found that Black and Hispanic patients treated at the same hospital with the same diagnosis and insurance coverage were statistically more likely to receive a lower quality of care, fewer diagnostic tests, and less high-technology treatment than White patients with the same medical conditions. The research also found that Blacks and Hispanics were significantly less likely to receive preventive screenings for cancer and heart disease, influenza vaccinations, and prenatal care, and were more likely to undergo radical medical procedures such as lower-limb amputations that most other patients try to avoid. Health care experts who have studied the issues point to three major reasons for these treatment inequalities: 1) poor communication between physicians and their minority patients, 2) lack of cultural sensitivity on the part of physicians when they interact with patients from minority backgrounds, and 3) a general mistrust of the health care system by patients who are members of minority groups. For example, published findings from studies reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in 1989 and 1994 and

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

â&#x20AC;˘

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

Cancer in 1996 indicate that Black patients were more likely than White patients to feel that physicians failed to give them complete information about their medical diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care. Similar results were found in a study published in the Journal of Health Economics in 2003. The research showed that physicians had a greater difficulty interpreting the symptoms of clinical depression in their Black patients in comparison to White patients because of cultural differences in the way mental health problems are communicated. On the positive side, other findings from research reported in the Mount Sinai Journal of Medicine and the Archives of Internal Medicine in 1999 reveal that minority patients tend to establish better trust and are more satisfied with care when it is provided by a physician who is a member of their own social group. Medical educators who have examined the results of these and other similar studies argue that the key to eliminating disparities is to train more physicians who reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the patient populations they serve. They recognize that the best way for physicians to deliver high-quality care to their minority patients is by developing an in-depth understanding of the social and cultural factors that influence help-seeking behavior and medical decision making in these diverse communities. In addition, data summarized in two recent AAMC publications, Minorities in Medical Education: Facts and Figures 2005 and Diversity in the Physician Workforce: Facts and Figures 2006, provide further evidence that increasing the supply of minority physicians in the years ahead will have some very significant beneficial effects upon the way health care services are delivered to diverse patient populations in this country. One of the most significant of these benefits is the fact that minority physicians enhance the ability of minority patients to access services through their willingness to locate their medical practice in underserved minority communities where a large percentage of the people receiving care are poor. For example, the results of a 2004 survey of recent medical school graduates conducted by the Association of American Medical Colleges substantiates the contention that minority physicians have a greater desire to serve the health care needs of minority communities. The research found that 51 percent of Black, 33 percent of Hispanic and 41 percent of Native American graduates who responded to the survey reported that they planned to practice in underserved minority communities, in comparison to only 18 percent of White graduates with the same intentions. AAMC studies also found that a more diverse physician workforce increased doctorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ability to deliver better-quality health care services to their patients in a more culturally sensitive manner. Medical educators argue that the professional contribution of a diverse physician workforce strengthens the basic foundation of the U.S. health care system and will ensure that the services provided respond to the health care needs of patients from all racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Therefore, to meet the growing need for a more diverse physician workforce, it is imperative that medical schools in the U.S. step up their efforts to recruit more applicants from minority backgrounds into their medical education programs. What Can Academic Institutions and Medical Schools Do to Increase the Number of Minority Applicants to Medical Education Programs? It is clear from the research reviewed in this article that America needs to take critical steps to increase its supply of minority physicians. Although numerous academic studies provide significant evidence that a more diverse physician workforce leads to better-quality medical services for our nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most vulnerable underserved populations, minority candidates still remain the last ones considered when it comes to medical school admissions in the United States. According to a study published in the Journal of Academic Medicine, in 2010, Blacks, Hispanics and Native Americans collectively comprised 30 percent of the total U.S. population, yet only 8.7 percent of practicing physicians

in the country surveyed in 2007 came from those groups. Similar findings were reported in a 2007 study conducted by the Association of American Medical Colleges. The research found that of the 40,000 students who applied to U.S. medical schools that year, only 15 percent of first-time applicants were minorities. While some studies conducted by AAMC in 2009 suggest a marginal rise in the percent of first-time applications to medical schools from Blacks, Latinos and Native Americans since 2007, for the most part, the figures have remained significantly lower than those of White applicants. Number of Medical School Applicants in the United States by Race and Ethnicity, 2003-2010

Source: Association of American Medical Colleges

In response to these alarming statistics, a number of professional organizations within the medical community have joined together with colleges and universities around the country to implement special program initiatives designed to attract underrepresented minorities to the medical profession. One is the Early Starters program at the University of Illinois-Chicago. Under the leadership of Dr. Michael Toney, director of the university’s Urban Health Program, this state-funded outreach program gives students in Chicago-area public and private schools the opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge about and exposure to careers in health care and research through structured educational activities such as guided tours of anatomy labs and neonatal care units and participation in special weekend, summer and young scientist workshop programs. The program also offers students the chance to acquire hands-on knowledge about the field of medicine through consistent interaction with medical students, interns, residents and practicing medical service providers and the handling of human organs in the laboratory. In addition, students in the program receive specialized tutoring sessions to prepare them for the medical school admission examination (MCAT), participate in research internships at community health facilities, and are assigned a mentor who oversees their progress and guides them through the program. In the 30 years since its inception, Early Starters has made a significant impact. Evaluation data indicate that 70 percent of the Black and Latino physicians practicing medicine in Chicago are graduates of this program. Early Starters received distinctive recognition from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in 2008 and 2009 as being the No. 2 producer of minority physicians in the country. Another landmark program making considerable strides is Access-Med at Rutgers University. Developed in collaboration with Seton Hall University, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and the Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine, Access-Med is an academic program for undergraduate students at Rutgers administered by the Office for Diversity and Academic Success in the Sciences (ODASIS). The program is designed to provide academic enrichment, support and

advisement to those groups currently underrepresented in the field of medicine. Students who enter it receive step-by-step career guidance and help with their applications to medical school. Two of the program’s most innovative features are its early admissions policy, which allows ODASIS students to take courses at the Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine while completing their undergraduate studies, and its intensive eight-month MCAT course that helps students prepare for the medical school admission examination. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has recognized Access-Med as one of the most successful pipeline programs in the nation in terms of its ability to turn out minority medical service providers. More than 200 of the program’s 400 Black, Latino and Native American graduates have become physicians and dentists. A similar milestone program with a successful record of helping minorities enter the fields of medicine and scientific research is the Meyerhoff Scholars Program. Established more than 20 years ago at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC) through a grant from the Robert and Jane Meyerhoff Foundation, the program provides promising young Black men and women and other underrepresented minorities with the training, guidance and financial support necessary to pursue successful professional careers in the sciences, medicine, engineering, mathematics and technology. To be eligible, a student must be nominated by his or her high school teacher, guidance counselor, or school administrator. The program receives 2,000 nominations annually and enrolls 50 new students each year. Meyerhoff Scholars receive a comprehensive fouryear financial aid package that includes full tuition plus room and board. Entering students take part in a mandatory six-week Summer Bridge program in which they are given the opportunity to take pre-freshman-level courses in math, science and the humanities. Students in the Bridge program are also taught time management, problem solving, and academic study skills that will help them adjust more smoothly to the rigorous academic requirements and expectations of their college courses. In addition, Meyerhoff staff foster the development of close peer group ties among incoming cohorts of freshmen through a family-like, community-based learning environment on the UMBC campus. Throughout the program, students are given the opportunity to gain practical experience in their area of academic pursuit through participation in supervised summer research internships and community service projects. Participation in structured work experiences such as these allows Meyerhoff students to develop mentoring relationships with professionals in their field who can help them achieve their career objectives. The Meyerhoff Scholars Program has received professional recognition from the National Science Foundation as being one of the country’s leading producers of minority physicians, scientists and engineers. Evaluation data indicate that 78 of the program’s alumni have successfully completed their professional degrees in academic medicine and research. In closing, I would like to point out that although some educators would argue that individual pipeline programs such as the three models described above have been very successful at substantially increasing our nation’s supply of minority physicians, many in the medical community strongly believe more action needs to be taken, especially by U.S. medical schools themselves, before we will have a health care system truly able to provide culturally competent medical services to America’s diverse patient population. Mitchell A. Kaplan, Ph.D., CPSP, is a program evaluation and grantwriting consultant in private practice in New York City. He received his Ph.D. in sociology from the City University of New York’s Graduate School and University Center and a postdoctoral research fellowship from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. DrMKaplan@aol.com.

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

•

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

Mentoring Latinas Program Making Strides at Three New York Colleges INNOVATIONS/PROGRAMS

by Gary M. Stern

ost educators recognize that first-generation Latinas need role models. Because they face a number of economic and social pressures, many are considered at-risk students. Three colleges in the New York metropolitan area have introduced a program to provide mentors for Latinas. Fordham University launched Mentoring Latinas in 2003 to address the need of Latina middle and high school students. Ellen Silber, a professor of French literature and women’s studies, began Mentoring Latinas at Marymount College, which was absorbed by Fordham in 2003. It has proved so successful that Westchester Community College in Valhalla, N.Y., and Molloy College in Rockville Center, Long Island, established similar programs on their campuses. Since its inception at Fordham, 145 Latina undergraduates have mentored 300 Latina students in Mentoring Latinas, at several middle schools and high schools in the Bronx and Westchester, to inspire them to succeed in high school and prepare for college. When Silber started a program at Marymount in which undergraduates mentored Westchester middle school students, she noticed that Latina students faced particular issues in doing well academically, facing up to family pressures and graduating from high school or college. “Latin teenage girls do not have many role models. Very few of their parents have gone on to college. Why not pair a Latina college student who has surmounted the barriers and done the work academically with a younger Latina?” she said. She inaugurated Mentoring Latinas with the goal that the older Latina would exert positive influence on the younger student. Recent surveys reveal that Latinas’ major educational issues persist. An August 2009 report issued by the International Women’s Law Center and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund revealed that 41 percent of Latinas haven’t graduated from high school in a four-year time period, Silber says. Why Latinas Are at Risk Why did Silber focus on Latinas when Latino

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

•

males also encounter problems in high school? Silber says that she was a women’s studies professor interested in gender issues. Moreover, she identified that Latinas faced particular conflicts that differ from those faced by boys. “Latinas have to take care of younger siblings, do house-

Ellen Silber, professor of French literature and women’s studies, Marymount College

work that prevents them from doing school work, and face a high pregnancy rate,” she notes. Many are conditioned by their parents to become homemakers, not forge careers or develop their intellectual capabilities. Mentors Paid Modest Fees In the 2011-12 Fordham semester at Mentoring Latinas, 36 middle school and high school Latinas in Bronx public schools, including Middle School 45, Belmont Preparatory High School and New World High School, were mentored by 18 Fordham Latina students, mostly undergraduates, with a sprinkling of graduate students. Sessions last from one hour to an hour and a half weekly. Mentors are paid $300 per semester and advise two students, often together. Mentors receive a six-hour training program on how to

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

lead a session, develop a relationship and build trust. “It’s a crash course,” crammed with information, Silber says. Criteria for selecting mentors are based on character, not transcripts. Silber says she seeks students from any major who have experience working with adolescents, display empathy, and are reliable and nonjudgmental. Focus on Building Relationships Rather than the mentors tutoring English or math, the sessions focus on developing rapport between the mentor and Latina student. “The center of the program is the relationship between mentor and mentee,” Silber says. The goal is to have the high school student see the mentor as an older friend to look up to and trust and view as a role model. The mentor doesn’t have to proselytize about the joys of college but leads by example. Revolving everything around learning algebra or writing a paragraph would have altered the relationship. “If you focus on an academic subject, then the mentor becomes the teacher. Once you have the teacher, you have evaluation and hierarchy and all the factors you want to keep out of their relationship,” Silber says. Trusting the mentor is uppermost, and through that interaction, the Latina adolescent sees a path toward academic success. But it takes a relationship built on trust. The program does offer some structured activities during the semester. For example, Fordham sociology professor Norma Fuentes-Mayorga discussed being raised in Latin America, immigrating to the U.S. and earning three degrees. A food consultant led a discussion on eating healthy foods and prepared nutritious meals. Having Latina students mentor other Latina is critical to the program’s success. These Latina Fordham undergraduates understand the Hispanic culture and recognize the pressures exerted on adolescent girls. They share a similar background, and that connection can strengthen the student’s identification with their culture. Silber says some Latinas are so focused on becoming Americans that they disparage their

native culture, and that’s not productive. Involving parents of mentees is part of the program. Parents are invited to sessions offered by a clinical social worker discussing the program’s goals and issues regarding success in education. In 2011, for the first time, parents were invited to a dinner at Fordham where mentees were awarded certificates. Many of the middle and high school Latinas attend schools across the street from Fordham University. But almost none had ever crossed the iron fence surrounding Fordham and visited the campus. Breaking down that wall goes a long way to showing that college is attainable, not the classic ivory tower attracting only elite students. Most Latina students will not attend Fordham, but that’s not the point of the program. “The goal is to get them from high school to college, no matter what college,” Silber says. Since Fordham’s mentors are paid only a nominal fee, most are not motivated by money. “Most say they want to give back to the community,” says Silber. Mentors achieve other benefits because they learn how to be responsible for someone else and learn many facets of their own personality. Fordham students who are becoming teachers, nurses or attorneys can benefit from that exposure. Mentoring Latinas runs on a lean budget. Fordham’s development office raises from $60,000 to $75,000 a year for it, which pays for two part-time staff, including Miriam Quilian, the bilingual project administrator, who helps keep the program on track. Though keeping it small has its benefits, because students become familiar with one another, Silber is, for the first time, actively seeking to expand it. AT&T’s Aspire program is providing $250 million in grants to fund programs that prevent dropping out of college. Mentoring Latinas has applied for a grant, which, if accepted, would raise the program to 60 students, 30 girls and, for the first time, 30 boys. Hence Mentoring Latinos would join Mentoring Latinas. Mentoring Latinas has never conducted a formal study to determine how many of its students have graduated from high school and how many have advanced to college. But a 2010-11 evaluation of its students revealed that mentees felt more empowered and developed a stronger sense of their identity compared to pretest scores. Hence, Silber says the major impact of the program “is raising the empowerment levels of Latinas. Many Latinas start off with a poor self-image. But their relationship with their mentor gives younger students strength, ambition and faith to do well in school and go on to college,” she said.

Why One Mentor Participates Ana Banegas, native of Honduras, graduated from Stony Brook University in 2007, attended Fordham University’s Pre-MBA program in 201011 and during that time participated in Mentoring Latinas. Currently, Banegas works in public affairs at Univision, the TV network. When Banegas graduated from Manhattan Center for Science and Math, she was awarded a Children’s Aid scholarship that was accompanied by a mentor. Banegas was mentored by Joya Nemley, an executive at EMI Music Publishing, during her four years of college because she was

Mentor Ana Banegas

interested in entertainment. Banegas says she admired Nemley, learned how she carried herself in business and learned how to be more assertive. Having been mentored, Banegas wanted to exert “positive impact on future generations by paving the path toward higher education and shaping future leaders.” The key to building a positive relationship with the two high school students was being transparent and open with them, she says. Banegas mentored a freshman and sophomore from Fordham Prep. Both students wanted to know how Banegas applied to college, earned financial aid, secured a job and operated at work. They asked if it was acceptable not to have a major in mind when starting college. Banegas explained that she started as a sociology major but changed into entertainment and public

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

affairs. She also discussed paying for college via earning scholarships and financial aid despite coming from a single-parent household, the situation of one of the high school students. “Don’t let money set you back,” she urged them. They also spoke about personal matters, like dating in college and maintaining work-life balance with one’s academic classes. Banegas says it was much better talking things out with the two mentees rather than tutoring them. “They get that in school,” she says. Mentoring Latinas Expands to Molloy College Marie Watson, an ESL teacher at Mineola High School in Long Island, read an article about Mentoring Latinas in a Fordham alumni magazine and contacted Silber to see how her high school could get involved. Silber suggested that Watson call nearby Molloy College, located in Rockville Center, Long Island, which Fordham collaborates with a times. When Madeline Gunn, director of the Office of Experiential Learning at Molloy, heard about Mentoring Latinas, she immediately thought it fit into Molloy’s community-minded approach. “What’s good for the community is good for Molloy,” Gunn said. Moreover, Molloy has a sizable Hispanic population. Of its 3,400 undergraduates, 12 percent are Latino, 14 percent are AfricanAmerican, and 65 percent are White. Molloy launched Mentoring Latinas in 2006 and in 2011-12 had 10 mentors working with 20 high school students from Uniondale High School and Mineola High School, comparable to what takes place in Fordham’s Mentoring Latinas. Gunn says the entire program is about forming relationships and not concentrating on algebra or Shakespeare. It starts with some icebreaking activities, and then Molloy lets the relationship between Latina mentors and high school students develop and flourish. “When the busses are ready to go back to the high school, most girls don’t want to depart,” Gunn says. Several high school students have spoken to Gunn about the impact their mentor has on them. “If she can do it, so can I,” they told her. How could another college launch Mentoring Latinas? Raising initial funds with grants helps get it off the ground. Gunn says it takes three steps: recruit a program coordinator who understands mentoring relationships; find school districts that share similar values, and involve the mentors and mentees in shaping the program.

•

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

COMMENTARY

I Am a Dreamer L

by Tania Moran ooking at recent decisions affecting the issue of higher education for Hispanics takes me back to the time when I, too, had a dream. Brought into the United States illegally by my parents in 1985, I was once in the same position many DREAMers find themselves in today. Early in life, my elementary teachers instilled in me that college was the next step after high school. At home, my mother constantly emphasized that college was not a choice, it was what she expected because “it was the reason we came to this country, for education, better opportunities and a better life.” College was not something, however, that was expected of me in my culture. I was expected to grow up, get married, start having children, become a stay-at-home mom and have my husband financially support me the rest of my life, like all the women I knew. This was the only culture I knew. It was who I was destined to be – but God had a different plan for my life. The rest of my family had dropped out of high school, following the trend reported by the National Center for Education Statistics, that even though the Hispanic dropout rate has declined since 1980, it is still more than three times larger than that of Whites, and almost twice that of African-Americans. No one in my family finished high school. Graduation day approached, and I did not apply to any colleges because I was afraid of being deported if INS learned I was in this country illegally. If I had applied and been accepted, my illegal status meant I would have been considered an out-ofcountry student, charged with higher fees. Because my stepfather was the only one who worked in the home, paying for an education was not an option. Graduation day came, and my future held more questions than answers. I did what everyone else I knew did. I moved in with my then-boyfriend, at the age of 17, and began playing the wife role. When I was 19, my daughter was born, and my life continued to play out according to everyone’s expectations. According to data from the National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, although birth rates for Latina teens have declined, teen birth and pregnancy rates remain twice the national average. At present, the center estimates that 52 percent of Latinas will become pregnant at least once by age 20. This proved to be true for me too. I had become a statistic.

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

•

I was really lucky that my husband now, a Mexican, did not share the male-dominant views that all the other men in our culture did. He realized I wanted more out of life and that my dream to go to college had been stifled. What he did next shocked everyone in his family and mine. He encouraged me to go to college and pursue my dream of higher education. Despite the rise in the percentage of Hispanics enrolling in college (U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, April 2003 report on Status and Trends in the Education of Hispanics), their enrollment rates remain lower than those of their White peers. I refused to be another statistic! After I received a permanent residency card, the illegal immigrant status that had once held me back was no longer an issue. I began attending college, and my husband continued to support my higher education dream as the sole financial provider. Having a toddler at home and being a fulltime student was not easy. Oftentimes I felt discouraged. Being the first one in my family who had finished high school, I was already ahead in the game. But this fact also meant that I had no positive role models or guidance. I sought guidance from counselors at college. I did not give up easily and continued until I received a degree. Just as I had been the first one in my family to finish high school, I also became the first one to obtain an associate degree and transfer to a state university, where I obtained a bachelor’s degree five years after my journey had begun. My dream, which had become my husband’s dream, became a reality. I was blessed to have a husband who believed in me and knew my role in life was meant to be more than a mother and a wife. I became a teacher to help my “raza” become educated and to be a role model for the young people who are in the same position I once was. After being in the classroom several years, I realized that the mentality of the Hispanic people had not changed since I was a child. High school dropout rates remained high, and teenage motherhood in young Hispanic girls was still predominant. Young Hispanic women were not being encouraged to pursue a higher education but expected to play a submissive role in the home and in our culture. I realized “my people’s” point of view needed to

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

change. I, once again, broke out of the mold others had set before me and continued to pursue a higher education. I returned to school. It proved to be harder going to school full time while holding a fulltime teaching job. Once again, I had my husband’s and my teen daughter’s encouragement to do it. My hard work paid off when I received a Master of Education degree. Now my focus was no longer personal. I had a daughter who needed me to be that positive role model and mentor that I lacked. Needless to say, we encourage a higher education for my daughter. She knows that her self-actualization and her dreams can be pursued and achieved. My dream and pursuit of higher education continues today. I am a doctoral student who hopes to find that “bridge” to help Hispanic women avoid the stereotypes. I want to be a role model and guide for the students who lack direction and support. I want to help them break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy. Our culture is in desperate need of change-agents for the betterment of our Hispanic youth who might feel discouraged and out of options, as I once did. I was lucky to have my life turn out the way it did; perhaps other bright young minds have not been as lucky due to their immigrant status or lack of direction. The passage of a legislation that offers an opportunity for our country to educate our forgotten youth is the answer. Everyone deserves a chance at a better life, and Hispanics in higher education will help our culture change the statistics. Tania Moran received an AA from Harrisburg Area Community College, a BS from California State University-Dominguez Hills, M.Ed. from the University of Texas-Tyler, and is currently a doctoral student at Texas A&M-Commerce.

Interesting Reads Contemporary Carioca By Frederick Moehn Ethnomusicologist Frederick Moehn introduces a generation of Rio-based musicians who have breathed new life into Brazilian genres, such as samba and maracatu, by fusing them with international influences, including rock, techno, and funk. Moehn highlights the creativity of individual artists, including Marcos Suzano, Lenine, Pedro Luís, Fernanda Abreu, and Paulinho Moska. At the same time, he highlights how race, gender, class, place, national identity, technology, and expressive practice in Carioca music play central roles in its popularity and development. 2012. 320 pgs. ISBN: 978-0822351559. $24.95 paper. Duke University Press Books, (919) 688-5134. www.dukeupress.edu.

First-Generation College Students By Lee Ward, Michael J. Siegel and Zebulun Davenport First-Generation College Students offers academic leaders and student affairs professionals a guide to understanding the special challenges and common barriers these students face and provides the necessary strategies for helping them transition through and graduate from their chosen institutions. It provides a portrait of the cognitive, developmental, and social factors that affect the college-going experiences and retention rates of this growing population of college students. 2012. 176 pgs. ISBN: 978-0470474440. $40.00 cloth. Jossey-Bass, a Wiley Imprint. (800) 956-7739. www.josseybass.com.

La Calle By Lydia R. Otero For close to one hundred years, citizens of Tucson had created their own spatial reality in the historical, predominantly Mexican-American heart of the city, an area most called “la calle.” To make way for the Pueblo Center Redevelopment Project, city officials proceeded to displace la calle’s residents and to demolish their ethnically diverse neighborhoods. La Calle explores the forces behind the mass displacement: a local economy increasingly dependent on tourism, and the pivotal power of federal housing policies. 2010. 288 pages. ISBN: 978-0816528882.$24.95 paper. The University of Arizona Press, (520) 621-3920. www.uapress.arizona.edu.

Social Work with Latinos: A Cultural Assets Paradigm by Melvin Delgado Oxford University Press, New York 2006, 323 pages, ISBN 139780195301182, Hardcover, list $45

elvin Delgado is professor and chair of macro practice at Boston University School of Social Work. His book Social Work with Latinos: A Cultural Assets Paradigm is one of the first authoritative texts to deal with the social challenges associated with working with Latino immigrant clients and their family members. Divided into three parts that systematically build upon each other, the book provides a comprehensive framework for social work students who want to understand the complex social, cultural, and institutional issues that affect the daily lives of Latino immigrants. In the opening chapter, Delgado sets the stage for future discussion by defining key social constructs that can be used to characterize the Latino experience in the United States. Using census data, the author illustrates how the rapid growth of the Latino population in the U.S. is changing the cultural face of American society and driving the need to train more social work professionals with the clinical skills to provide culturally competent social and mental health services to this diverse community. Delgado points out that it is critically important for social workers to develop a clear understanding of the demographic patterns in the Latino community related to economic development, immigration, housing, health care access, political behavior, employment, and population growth because these factors have a direct influence upon the type of social programs and services that community-based organizations deliver to their clients. What distinguishes Professor Delgado’s book from other texts is its emphasis upon a cultural assets model of service delivery. Using examples from actual cases in his field experience, Delgado demonstrates how social work professionals can draw upon the unique cultural strengths, values, and beliefs of the Latino community to design, implement, and assess strategic social programs and interventions that effectively address specific social and health concerns important to their clients. Some examples of such initiatives include the implementation of community programs designed to address social issues related to poverty, crime prevention, child welfare, health education, and citizenship status. One of the most significant features of the book is the author’s six-stage guide to social work practice with Latinos. In sum, Social Work with Latinos: A Cultural Assets Paradigm is an excellent text with a strong emphasis on critical thinking and evidencebased practice. I would highly recommend it for use by university faculty teaching graduate-level courses in social work that deal with community organization, case management, program development, and clinical intervention. The book would also make an outstanding resource for social work professionals who want to learn how to apply the basic principles, strategies, and techniques of best practices to the Latino immigrant population. Reviewed by Mitchell A. Kaplan, Ph.D.

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

•

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

The Hispanic Outlook In Higher Education

www.hispanicoutlook.com

Excelencia in Education Reveals Top 25 Colleges Producing Latino Grads in STEM Fields in 2009-10 WASHINGTON, D.C.

Excelencia in Education has unveiled a new analysis of the top 25 colleges and universities graduating Latinos in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields in 2009-10 and shares several evidencebased practices to increase Latino student success in these disciplines. The analysis is part of an ongoing project to link the college completion goals of the United States with the workforce needs of the country and to increase the awareness of recruiters and employers to find qualified Latino employees in key sectors. Titled Finding Your Workforce: The Top 25 Institutions Graduating Latinos in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) by Academic Level (2009-10), key findings of the analysis show:

Immigrant and Second-Generation American Undergraduates Focus of New NCES Report WASHINGTON, D.C.

In 2007-08, about 23 percent of all undergraduates were first-generation immigrants, 10 percent, or second-generation Americans (with an immigrant parent), 13 percent. New Americans in Postsecondary Education: A Profile of Immigrant and Second-Generation American Undergraduates, a Statistics in Brief, a product of the National Center for Education Statistics at the Institute of Education Sciences, part of the U.S. Department of Education, pre26

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

•

October 01, 2012

• Latinos earned just 8 percent of the certificates and degrees conferred in STEM, and – with 40 percent of Latino graduates in STEM coming from the top 25 institutions – those graduates were concentrated in relatively few colleges and universities • Latinos in the STEM workforce are more likely to be in lower-paying service occupations in 2011 – such as electrical, electronics and electromechanical assemblers, telecommunications line installers and repairers, and aircraft mechanics and service technicians – than higher-paying professional occupations – such as architectural and engineering managers and computer and information systems managers • At the undergraduate level, the top 25 institutions in 2009-10 were located in only six states – Texas, Florida, California, Arizona, Illinois, New Mexico – and Puerto Rico “This analysis is straightforward: we know where Latinos are earning their degrees in STEM, and we know what some of these institutions are doing, with inten-

tionality, to improve Latino success in STEM fields,” said Deborah Santiago, author of the report and co-founder of Excelencia in Education. “What we need to determine now is whether more institutions and more employers will seize the opportunity to educate and employ more Latinos in professional STEM fields.” Finding Your Workforce is a project of Excelencia’s national initiative called Ensuring America’s Future by Increasing Latino College Completion. The initiative brings together federal, state, higher education philanthropic, business, Latino advocacy and community leaders to develop and use data tools and information to accelerate Latino degree attainment and overall student success in higher education. To learn more about the project and download the full report, Finding Your Workforce: The Top 25 Institutions Graduating Latinos in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) by Academic Level (2009-10), visit www.EdExcelencia.org.

sents the demographic and enrollment characteristics of undergraduates who are immigrants or the children of immigrants and compares them with undergraduates whose parents were born in the United States. The results are based on nationally representative data collected through the 200708 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:08). Findings include: • Asian and Hispanic students constituted the majority of immigrant and second-generation American undergraduates; Asians made up the plurality (30 percent) of immigrant undergraduates, while Hispanics made up the plurality (41 percent) of second-generation American undergraduates • Immigrant Asian and Hispanic students

enrolled in community colleges at higher rates (54 and 51 percent, respectively) than did all undergraduates (44 percent); among immigrant and second-generation American undergraduates, larger percentages of Hispanic students (12 percent of each group) enrolled in for-profit institutions than did their Asian counterparts (7 percent among immigrants and 5 percent among second-generation Americans) NPSAS does not collect information on whether students are in the United States legally, and consequently the study does not include any information on undocumented immigrants. To view the full report, visit http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp? pubid=2012213.

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

The Hispanic Outlook In Higher Education

Obama Administration and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Partner to Promote Transparency in College Costs WASHINGTON, D.C.

This summer, the U.S. Department of Education unveiled the Obama administration’s model financial aid award letter, also known as the Shopping Sheet – a personalized way to help students understand the type and amount of aid they qualify for and easily compare aid packages offered by different institutions. The Department of Education partnered with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to develop the Financial Aid Shopping Sheet to promote transparency in student financial disclosures. The Shopping Sheet is designed to help students better understand the amount of grants and scholarships they would receive from a given

IHEP Report Asks, What Does It Really Mean for College to Be “Affordable” or “Unaffordable?” WASHINGTON, D.C.

On average, postsecondary education is an investment with significant benefits, but it is an uncertain investment that does not pay off equally well for all. A weak economy increases the uncertainty associated with the level and timing of the return to investments in postsecondary education but does not alter the reality that, for most people, financial outcomes are far better than they would be without the investment. For policymakers to answer the question, “Is college afford-

www.hispanicoutlook.com

October 01, 2012

institution, and the amount of loans an institution recommends a student take out to cover out-of-pocket costs. While the Shopping Sheet isn’t mandatory, this standard format should be considered a best practice in helping students to compare costs across different colleges. “Countless students I meet across the country feel like the first time they really understood how much student loan debt they were in was when the first bill arrived,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “We must unravel the mystery of higher education pricing by giving students and families the information they need to make smart educational choices. The Shopping Sheet is a positive step in that direction.” “Students should know before they owe,” said CFPB Director Richard Cordray. “But unfortunately, we have heard from so many student-loan borrowers who say that they simply did not understand what they signed

up for. The Financial Aid Shopping Sheet gives students real numbers and a clear format that makes sense of a huge financial undertaking that too often is complex and confusing.” There are more than 7,000 institutions of higher education in America. Each has its own financial aid award letter. Some letters are very good and provide helpful information to prospective and current students, but many are confusing and, in some cases, misleading. The Financial Aid Shopping Sheet makes student loan costs clear upfront – before students have enrolled – by outlining their total estimated annual costs; how much grant money students will receive and how much they may have to take out in the form of student loans; the institution’s graduation and default rates; and an estimate of monthly loan payments after graduation.

able?” an important starting point is to recognize that affordability is unavoidably subjective. It depends not only on prices and financial capacity, but also on preferences and priorities. The Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) has released a brief, authored by higher education finance experts Sandy Baum and Saul Schwartz, discussing a variety of ways to approach the concept of college affordability. The report, Is College Affordable? In Search of a Meaningful Definition, first reviews lessons to be learned from approaches to housing and health care affordability. People have more difficulty thinking of college as an investment that generates long-term benefits and can rea-

sonably be paid for with installments over time than they do thinking of affordability of housing and health care in terms of monthly payments. As a result, education debt is widely considered an inappropriate burden. The brief then examines the costs and risks associated with postsecondary education, which are greatest for students whose families are unable to provide significant financial assistance. Grant aid for low- and moderate-income students can substitute for family support, reducing the extra risk that low-income students take on because of their greater need to borrow. To download a free copy of the report, visit IHEP’s website at www.ihep.org.

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

•

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

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Â·V &RXQFLO DQG UHSUHVHQWV WKH 3UHVLGHQW LQ PDWWHUV UHODWHG WR ERWK WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ DQG WKH 7HQQHVVHH %RDUG RI 5HJHQWV 7KH 3URYRVW SUHSDUHV DQG DGPLQLVWHUV WKH EXGJHW RI WKH $FDGHPLF $IIDLUV GLYLVLRQ DQG ZRUNV FRRSHUDWLYHO\ ZLWK DOO GLYLVLRQV RI WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ WR SURGXFH XVH DQG VWHZDUG UHVRXUFHV WR PHHW FXUUHQW GHPDQGV DQG RSSRUWXQLWLHV 7KH 3URYRVW FKDLUV WKH 'HDQÂ·V &RXQFLO DQG ZRUNV ZLWK WKH IDFXO WLHV RI WKH FROOHJHV DQG VFKRROV WKH OLEUDU\ V\VWHP HQUROOPHQW VHUYLFHV DQG RWKHU RIILFHV DQG IXQFWLRQV WKDW UHSRUW WR $FDGHPLF $IIDLUV 7KH 3URYRVW DOVR KDV UHVSRQVLELOLW\ IRU WKH +HOHQ +DUGLQ +RQRUV 3URJUDP WKH ODUJHVW LQ 7HQQHVVHH WKH 6WDWH RI 7HQQHVVHHÂ·V JRDOV RI UHFUXLWLQJ UHWDLQLQJ DQG JUDGXDWLQJ PRUH VWXGHQWV H[SDQ VLRQ RI SURIHVVLRQDO GHJUHHV DW WKH 0DVWHUÂ·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Â·V PDVWHUÂ·V DQG GRFWRUDO GHJUHHV 7KH 6FKRRO FRQVLVWV RI IDFXOW\ DQG VWDII $FWLYHO\ HQJDJHG LQ UHVHDUFK WKH 6FKRRO UHFHLYHV PLOOLRQ LQ H[WHUQDOO\ IXQGHG VFKRODUVKLS DQQXDOO\ 7KH 6FKRROÂ·V HGXFDWLRQDO SURJUDPV DUH RIIHUHG WKURXJK VHYHQ DFDGHPLF GHSDUWPHQWV DQG WKUHH LQWHU GLVFLSOLQDU\ SURJUDPV LQ &RQIOLFW DQG 3HDFH 6WXGLHV *HQHWLF &RXQVHOLQJ DQG *HURQWRORJ\ 7KH 6FKRRO RI 0XVLF 7KHDWUH DQG 'DQFH SURYLGHV FRPSUH KHQVLYH SHUIRUPLQJ DUWV HGXFDWLRQ DQG WUDLQLQJ IRU RYHU XQGHUJUDGXDWH DQG JUDGXDWH VWXGHQWV ZLWK GHJUHH SURJUDPV LQ 0XVLF %$ %0 00 3K' '0$ 7KHDWUH %$ %)$ 0 (G 0)$ DQG 'DQFH %$ %)$ 0$ 0)$ 7KH 6FKRRO KRVWV ILYH DFDGHPLF GHSDUWPHQWV 0XVLF (GXFDWLRQ 0XVLF 3HUIRUPDQFH 0XVLF 6WXGLHV 7KHDWUH DQG 'DQFH (DFK \HDU WKH 6FKRRO SUR GXFHV PRUH WKDQ FRQFHUWV UHFLWDOV SOD\V PDVWHU FODVVHV GDQFH SHUIRUPDQFHV DQG D YDULHW\ RI RWKHU SURGXFWLRQV 7KH 6FKRRO DOVR KRXVHV WKH 0XVLF 5HVHDUFK ,QVWLWXWH 05L DQ LQWHUGLVFLSOLQDU\ WKLQN WDQN IRFXVLQJ RQ UHVHDUFK UHODWHG WR PXVLF DQG PXVLF PDNLQJ DQG WKH LPSOLFDWLRQV RI WKDW UHVHDUFK IRU WKH VW FHQWXU\

7KH VXFFHVVIXO FDQGLGDWH PXVW KROG DQ HDUQHG WHUPLQDO GHJUHH KDYH EHHQ D WHQXUHG SURIHVVRU KDYH DQ H[FHSWLRQDO DGPLQLVWUDWLYH UHFRUG LQ KLJKHU HGXFDWLRQ H[KLELW D SURYHQ FRPPLWPHQW WR RSHQ FRPPXQLFDWLRQ DQG FROODERUDWLRQ KDYH D WUDFN UHFRUG RI DGYRFDW LQJ DQG GHYHORSLQJ GLYHUVLW\ DPRQJ IDFXOW\ VWDII DQG VWXGHQWV KROG D VWURQJ ZRUN HWKLF DQG KDYH KRQHVW\ LQWHJULW\ DQG HQHUJ\ 7KH SRVLWLRQ ZLOO EH RSHQ XQWLO ILOOHG &RQVLGHUDWLRQ RI QRPLQDWLRQV DQG DSSOLFDWLRQV ZLOO EHJLQ RQ 6HSWHPEHU $SSOLFDWLRQV VKRXOG LQFOXGH D OHWWHU RI QRPLQDWLRQ RU DSSOLFDWLRQ ZLWK VWDWHG LQWHUHVW DQG TXDOLILFDWLRQV D FRPSUHKHQVLYH FXUULFXOXP YLWDH DQG DW OHDVW WKUHH UHIHUHQFHV ZLWK FRPSOHWH FRQWDFW LQIRUPDWLRQ

7KH 6FKRRO RI 1XUVLQJ LV 1/1$& DQG &&1( DFFUHGLWHG DQG LV FRPSULVHG RI WKUHH GHSDUWPHQWV $GXOW +HDOWK 3DUHQW &KLOG DQG &RPPXQLW\ 3UDFWLFH 7KH 6FKRRO KDV DQQXDOO\ UHFHLYHG PLOOLRQ LQ H[WHUQDO IXQGLQJ 7KH 6FKRRO FRQVLVWV RI IDFXOW\ DQG VWDII DQG KDV RYHU VWXGHQWV HQUROOHG LQ %61 51 %61 061 061 0%$ DQG 3K' SURJUDPV 061 FRQFHQWUDWLRQV LQFOXGH 1XUVLQJ $GPLQLVWUDWLRQ 1XUVLQJ (GXFDWLRQ $13 *13 DQG 1XUVH $QHVWKHVLD 7KH 'RFWRU RI 1XUVLQJ 3UDFWLFH '13 LV DFWLYHO\ EHLQJ SODQQHG

$SSOLFDWLRQV DQG QRPLQDWLRQV VKRXOG EH VHQW WR

&RPSOHWH MRE GHVFULSWLRQV PD\ EH YLHZHG DW

-HUU\ %DNHU 3UHVLGHQW 2OGH 7RZQH 3DUNZD\ 6XLWH 0DULHWWD *$ MEDNHU#EDDVHDUFK FRP $SSOLFDWLRQV PD\ DOVR EH VHQW WR

0DULD $ODP $93 &KLHI +XPDQ 5HVRXUFHV 2IILFHU 7KH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 0HPSKLV KU#PHPSKLV HGX

7KH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 0HPSKLV D 7HQQHVVHH %RDUG RI 5HJHQWV ,QVWLWXWLRQ LV DQ (TXDO 2SSRUWXQLW\ $IILUPDWLYH $FWLRQ (PSOR\HU :H XUJH DOO TXDOLILHG DSSOLFDQWV WR DSSO\ IRU WKLV SRVLWLRQ $SSRLQWPHQW ZLOO EH EDVHG RQ TXDOLILFDWLRQV DV WKH\ UHODWH WR SRVLWLRQ UHTXLUHPHQWV ZLWKRXW UHJDUG WR UDFH FRORU QDWLRQDO RULJLQ UHOLJLRQ VH[ DJH GLVDELOLW\ RU YHWHUDQ VWDWXV

'HDQ 5HFUXLWPHQW

HISPANIC

OUTLOOK

â&#x20AC;¢

10/01/2012

KWWS ZZZ EDDVHDUFK FRP RSSRUWXQLWLHV KWP

$SSOLFDQWV DUH DVNHG WR VXSSO\ D OHWWHU RI LQWHUHVW DQG &9 UH VXPH $OO FRUUHVSRQGHQFH VKRXOG EH GLUHFWHG WR WKH 8QLYHUVLW\Â·V H[HFXWLYH UHFUXLWPHQW FRQVXOWDQW

0DUWLQ 0 %DNHU 9LFH 3UHVLGHQW 2OGH 7RZQH 3DUNZD\ 6XLWH 0DULHWWD *$ PEDNHU#EDDVHDUFK FRP 81&* KDV D VWURQJ FRPPLWPHQW WR VHUYH LWV KLJKO\ GLYHUVH FRPPXQLW\ $V SDUW RI WKLV FRPPLWPHQW 81&* HVSHFLDOO\ ZHOFRPHV DSSOLFDWLRQV IURP ZRPHQ XQGHU UHSUHVHQWHG UDFLDO HWKQLF PLQRULW\ JURXS PHPEHUV SHUVRQV ZLWK GLVDELOLWLHV PHPEHUV RI VH[XDO PLQRULW\ JURXSV DQG RWKHUV ZKR ZRXOG HQULFK WKH 8QLYHUVLW\Â·V UHVHDUFK WHDFKLQJ DQG PLVVLRQ 81&* LV DQ (TXDO 2SSRUWXQLW\ $IILUPDWLYH $FWLRQ (PSOR\HU

Assistant Cooperative Extension Specialist Restoration Ecologist Department of Plant Sciences The Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, seeks to fill an 11-month, career-track position at the Assistant Specialist in Cooperative Extension level. RESPONSIBILITIES: This academic position has 100% Cooperative Extension responsibilities and will be located in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences. The research and extension focus of the candidate will address restoration and conservation of multiple goals in working landscapes, including a focus on both natural (e.g., grasslands, wetlands, woodlands) and managed (e.g., rangeland, agricultural, urban, parks) ecosystems, and their interactions. Focal goals include, but are not limited to: safe and sustainable forage and food production; conservation and restoration of diverse species; enhanced provisioning of fertile soil, pollination, clean air; and control over pests and erosion. This CE Specialist will bring statewide leadership, visibility, and cohesion to an interdisciplinary team of land grant researchers and educators to improve the success of ecosystem restoration projects. This position will support the ANR Rangeland Watershed Workgroup that coordinates the natural resources research and education activities of more than 40 CE advisors, CE specialists and AES researchers. Research will be conducted in the laboratories and fields at UC Davis, on diverse stakeholder lands (e.g. nature reserves, local, state and federal lands, and commercial farms and ranches), and at UC Field Stations located throughout California. The candidate is expected to develop a nationallyrecognized program, secure extramural funding, and publish research results in appropriate refereed journals and limited distribution reports. Fulfillment of responsibilities may require extensive travel. Candidate will have the opportunity to support undergraduate and graduate teaching missions of the Department and to be a member of Graduate Groups. Affirmative action to include ethnic minorities, women, and other underrepresented clientele is expected as a component of all of the appointee’s programs. QUALIFICATIONS: PhD in restoration ecology, ecosystem management, rangeland ecology, plant ecology, plant biology, plant science, weed science, soil ecology, or a closely related field with an emphasis in restoration ecology. Applicants must have leadership ability, management and communication skills. Ability to conduct independent research in ecology must be demonstrated. SALARY: Commensurate with qualifications and experience. TO APPLY: Candidates should begin the application process by registering online at http://recruitments.plantsciences.ucdavis.edu/ Please include statements of research and extension interests, curriculum vitae, publication list, copies of 3 of your most important research publications, copies of undergraduate and graduate transcripts (if within 5 years of either degree), and the names, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers of at least five professional references. For administrative questions regarding the application process, please email Ms. Baljit Nijjar bknijjar@ucdavis.edu. Review of the applications for this position will begin November 1, 2012. The position will remain open until filled.

Staglin Family Chair in Major Mental Disorders The Department of Psychology at UCLA seeks nominations and applications for a full-time tenured position at the level of Professor, in Clinical Psychology, to fill an endowed chair, the Staglin Family Chair in Major Mental Disorders. The ideal candidate should have a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, a continuous record of intellectual visionary leadership, and innovative and creative research related to mental health disorders, including schizophrenia. Preference will be given to someone with an active research program in the biological bases of the disorder, which might include neurodevelopmental, neuroimaging, or behavior genetic approaches. The individual must also possess a record of excellence in mentoring and teaching, and must be able to contribute to the graduate and undergraduate teaching mission of the clinical psychology program. To request further information about this position, contact: Committee Chair, Constance Hammen (hammen@psych.ucla.edu). Applicants should send a letter, curriculum vitae, statement of research interests, relevant publications, and the names and addresses of three references to the Staglin Family Chair Search Committee, (Job #: 0875-1213-01) Department of Psychology, Box 951563, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563 or email materials as attachments to facultysearch@psych.ucla.edu. Review of applications will begin November 1, 2012 and will continue until a candidate is selected. Appointment of a successful candidate to start July 1, 2013 is desired. We encourage applications from women, minorities, and individuals with a history of mentoring under-represented minorities. UCLA is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer with a strong institutional commitment to achieving diversity among its faculty, students and staff.

#$"%&"'("%)"**!+!,% -./00/12,%)3% !"#$%&&'()*+#"'',!(-#.#/!-/*+# 01)!2.)'3#4&15'""!1(.*#)1# 61!(#1%&#)'.07

!"#$% !"#$%& ' '())*$+'# #,+($-& '())*$+'#,+($-& . /#$0* #0"/#$0*#0"456678/91,%:;%9<=0.% 45667 78/91,%:;%9<=0.% !>5?@0/<=@6%3>9/=/A02@0<2

81#19).!(#.#9&1$/%&':#;!")&!$)# 8 1 1#19).!(#.#9&1$/%&':#;!")&!$)# 19).!(#.#9&1$/%&':#;!")&!$)# .44*!$.)!1(:#.(3<1&#.33!)!1(.*# !(51&0.)!1(:#4*'."'#2!"!)#)/'# '04*1+0'()#1441&)%(!)!'"#"'$)!1(#15# 04*1+0'()#1441&)%(!)!'"#"'$)!1(#15# 15# )/'#=!1#>1(31#?1**'-'#@'9"!)'#.)7 ' =!1#>1(31#?1**'-'#@'9"!)'#.)7 )7

BBBC2/<.<=><C1>5D.2% B BBB BC2/<.<=><C1>5D.2% 2%

Wesley Theological Seminary invites applications and nominations for the position of

ACADEMIC DEAN Wesley Theological Seminary is a graduate theological school of The United Methodist Church located in Washington, DC. It is one of the largest and most diverse seminaries in the world. During the academic year, more than 1,500 students attend classes at Wesley. Degree programs include Master of Divinity, Master of Arts, Master of Theological Studies and Doctor of Ministry. Almost 60 percent of the students are Methodist; the remaining 40 percent represent more than 25 different denominations. Forty-four percent of the students are African American, Hispanic, Asian or other ethnic minority. Wesley’s faculty includes 30 full-time faculty members and 25 adjunct faculty members. The Dean is the Chief Academic Officer and responsible directly to the President. The Dean’s responsibilities include policy, program, personnel development and fiscal management for the faculty and academic programs. The Dean is expected to provide vision and leadership in strategic planning and promote excellence in teaching and scholarship. The best candidates for the position will possess an earned doctorate in a field of theological education and have a distinguished record of graduate teaching, scholarship, and active participation in the life of the church. In addition, candidates should have a demonstrated record of administrative competence and enthusiasm for the seminary’s global perspective and programs. While qualified United Methodists will receive preference, we welcome applications from all qualified individuals regardless of denominational affiliation. Applications and nominations will be accepted until a Dean is selected, but to ensure optimal consideration, interested parties should submit their materials by November 1, 2012. Please send materials to: President David McAllister-Wilson Wesley Theological Seminary 4500 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20016-5690 Email: President@wesleyseminary.edu

Bradley D. Hanson, Chair, Search Committee Department of Plant Sciences Mail Stop 4, One Shields Ave. University of California, Davis Davis, CA 95616 Telephone 530-752-8115 E-mail: bhanson@ucdavis.edu UC Davis is an affirmative action/equal employment opportunity employer and is dedicated to recruiting a diverse faculty community. We welcome all qualified applicants to apply, including women, minorities, veterans, and individuals with disabilities.

To learn more about Wesley, please visit our website: http://apptrkr.com/274345 Wesley Theological Seminary is an Equal Opportunity Employer. !!"

10/01/2012

•

HISPANIC

OUTLOOK

Behavioral Neuroscience Search Announcement Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty Position Openings The School of Education at Indiana University invites applications for two faculty positions. Candidates for both positions should: 1) have an earned doctorate degree in the field appropriate to each listing or related field before start date, and 2) include in their application materials a letter of application and curriculum vitae. Please include additional materials specified for each position. All materials should be uploaded to https://indiana.peopleadmin.com/. Review of applications will begin on October 15, 2012 and will continue until the positions are filled. Computer Science Education Research (Open Rank). The School of Education and School of Informatics and Computing seek applicants for a joint appointment between the two schools whose primary research interests lie in computing and computer science education at the pre-collegiate level. The successful candidate will be expected to develop a systematic line of research, pursue external funding, teach and advise students, and collaboratively contribute to advanced graduate studies in computing education. Questions about this position may be addressed to Dr. Anne Leftwich at 812-856-8486 or aleftwic@indiana.edu. In addition to the application materials listed above, applicants must submit three letters of reference, a transcript of graduate work, and a sample of scholarly writing. This position begins August 1, 2013.

The UCLA Department of Psychology announces a Tenure-Track faculty position in behavioral neuroscience. The rank for the appointment is open, but candidates at the Assistant Professor level are preferred. Broadly speaking, we are interested in candidates who apply the perspectives and techniques of neuroscience to psychological questions in humans and/or animals. The specific area of research is open. Among the areas that would be of interest and would complement our department’s existing strengths are neuroscience of emotion and motivation, neuro-economics, cognitive neuroscience, and genetic and epigenetic influences on behavior and psychopathology. The position entails both undergraduate and graduate teaching responsibilities and assumes an active research program. Applicants should submit a letter, curriculum vita, statement of research and teaching interests, relevant publications, and three letters of recommendation to be sent to Behavioral Neuroscience Search Committee, (Job #: 0875-121302), Department of Psychology, UCLA, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA 90095 or email materials as attachments to bnsfacultysearch@psych.ucla.edu. Review of applications will begin November 1, 2012 and will continue until the position is filled. As a campus with a diverse student body, we encourage applications from women, minorities, and individuals with a history of mentoring under-represented minorities. UCLA is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer with a strong institutional commitment to achieving diversity among its faculty, students and staff.

The candidate is expected to develop a nationallyrecognized program, secure extramural funding, and publish research results in appropriate refereed journals and limited distribution reports. Fulfillment of responsibilities may require extensive travel. Candidate will have the opportunity to be a member of Graduate Groups and to mentor graduate students. Affirmative action to include ethnic minorities, women, and other underrepresented clientele is expected as a component of all of the appointee’s programs.

TO APPLY: Candidates should begin the application process by registering online at http://recruitments.plantsciences.ucdavis.edu/ Please include statements of research and extension interests, curriculum vitae, publication list, copies of 3 of your most important research publications, copies graduate transcripts (if within 5 years of either degree), and the names, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers of at least five professional references. For administrative questions regarding the application process, please email Mrs. Cindy Ramirez cmsalazar@ucdavis.edu. Review of the applications for this position will begin December 1, 2012. The position will remain open until filled. Joseph M. DiTomaso, Chair, Search Committee Department of Plant Sciences Mail Stop 4, One Shields Ave. University of California, Davis Davis, CA 95616 Telephone 530-754-8715 E-mail: jmditomaso@ucdavis.edu UC Davis is an affirmative action/equal employment opportunity employer and is dedicated to recruiting a diverse faculty community. We welcome all qualified applicants to apply, including women, minorities, veterans, and individuals with disabilities.

Indiana University is an equal opportunity/ affirmative action employer.

OUTLOOK

RESPONSIBILITIES: This academic position has 100% Cooperative Extension responsibilities and will be located in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences. Candidate will provide statewide research and extension leadership in rice production systems. The research and extension program will address the need for balancing multiple management goals, including optimizing rice productivity and addressing agronomic issues such as soil fertility, nutrient management and cycling, water use efficiency and quality, carbon sequestration, and testing improved rice varieties statewide. This CE Specialist will bring statewide leadership, visibility, and cohesion to an interdisciplinary team of land grant researchers and educators to address the production and environmental needs of the rice industry. This position will support the ANR Agronomic Crops Workgroup comprised of AES researchers, CE Specialists, and CE Advisors. Research will be conducted in the laboratories at UC Davis and at the field facilities of the Rice Experiment Station in Biggs, California.

SALARY: Commensurate with qualifications and experience.

For more detailed job announcements, please visit the following website: http://education.indiana.edu/AcademicOpenings/ tabid/465/Default.aspx

HISPANIC

The Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, seeks to fill an 11-month, career-track position at the Assistant Specialist in Cooperative Extension level.

QUALIFICATIONS: Ph.D. in agronomy, agricultural production, plant sciences, agroecology, or a closely related field with an emphasis in applied cropping systems. Applicants must have leadership ability, management and communication skills. Capability to conduct independent research in rice production must be demonstrated.

Center for Social Studies and International Education (Director and Associate/Full Professor). The School of Education seeks applicants who will provide strategic and visionary leadership as Director for CSSIE, which has established itself as a leader in international education development, and will be expected to oversee and further develop CSSIE’s current projects. Candidates must have an active line of inquiry and teaching experience in the areas of social studies education, comparative and international education, international development education, or related fields. A history of funded research and programs will be evident, and continued contributions to an appropriate academic department will be expected. Questions about this position may be addressed to Dr. Vasti Torres at vatorres@indiana.edu. In addition to the application materials listed above, applicants must submit contact information for six references. References will not be contacted without prior correspondence with the applicant. This position begins July 1, 2013.

Assistant Rice Cropping Systems Cooperative Extension Specialist Department of Plant Sciences

•

10/01/2012

Williams Gaius Charles Bolin Dissertation and Post-MFA Fellowships The Gaius Charles Bolin Fellowships at Williams College are designed to promote diversity on college faculties by encouraging students from underrepresented groups to complete a terminal graduate degree and to pursue careers in college teaching. The Bolin Fellowships are two-year residencies at Williams, and up to three scholars or artists are appointed each year. Fellows devote the bulk of the first year to the completion of dissertation work—or in the case of MFA applicants, building their professional portfolios—while also teaching one course as a faculty member in one of the College’s academic departments or programs. The second year of residency (ideally with degree in hand) is spent on academic career development while again teaching just one course. Gaius Charles Bolin was the first black graduate of Williams. The fellowship program was founded in 1985 on the centennial of his admission to the College. He was an active and influential member of his class who went on to a career as a lawyer. He valued education and worked against racial prejudice. Eligibility: The Bolin Fellowships are awarded to applicants from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, those who are first-generation college graduates, women in predominately male fields, or disabled scholars. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents who intend to pursue a professorial career in the U.S. Ph.D. candidates must have completed all doctoral work except the dissertation by the end of the current academic year. MFA candidates must be recent recipients of the degree; only those with degrees granted in 2012, or to be granted in 2013, are eligible to apply. Terms: The annual stipend for the position is $36,000. The College will also provide health and dental benefits, relocation and housing assistance, academic support including office space and a computer, and an annual allowance of $4,000 for research-related expenses. During the period of residence at Williams, the Bolin Fellows will be affiliated with an appropriate department or program and will be expected to teach one one-semester course each year, normally in the fall semester of year one and the spring semester of year two. Application: The application deadline is November 15, 2012. A full description of the fellowship, including a link to the online application, can be found at http://tinyurl.com/BolinFellowship. Beyond meeting fully its legal obligations for non-discrimination, Williams College is committed to building a diverse and inclusive community where members from all backgrounds can live, learn, and thrive.

Associate Vice President of Student Affairs

SCCC seeks highly qualified candidates for the role of Associate Vice President for Student Affairs. The successful candidate will be an experienced administrator who will foster collaboration both at the campus level and college-wide. The Associate Vice President for Student Affairs reports to the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs and as the college chief student affairs officer is responsible for the planning, policy development, implementation and assessment of all college student affairs programs and services consistent with the college mission and goals. For the full position profile please go to: http://www.sunysuffolk.edu/About/Employment.asp?id=503

HMS CO.

P.O. BOX 231840 Centreville, VA 20120-1840 visit our websites:

www.hmsdc.com and

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

•

FOR ALL YOUR MULTICULTURAL ITEMS

POSTERS

•

VIDEOS

•

FLAGS

10/01/2012

Assistant Professor in Plant Sciences Plant Microbiologist in Food Safety Department of Plant Sciences RESPONSIBILITIES: The successful candidate’s research will focus on plant-environmental-microbial interactions of crops and produce, with emphasis on microbial community processes in relation to plant and/or human pathogens. This position provides the opportunity to investigate fundamental principles that determine how plants and their environment affect the microbial communities upon the plant surface. An intended outcome of these discoveries will be identification of key ecological and/or molecular traits that can in turn improve handling strategies and food safety by modulating the presence, persistence, or activities of beneficial and deleterious microorganisms. A successful researcher in this field would likely utilize key tools and research approaches including metagenomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, molecular analysis of plant-microbe interactions, and/or eco-physiological processes; or any related combined approaches to analyze microbial communities in the phyllosphere, rhizosophere and other plant niches. These studies may occur in a range of successive contexts, from field systems through the multiple human environments involved in post-harvest processes (handling, packaging, storage and preservation, transportation, etc.) to the transmission of human pathogens in the food chain. The incumbent will be expected to develop an internationallyrecognized research program and professional profile. Ability to operate comfortably in multi-disciplinary teams will enhance the development of practical solutions to critical issues related to food safety and postharvest handling of specialty crops grown in California and across the world. The faculty of the Department of Plant Sciences has expertise in a broad range of genomics, plant/microbe and field studies, providing many opportunities for collaboration on topics of interest to the candidate. In addition, ability to work with academic and industrial contacts is desired, to help apply knowledge of plant-microbial interactions to optimize postharvest management strategies. The candidate will establish a vigorous, dynamic and innovative teaching program at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to teaching of core courses in the Plant Sciences curriculum and development of new courses in their area of expertise. A specific course in which this individual will teach is PLS174: Microbiology and Safety of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables. They will additionally be able to develop new general education courses within a similar area of expertise. The candidate will also teach at the graduate level within her/his area of research expertise in the Horticulture and Agronomy, Ecology, Evolution, Plant Biology, Microbiology, Genetics, International Agricultural Development and/or Food Science Graduate Groups. Enthusiastic and effective advising and mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral fellows is expected. QUALIFICATIONS: Ph.D. or equivalent level of experience in plant biology, postharvest biology, or microbiology with experience in plant microbial interactions or related fields. SALARY: Commensurate with qualifications and experience. TO APPLY: Candidates should begin the application process by registering online at http://recruitments.plantsciences .ucdavis.edu.Please include statements of research goals for this position and teaching philosophy, curriculum vitae, publication list, copies of 3 of your most important research publications, copies of undergraduate and graduate transcripts (if within 5 years of either degree), and the names, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers of at least five professional references. For technical or administrative questions regarding the application process please email plantsciences@ucdavis.edu. Review of the applications will begin January 1st, 2013. The position will remain open until filled. Dr. Daniel J Kliebenstein, Chair, Search Committee Department of Plant Sciences University of California One Shields Avenue Davis, CA 95616-8515 Telephone: (530) 754-7775 / FAX: (530) 752-4361 E-mail: kliebenstein@ucdavis.edu “UC Davis is an affirmative action/equal employment opportunity employer and is dedicated to recruiting a diverse faculty community. We welcome all qualified applicants to apply, including women, minorities, veterans, and individuals with disabilities.

•

HISPANIC

OUTLOOK

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

P ri min g the Pump. ..

COACHING STUDENTS: SIX CRITICAL ABILITIES AND TRAITS W

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

hether it’s a formal coach, a dedicated teacher, a loving parent or another dedicated adult, a student who is shown how to improve performance steadily is ahead of another who doesn’t. A coach is most effective, though, with students who are coachable. Coachable students, regardless of their age, are preferable to those who aren’t. How often are instructors, other faculty and employers frustrated with those who refuse new ideas, resist feedback, insist they are right, deny any personal weaknesses, blame others, display a bloated sense of entitlement and are unwilling to team with others to improve? Fully coachable students – those willing to do as directed – are more likely to be chosen to participate in various events and succeed than others who are not as open to guidance. How can Latino students be more coachable? Parents, teachers and other interested adults can help them learn six critical abilities and traits of coachable people. First, coachable students want to learn, whether by observation and modeling, instruction or experience. They know that there is much to be learned in many situations (including mistakes), and they value learning it. Young Latinos can be taught to seek the lesson in life, whether challenging or easy, and view mistakes as another source of learning. If adults display an ongoing curiosity about people, places, events or things around them, children will naturally follow. Asking Latino students questions about what they see or experience is the first way to get them started. Continue the probing in a natural, curious way, and they will do so independently later. Coachable students listen well. While Latino students are often socially oriented or talkative, they also need to learn how to fully attend to what is being said. Equally important, they need to quell their inner voice that questions the experts and selectively takes direction. Teachers, employers, parents and other coaches have difficulty guiding those who decide to follow directions only if they agree or if the instruction suits them. Listening to others consistently and openly helps Latino teens pick up nuances in what is said, helping them understand people and situations more accurately. Hispanic children learn to listen when others around

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

•

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

them stop any interruptions or distractions, focus fully on what is being said and check to assure that the child understood what another has said. Being able to accept criticism is a key to coachability. Children who are raised with excessive adulation for being “special” often become over-sensitive to feedback from others. If a child thinks he is above reproach and not held accountable for his actions, or if a parent discounts or criticizes the skills and abilities of teachers or others, the child might not take direction from a coach, in or outside the classroom. Being directed to listen and follow is essential for Latino kids to benefit from coaching. Knowing oneself is important in benefiting from coaching, too. If a Hispanic child understands her own ways of thinking and feeling and is introspective, she will know how to self-regulate and control her emotions and behave more skillfully. Parents and caregivers can begin with young Hispanics to help them develop insight and self-control. When a child is upset, for example, encouraging him to talk about and understand that upset feeling can help the youngster calm down and see what needs to be done. When children can deal with mistakes or disappointment, see their role in what happened and handle emotional feelings effectively, they can then benefit from direction of a coach telling them how to improve performance. Emotions and ego will not block vital feedback. The emotional maturity that develops makes the child coachable. The coachable Latino student also knows how to define, set and chart a path to reaching his goals. The student who follows coaching instruction tentatively with a latent, doubtful wait-and-see attitude may try something, albeit cautiously, knowing he will bail out if success is not quick. The fully coachable student will trust and follow a plan, though a predetermined course may require changes suggested by a coach along the way. That student will persist until the goal is reached, and use what he or she has learned to set and face the next challenge.

This article appeared online only in the 10/01/12 Issue

TARGETING HIGHER EDUCATION

Hispanics and the 2012 Elections

by Gustavo A. Mellander won’t tell you when it began for me, but as far back as I can remember, every single presidential election I have survived has been labeled “the most important one in our nation’s history.” Or earth-shaking words to that effect. It was somewhat scary at times, but the passage of time has provided perspective. This year, 2012, is no different. The pundits are at it again. What with the Mayan calendar ending and all that, next month’s election has shaped up to be a cliff-hanging toss-up. Both sides have been campaigning furiously. One needs more than a scorecard to keep track of the charges and countercharges. Who will capture the hearts and votes of the American people? Will Armageddon really surface if one side wins, and will the American way of life end if the other side wins? Will history’s best chance for freedom and democracy vanish? Or will we become, as some derisively claim, just like Europe? I don’t know, but I do think the November elections will be a watershed in American history. I believe Hispanics have gained and benefited from increased attention. They are bound to benefit regardless of who is elected to the White House, to Congress and in state capitols across the land. The only way Hispanic Americans can lose this year is if they do not vote in large numbers, if they become apathetic. They have certainly been courted by both parties, passionately and consistently. I am not going to mouth that old canard, “the decade of the Hispanics.” I never believed it in the 1970s nor since then. Not until now. Frankly, it might not really be that important who they vote for. (Please don’t bury me with e-mails.) What is important is that they vote in such large numbers that they become established as a political force that will continue to grow. This is the year to establish their claim and build a foundation to influence the future. In the 2008 election, Hispanics turned out in force – 9.7 million Hispanics voted. Those numbers are projected to grow to 11.8 million or maybe 12.2 million in 2012. Hispanics exist in significant numbers in key presidential battlegrounds states. Presidential Outreach Last May, President Barack Obama spoke to Hispanic voters in El Paso, Texas, and delivered a highly partisan speech on immigration reform in which he chastised his political opponents and their views of border security. Later the president reached out to the Hispanic community at a gathering organized by the National Council of La Raza, where he again attempted to use the issue of immigration as a wedge issue, casting conservatives as being anti-immigration for their opposition to illegal immigration. And in June this year, he surprised many by announcing that those brought here as children would no longer be deported. It wasn’t exactly a pathway to citizenship, but it was a step along the way. The president’s effort to appeal to Hispanics is not surprising, given

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

•

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

how that population has suffered under his economic policies. He needs their support, and he has not been very proactive until recently. Clearly, he sees there is work to be done in order to firm up his base. From 2005 to 2009, median household wealth among Hispanics fell by 66 percent, compared with a drop of 53 percent among Blacks and 16 percent among non-Hispanic Whites. Pointedly, the unemployment rate among Hispanics in March was 10.3 percent, compared to 8.2 percent among the broader population. Further, between 2006 and 2010, the poverty rate among Hispanics increased more than that of any other group, from 20.6 percent to 26.6 percent, all according to the respected Pew Hispanic Center. This has not been lost upon Hispanics, who know that the economic downturn has been harder on them than on other groups in America. It’s not surprising that Hispanics rank employment, not immigration, as the number one issue in the 2012 election. Additionally, 56 percent are dissatisfied with the direction in which the country seems to be headed. It is not, therefore, surprising that the president and his advisors have veered toward so-called Hispanic issues. They must secure significant Hispanic support to succeed in November. None of this is to say that a blanket approach will be successful. Hispanics are not homogeneous. In fact, among registered Hispanic voters, 35 percent say they’re conservative, 32 percent view themselves as moderate, and 28 percent describe themselves as liberal. What does that mean? Clearly the conservative message for the Hispanic community is powerful for many of them. So what is the liberal message? Many contend that Hispanics are victims of a racist and unfair society. They need large government to protect them. Is this an inspiring message for the latest group seeking to achieve the American Dream? On the issue of immigration, conservatives have always recognized the need to have more legal immigration. That has been the tradition in this nation of immigrants from the very beginning. Illegal immigration, or

undocumented entry, if you rather, though, ignores all the law-abiding individuals seeking to legally obtain their citizenship. That’s a given. A reality in all countries of the world. Conservatives, to succeed, must make their case clearer and more relevant on the issue of jobs, enterprise and free markets. Their efforts to date have been puny. Like all Americans, Hispanics are suffering high unemployment rates, joblessness that has gone on too long and stagnant home values. The promise of the president’s trillion-dollar stimulus, Obamacare, and his ever-growing set of regulations have not delivered the promised better life for most Americans, Hispanic or otherwise. Meanwhile, America’s debt continues to grow, and future generations of all backgrounds will be saddled with the burden of having to cover the costs of the checks being written today so cavalierly. (The Republicans certainly did not do much better in living within our means.) Conservatives still call for a government that lives within its means, empowers the people, and lifts burdens from job creators so that all can grow and prosper. But to many, their ideas seem too veered to help the well to do, those who have already made it. The Heritage Foundation’s Spanish-language website, Libertad.org, communicates the Heritage Foundation’s policy analysis and research to a Hispanic audience that prefers to read in its first language. Its goal is to convince a growing Hispanic community of the superiority of conservative ideals and how limited government – not big government – can help them achieve the American Dream. I am not sure that message is getting across – even to conservative Hispanics. Is it the message or the messenger? Let’s focus on students, college students. I know not all Hispanics are low-income, but most, well over 60 percent, are. I need not tell Hispanic Outlook readers that it’s getting more difficult for low-income students to succeed in college. The economic ladder for many Hispanics is shaky as the college graduation gap between the rich and poor continues to increase. First, let’s be positive and accurate and note that more students from all backgrounds are finishing college nowadays than ever before. Yet the difference in graduation rates between the top and bottom income groups in this country has widened by nearly 50 percent over the past two decades. Those 20 years take in the reign of several presidents from both political parties. Discouraging but true. Since education is a key element if not the principal driver for upward mobility, our existing educational gulf means that it’s even harder for the poor to prosper. Some would say it is downright impossible. Some 54 percent of students from wealthy families obtained bachelor’s degrees, according to University of Michigan studies. In contrast, only 9 percent of low-income students received college diplomas. The research paper it issued studied students who graduated in the late 1990s and early 2000s and compared them to those in college two decades before: “The wealthy made great gains in graduation rates, while the poor only inched up over that time period.” In the earlier group, 36 percent of upper-income students graduated college while only 5 percent of the poor did. (I think that’s a dismal result for both groups but. ...) Part of the reason for the disparity is that more students from households earning at least $87,000 annually are going to college. But children from families making less than $26,000 have not made the same advances. Another example – two-thirds of freshmen from wealthier households

finish college, but only one-third of their poorer classmates graduate. Other researchers have found similar discrepancies. Why don’t those from low-income backgrounds make it through college? One reason is that the poor often go to lower-tier schools, according to Tim Smeeding, director of the Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Normally, those institutions have larger classes and offer less individual attention and guidance. Also, low-income parents don’t have the financial resources to aid their children, and college always costs more than one suspected. “We’ve got a problem in that we get low-income kids to college, but they don’t persist to graduation,” Smeeding has noted. “It’s harder for them to find their way through. They get discouraged, and they drop out.” Other studies veered toward Hispanics have pointed out how pressing family obligations, financial and otherwise, weigh heavily on many Hispanic students. This leads to many dropping out. Failing to get a college degree makes it virtually impossible for them to escape the bottom of the income ladder. Some 41 percent of students who come from families in the lowestincome ranks move up to the highest two rungs if they get a college degree, according to research from the Pew Economic Mobility Project. But if they don’t finish college, only 14 percent advance that far. At the same time, 45 percent of those without a diploma stay stuck in the lowest economic tier while only 16 percent of their counterparts with a college degree do. That’s because so many better-paying jobs today require more education and skills that one can only get in college. Without a bachelor’s degree, many people get stuck, virtually for life, in dead-end jobs earning low wages. A college graduate working full time for 40 years will earn $1 million more than someone with just a high school degree, according to recent Census Bureau data. It’s increasingly important to promote and protect programs that help students, particularly those from the lower-income rungs, to attend and complete college. “The chance for upward mobility from the bottom without a college degree is extremely limited,” Erin Currier, project manager at Pew, has noted. “There is a significant wage premium for having a college degree.” I contend it will take political involvement for Hispanics to change this grinding reality. Bottom line: Many Hispanics have been in this country long before the Anglo-Saxon invasion. Others are of more recent vintage. They make up an important and growing part of America’s fabric. They are in pursuit of a better life, and they want to be rewarded for the fruits of their labor, just as any other American would. To achieve their dreams, they would be well-advised to become more politically active and secure more college opportunities for themselves and their children. Hispanics are a population that continues to grow in size, voice and importance. The Hispanic-oriented media – radio, print and television – are influential and growing. May they redouble their message to get out the vote. Dr. Mellander was a college president for 20 years.

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 2

•

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K