HO 06/15/2015 by Hispanic Outlook on Education Magazine

JUNE 15, 2015

www.HispanicOutlook.com

VOLUME 25 • NUMBER 16

Havidán Rodríguez 2015 AAHHE Leadership Award Honoree

AAHHE 2016 Award Nominations Now Open! The following 2016 AAHHE Awards will be presented during the 11th Annual National Conference Latino Attainment: Meeting America’s Equity & Talent Imperatives Logro Latino: Realizando Nuestras Metas de Igualdad y Talento March 10-12, 2016 Hilton Costa Mesa Hotel Costa Mesa, California 

Alfredo G. de los Santos Jr. Distinguished Leadership in Higher Education (Sponsored by the Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education) This award is given to an outstanding administrator in the field of higher education who has demonstrated excellence in the profession. The award is named in honor of Dr. Alfredo G. de los Santos Jr., a leader, faculty member, mentor, and champion in higher education.

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Outstanding Latino/a Faculty: Research/Teaching in Higher Education, Research Institutions (Sponsored by Southwest Airlines) This award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated excellence in both research and teaching and has provided significant contributions to his/her academic discipline.

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Outstanding Latino/a Faculty: Service/Teaching in Higher Education, Teaching Institution (Sponsored by UPS) This award recognizes an individual who has provided outstanding service through creation or expansion of a program, innovative programming or direct work with students and/or has provided excellent instruction in a teaching-oriented institution.

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Outstanding Support of Hispanic Issues in Higher Education The Outstanding Support Award is given to an individual in the community who has demonstrated outstanding accomplishment and support of Hispanic issues. This individual need not be an educator but one who has made significant contributions to the Latino higher education community, i.e., community leader, civic leader, elected or appointed official, etc.

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Outstanding Latino/a Cultural Award in the Literary Arts or Publications This award was established to recognize Latinos/as who have contributed significantly to our understanding of our Hispanic community and/or culture through literary arts, scholarship, and publications. For award nomination information, please refer to the AAHHE website: www.aahhe.org (Deadline is September 25, 2015)

Challenging the Assumptions that Limit Success By Marvin Lozano, EdD and Miquela Rivera, PhD

ssumptions often stop budding entrepreneurs – and Latino students – in their tracks. To get someone moving, challenge those assumptions. The biggest assumption: “Lack of money.” Starting a business and going to college takes money, but the key question is “how much?” What’s enough? It is like being “ready enough.” Most people are seldom ready or financed enough for most things. Like holidays. Or childbirth. Or opening a new business. There is always one more thing to prepare, one more step to take. But before we know it, it is too late. Holidays come and go, children are born and grow and the desire for doing your own thing - including going to school - wanes. So do it anyway. Taulbert and Schoeniger (Who Owns the Ice House? 2010) encourage entrepreneurs to start right where they are. Start small. Take what you’ve got, plan and take the first step. Repeat. No money for school? Attend a class at a community college (some of those classes are free). Get a library card and go “shopping” on the taxpayers’ dime. (You can return your selections and try something else, which is a really good deal). Taking the first step puts a powerful force into place. Once movement toward a goal happens, other planning can occur – like finding funding for the next step. The motivated student looks within the institution for more resources - scholarships, work study options, financial aid, grants and community service are typical options, but the resources also lie in the people they meet. Faculty and administrators can connect highly motivated students with people in the field who can open doors and provide opportunities that will pave the way financially and with opportunities. It starts with starting. Second assumption: “I don’t know enough to do it.” Part of early entrepreneurial and academic success lies in what a person knows, but learning to learn is more important. Emulate others who are successful in business and academia. Read. A lot. Read more. Ask questions. Observe. Challenge the third assumption: “I don’t have a competitive advantage.” Look again. What makes you unique? Are you bilingual? Skilled at inquiry? Diligent?

Comfortable with public speaking? Faculty members often detect students’ special attributes early from their interactions or through work submitted. Positive, specific feedback from an instructor can help students hone their skills and set them apart from others. Encourage students to use and make known their unique skills or attributes – their uniqueness is their competitive advantage! Businesses often struggle with government regulations which can stymie growth or independence; students sometimes feel bound by rules and routines in academia, too. Regardless, mastering the game starts with knowing the rules. Once you know the rules, add the motivation, creative thinking, knowledge and competitive advantage to work within the structure. Bucking the system works sometimes, but it requires a lot of energy and often results in more struggle or a negative reputation. Working within the system allows entry to the way things work so that motivated entrepreneurs or students can figure out how to get the system to work for them. It may still be frustrating, but it is typically more fruitful than giving up or using less successful approaches. Faculty members who see students who lack money yet find the perfect time, determine the right field, make good connections and acquire all the information before moving forward have a golden opportunity to nudge them forward. No time is perfect and there is always more to know. Take that first step. Do it now. And if it doesn’t work, pull back, think, plan and try again. It works for entrepreneurs starting a business and it works in higher education. Just do it! • Marvin Lozano, EdD is a faculty member in the School of Business & Information Technology at Central New Mexico Community College in Albuquerque. He is an experienced small business consultant, commercial banker and entrepreneur. He has been honored as a USDA National Hispanic Fellow and as a Sam Walton Fellow. Miquela Rivera, PhD is a licensed psychologist in Albuquerque with years of clinical, early childhood and consultative experience. Dr. Rivera’s column, “Priming the Pump” appears in each issue of Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education. She lives in Albuquerque.

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Contents 6 10

Havidán Rodríguez Honored for Leadership and Lasting Impact on Higher Education Building False Crisis: The Role of the Media Covering Undocumented Immigrants by Sylvia Mendoza

Hispanics Optimistic About the Power and Affordability of Higher Education

Michigan Tech Partnership Sparks Minority Students’ Interest in Research by Gary M. Stern

FACTBOOK The Condition of Latinos in Education

2015

Excelencia in Education • www.EdExcelencia.org

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Recent Data on Latinos in Higher Education Sets Stage for More Action by Angela Provitera McGlynn

Published by “The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Publishing Company, Inc.”

Departments 3

OWN IT!

Challenging the Assumptions that Limit Success by Marvin Lozano and Miquela Rivera

Targeting Higher Education Money: The Ubiquitous Leveler by Gustavo A. Mellander

Uncensored

Scholars’ Corner

Book Review:

by Peggy Sands Orchowski

by Kelly Ocasio

Mexico in Verse: A History of Music, Rhyme, and Power Reviewed by Mary Ann Cooper

Interesting Reads by Mary Ann Cooper

Publisher José López-Isa Executive Editor Marilyn Gilroy Senior Editor Mary Ann Cooper Washington DC Bureau Chief Peggy Sands Orchowski Contributing Editors Carlos D. Conde, Michelle Adam Contributing Writers Gustavo A. Mellander Chief of Human Resources & Administration Tomás Castellanos Núñez Chief of Advertising, Marketing & Production Meredith Cooper Research & Development Director Marilyn Roca Enríquez Art & Production Director Ricardo Castillo Director of Accounting & Finance Javier Salazar Carrión Article Contributors Marvin Lozano, Angela Provitera McGlynn, Sylvia Mendoza, Kelly Ocasio, Miquela Rivera, Gary M. Stern Editorial Office 299 Market St, Ste. 145, Saddle Brook, N.J. 07663 TEL (201) 587-8800 or (800) 549-8280 Editorial Policy

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

Advertising Sales TEL (201) 587-8800 FAX (201) 587-9105 email: info@hispanicoutlook.com Letters to the Editor The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine ® email: info@hispanicoutlook.com “‘The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education’ and ’Hispanic Outlook are registered trademarks.’”

Cover: Dr. Havidán Rodríguez, president ad interim of The University of Texas-Pan American. Photo by Josué Esparza

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HISPANIC OUTLOOK | LEADERSHIP

Havidán Rodríguez

Honored for Leadership and Lasting Impact on Higher Education

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Dr. Havidán Rodríguez , president ad interim of The University of Texas-Pan American. Photo by Josué Esparza

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LEADERSHIP | HISPANIC OUTLOOK

“He has touched countless lives with his leadership and care for others. The thing about Dr. Rodríguez is that everything he touches, he makes it better – better students, programs and a better university experience.” -- Dr. Fernando I. Rivera

hat quote comes from a colleague of Dr. Havidán Rodríguez, president ad interim of The University of Texas-Pan American and founding provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, who recently received the prestigious Alfredo G. de los Santos Jr. Distinguished Leadership in Higher Education Award at the annual American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE) conference. The award, given to an outstanding administrator in higher education, is named after a research professor at Arizona State University regarded as a national leader and mentor. Rodríguez was nominated by several UTPA faculty members and other distinguished faculty nationwide. “The AAHHE and other similar organizations play a critical role in helping us diversify our colleges and universities,” Rodriguez said. “It is critical for us, as Latino and Latina leaders, to promote and pursue excellence in everything we do.” Nominator Rivera, an associate professor of sociology at the University of Central Florida, once worked under Rodríguez as an undergraduate research assistant at the Center for Applied Social Research, which Rodríguez headed at the University of Puerto Rico - Mayagüez.

In his nomination letter, quoted at the top of this article, Rivera cites Rodríguez’s mentorship to him as a professor and director of the American Sociological Association Minority Fellowship Program, and praises Rodríguez for his influence on so many others in academia. “My experience is not unique,” Rivera said of the impact Rodríguez has had on individuals throughout his extensive and distinguished career. Rodríguez, a native of Arecibo, Puerto Rico, earned a B.S. in psychology from the University of Maryland, an M.A. in sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He was named UTPA president ad interim in August 2014. Prior to that, he had been UTPA’s provost and vice president for academic affairs since January 2011. He also was deputy provost at the University of Delaware, where he directed the Disaster Research Center, the oldest and one of the leading social science disaster research centers in the world. While at UTPA, he started new programs and initiatives directed at sponsoring annual research conferences for undergraduates that provide opportunities for faculty development, scholarship and teaching. Rodríguez is the principal investigator of a five-year, $3.1 million ADVANCE institutional

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HISPANIC OUTLOOK | LEADERSHIP

transformation grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), aimed at increasing the representation and advancement of women faculty, especially Latinas, in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. Under his leadership, the grant led to the establishment of the ADVANCE Leadership Institute, ADVANCE Administrative Fellows Program, and the Women’s Faculty Network at UTPA. The grant’s implementation at UTPA has become a national model for the NSF’s ADVANCE grant program. Dr. Marie Mora, economics professor and vice provost fellow for faculty affairs at UTPA, said Rodríguez inspired her to pursue an administrative career. In her nomination of Rodríguez for the AAHHE award, she cites his continued work within his academic discipline. “Seeing how active Dr. Rodríguez continues to be in research and in his profession, and seeing how much of a positive difference he has made since coming here (to UTPA), has made me realize how much of a difference one person can make,” she said. “We really do need more passion-

ate and effective leaders like Dr. Rodríguez who can excite and inspire others.” Rodríguez has led and participated in a number of field research projects, including trips to Honduras following Hurricane Mitch; India and Sri Lanka, following the Indian Ocean Tsunami; and the Gulf Coast, following Hurricane Katrina. He has written about his work on disasters as co-editor of the Handbook of Disaster Research (with Quarantelli and Dynes). He also has produced important work documenting the rapid growth of the Latino population in the United States. He co-edited (with Sáenz and Menjívar) the 2008 book, Latinas/os in the United States: Changing the Face of América, documenting the diversity within the Latino community with regard to demographic characteristics, socioeconomic well-being, religion, education levels, cultural traditions, and political attitudes. Rodríguez stresses the importance of continuing to work with others to increase the voice, visibility and impact of Latinos and Latinas in higher →

The Spring 2015 graduating class was the largest in the history of The University of Texas-Pan American Photo by Josué Esparza

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education institutions across the country. “Much progress has been made, but we have a long road before us,” he said. In September 2015, Rodríguez will undertake full time the challenges and opportunities presented to the founding provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs at the newly created UTRGV. The new university is being formed from the consolidation of two legacy institutions – UTPA and the University of Texas at Brownsville – to become one of the largest Hispanic serving institutions in the United States. UTRGV will also include a new school of medicine, which currently is awaiting accreditation. “To help create this university of the 21st century is an opportunity of a lifetime,” Rodríguez said. “UTRGV will continue to transform the social, economic, educational and healthcare landscape in the Rio Grande Valley and beyond. I am excited and fully committed to its success.”

UTRGV President Guy Bailey called Rodríguez a superb provost and administrator who is a pleasure to work with. “His unique combination of vision and practicality enables him to implement important initiatives,” Bailey said. “I am continually impressed by his ability to work through difficult problems and make hard decisions.” As in the past, Rodríguez carries his passion for the transformative power of higher education to each new position. In a recent commencement speech to graduates, he reminded them that, with a degree in hand, they have the power to make a difference, but it will take hard work, perseverance, commitment, and a desire to serve. “A college degree is one of the most valuable assets you will ever own,” Rodríguez told graduates. “It can be a powerful tool to transform your life, to benefit your family, and to empower you to help your community, wherever that may be.” • Gail Fagan, UTPA Office of Public Affairs, contributed to this story.

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HISPANIC OUTLOOK | PERSPECTIVES

Building False Crisis: The Role of the Media Covering Undocumented Immigrants

By Sylvia Mendoza

he role of mainstream news media is to be a watchdog of society. It means to be unbiased, offer surveillance, be the fourth estate of the government, and to take Voltaire’s words to heart: “With great power comes great responsibility.” Every trained journalist should know and practice the four pillars of the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics, which are to: seek the truth and report it, minimize harm, be accountable, and act independently. Then why is negative and sensationalized coverage of immigration issues focused on Hispanics? Where is fair coverage of immigrants? Does being accountable mean accepting prejudiced sources as basic knowledge? Do television stations and newspapers, bloggers and reporters, editors and producers understand first of all that being Mexican is not interchangeable with Puerto Rican, Cuban, or Dominican, among others? When the camera swings on issues of illegal immigration, immigrants “taking” Americans’ jobs, how government services are being funneled to illegal immigrants and costing taxpayers money,

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and terrorism threats, the B-roll pans on Latinos, mostly Mexicans, although they are definitely not the only immigrants coming into the country. In reality, stories of immigrants crossing the Canada-U.S. border is coverage rarely seen or heard, but it exists. If it is covered, it is rarely in a negative light. According to the Pew Research Center (2012 statistics), there are approximately 11.2 million illegal immigrants. Although 52 percent are from Mexico, immigrants from Asia, the Middle East, Africa, the Caribbean and Central America, among others, also cross at the southern and northern borders. States with the highest immigration population include California, Florida, New York, Texas, New Jersey and Illinois. Given this information, why do the media cover Hispanic immigrants so negatively? Perhaps it stems from the sources of information. Indeed, even on the U.S. Immigration website, the following leads the page “Illegal Immigrants Coming in Through Canada”: “The common image of an illegal immigrant sneaking into the U.S. involves a Latin American huddling for cover in the brush of an expansive

PERSPECTIVES | HISPANIC OUTLOOK

desert. It’s hot, dry, and desolate. Perhaps they are attempting to swim across the Rio Grande as it meanders through the dusty climes of the southern U.S. or jump a fence in the middle of the night. There is a different, much less publicized form of illegal immigrant—the kind coming from Canada. Many of these individuals are not Latin American—U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have apprehended border jumpers from Albania, The Czech Republic, Israel, and India.” Words like “common image,” “sneaking into,” and “illegal immigrant” already paint a skewed and stereotypical vision of “Latin American” immigrants—and this is the view from a U.S. government agency. The media picks up on this— perhaps without checking other sources. A 2011 CNSNews.com article, “Canadian Border Bigger Terror Threat than Mexican Threat Says Police Chief ” also focused on “other” immigrants. A Texas senator noted that arrests along the southwest border in 2010 included 59,000 individuals from countries other than Mexico and that “663 came from special-interest countries like Afghanistan, Libya, Pakistan, Somalia, and Yemen and from countries that have been designated by the U.S. Department of State as state-sponsors of terror – Cuba, Iran, Syria, and Sudan.” Double Standards And yet, media coverage is aimed at Hispanic parents or families coming in from the south to better their lives—but at the same time, are seen as a threat to this country. While their countries might not be in civil war to warrant amnesty, the scales are tipped in a blatant inequality, not only in a media coverage standpoint, but in political perspectives and programs that dehumanize and undermine Hispanics, especially undocumented immigrants. In Denver recently a driver for the transportation service “Uber” spoke of his immigration to the U.S. from Ethiopia. He applied to the annual United States Diversity Lottery, waited a year and was accepted into the U.S., guaranteed opportunity for citizenship. In his third year here, after studying hard, he became a citizen. This lottery, also known as the United States Green Card

Why is negative and sensationalized coverage of immigration issues focused on Hispanics? Where is fair coverage of immigrants? Lottery—Official U.S. Government Entry Program (www.usdiversitylottery.com), makes 55,000 Permanent Resident cards available every year to randomly selected persons from “underrepresented countries” so they can live and work in this country. Does the media cover this or similar programs and motive for emigrating? Is it an exclusionary program that invites refugees and immigrants into this country as long as they are not Hispanic? Is the reason people cross into the country from the Canadian border any different from those coming north from Central and South America? The media have to do their homework to provide fair representation of these questions. False Crisis Shaping Opinion The news is a business and sensationalism sells. The more an immigration story can elevate the fear of terrorism or pose a threat to “the American way” or national security, the better. The article, “Study: Media Dehumanises Immigrants, Creates False Crises” (wired.co.uk) highlights a report titled, “UK Public Opinion toward Immigration: Overall Attitudes and Level of Concern” by the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford. It describes the media’s implicit role in crafting national perceptions of JUNE 15, 2015 | 11

HISPANIC OUTLOOK | PERSPECTIVES

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change. Media do not get to decide who is of value. They can decide to give fair coverage rather than sensationalized news bytes that portray Latinos in a negative light—documented and citizens alike. They can curb the way they instigate panic, skewed perspectives, false crises or unbiased coverage. They can aim to provide information and news that will help the public make better informed decisions about an issue like immigration. In the end, news media journalists—mainstream and not—must take the Journalism Code of Ethics to heart. They must assess and evaluate themselves critically, seek the truth, be accountable and perform their duty of surveillance. It might sound idealistic and too difficult to go against the grain, but responsible freedom of speech is what this country is built on. To responsibly cover any immigration issue, it just might start with one journalist making one conscious decision: “illegal alien” or “undocumented immigrant.” •

Sylvia Mendoza

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immigrants and the real effects of these negative portrayals. The bottom line is media affect public opinion. They take advantage of and exacerbate the uncertainty that exists in public opinion around the issue of immigration and often elevate the topic to “crisis-like levels to sell newspapers.” Word choice used by media to cover immigration issues is already biased and often dehumanizing. Words like illegals, terrorism, racist, discrimination, Dreamers, and illegal aliens strip away positive emotion and relatability. This choice also affects public opinion and reaction. Foreign or ethnic publications have for years used the term “undocumented immigrants,” according to the 2011 New American Media article, “How Do Ethnic Media Say ‘Illegal Immigrant’”? Interviewed were reporters, editors and producers from Spanish, Russian, Tagalog, Korean, Punjabi, Vietnamese and Chinese sources. In some, translations for undocumented immigrants are not literal and can include “always in hiding” or a form thereof. Very different from American or English-language coverage, where the use of “illegal immigrant” is prevalent. It doesn’t help when the right to freedom of speech allows racial and dehumanizing slurs from citizen journalists, politicians, or nonprofit organizations aimed at immigration reform. If the media are continually fed news bytes from government agencies or politicians not using “politically correct” terminology and turn around and use them, the damage is done. This narrow-focused and lazy approach to regurgitate without research means they are not doing their job as the fourth estate. Organizations like the nonprofit Federation for Immigration Reform (FAIR) can advocate for border shut down, limited illegal immigrants and drastic reform—and use questionable terminology. For example FAIR’s 2010 national stats are provided under the heading “Illegal Alien” population at 11,900,000 and the cost of “Illegal Aliens” was approximately $83,665,408,222. The info and perspective can be valid, but the responsibility to use correct and unbiased terminology lies with the media. Media hold great power to influence and effect

REPORTS | HISPANIC OUTLOOK

HISPANICS

Optimistic About the Power and Affordability of Higher Education

n overwhelming majority of Americans continue to believe that having a certificate or degree beyond high school is important to our success as a nation and as individuals. But, according to results from a recent Gallup-Lumina Foundation Poll on Higher Education, Hispanics and African-Americans believe most strongly in the power of postsecondary education to help deliver good jobs and a better quality of life. In addition, Hispanics are more optimistic than other groups that this type of education is available and affordable to all. The poll report, entitled Postsecondary Education Aspirations and Barriers, was conducted in English and Spanish and included adult samples (age 18 and older) living in all 50 states. A summary of key findings from the report includes: Key Finding #1— Value of Postsecondary Education • 96 percent of Americans say it is somewhat or very important to have a degree or professional certificate beyond a high school diploma • 72 percent of Hispanics say it is very important to increase the proportion of

Americans with a degree or professional certificate, compared with 56 percent of whites. • Looking ahead, 78 percent of Hispanics, 74 percent of African- Americans, and 67 percent of whites say a postsecondary degree will be more important in the future to get a good job. Key Finding #2—Hispanics & African-Americans Equate More Attainment with Jobs and Quality of Life • Eighty-four percent of Hispanics and 76 percent of African-Americans agree or strongly agree that having a professional certificate or degree beyond high school is essential for getting a good job. By comparison, 64 percent of whites agree with this same statement. • Eighty-six percent of Hispanics agree or strongly agree that a good job is essential to having a higher quality of life. Seventy-six percent of whites agree. • Eighty-three percent of Hispanics and 80 percent of African-Americans agree or strongly agree that having a college degree or professional certificate leads to a better quality of life. By comparison, 71 percent of whites agree. JUNE 15, 2015 | 13

HISPANIC OUTLOOK | REPORTS

Jamie Merisotis, president and CEO of Lumina Foundation, pointed out that according to the foundation’s Stronger Nation report—released earlier this month—degree attainment rate among U.S. residents is currently at 40 percent, but postsecondary attainment rates among AfricanAmericans and Hispanics is significantly lower, at 28 percent and 20 percent respectively. “That’s what makes these new polling data so insightful,” he said. “Even though these groups have lower rates of attainment, they have much stronger views regarding the importance and value of education beyond high school. We must seize the opportunity and use this information to help address the unacceptably large gaps in attainment.” Key Finding #3—Affordability and Student Debt as Barriers to Degree Attainment • Fifty- one percent of Hispanics say higher education is affordable, more than twice as high as the 17 percent of whites and 19 percent of blacks who say the same. In an article analyzing the poll data, Bran-

don Busteed, executive director, Gallup Education, speculates that “greater optimism among Hispanics may reflect their increase as portion of the student body in postsecondary institutions.” • Sixty-eight percent of Americans say the price of postsecondary education is very important when selecting a college or university. And 79 percent say that financial assistance is a very important factor in that process. However, the perception of the relationship between price and quality of institution varies among groups. Hispanics (71 percent) are more likely to say it is very important compared to whites (44 percent). • Sixty-two percent of Americans say that $20,000 or more in student debt is reasonable. Forty percent say that $30,000 or more in debt is reasonable. Hispanics (16 percent) are three times as likely as whites (4 percent) to say it is reasonable to accumulate more than $40,000 in debt and not graduate.

Hispanics More Optimistic About Availability, Affordability of Education Beyond High School Do you think education beyond high school is available to anyone in

Yes %

No %

61 73 70 58

39 27 30 42

21 51 19 17

79 49 81 83

this country who needs it? Overall Hispanic Black White Do you think education beyond high school is affordable to anyone in this country who needs it? Overall Hispanic Black White

Gallup-Lumina Poll, Nov. 3-Dec. 18, 2014 GALLUP Source: GALLUP

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REPORTS | HISPANIC OUTLOOK

• The report notes that “despite the cost and the risk of taking on debt, adults in the U.S. seem to feel that some college is better than no college,” and taking colleges courses is a good idea even if one does not get a degree. Key Finding #4—College Degrees as Preparation For Workplace Success • Eighty percent of Americans agree or strongly agree that colleges and universities need to change to better meet the needs of today’s students. • Thirty-six percent of Americans overall agree or strongly agree that college graduates in this country are well prepared for success in the workplace. Hispanics and African- Americans are more optimistic, 55 percent and 53 percent respectively, agreeing or strongly agreeing that graduates are well prepared, compared to 30 percent of whites. • Hispanics are significantly more likely (74 percent) than whites (42 percent) to say that a candidate’s major in college is very important to employers in the hiring process. More than twice as many Hispanics (54 percent) as whites (26 percent) say the college or university that a job candidate graduated from is very important to employers when deciding whom to hire. Key Finding #5—Hispanics are Increasingly Accepting Online Learning • When asked if the quality of education from an online college or university is just as good as the education received at a traditional college or university, 39 percent, agree or strongly agree. Half of Hispanics (52 percent) agree or strongly agree with this statement, compared with (36 percent) of whites. This finding suggests relatively strong support of online higher education among Hispanics.

Fifty-one percent of Hispanics say higher education is affordable, more than twice as high as the 17 percent of whites and 19 percent of blacks who say the same. • Forty-one percent of Americans agree or strongly agree that only a professional certificate beyond high school can lead to a good job. The report concludes that despite current concern about the cost and quality of higher education, the majority of adults in the U.S. continue to recognize the importance of having a certificate or degree beyond high school. “For many decades, education has proven to be this nation’s single most powerful engine of individual progress and upward mobility,” said Merisotis. “And in today’s rapidly changing workplace, that’s truer than ever. Some form of college-level learning is a necessity for anyone who seeks a spot in the middle class, and we must do more to create a system that is equitable and able to close the troubling attainment gaps linked to race, ethnicity, income and age.” • Note: This article is adapted from a Lumina Foundation news release by Lucia Anderson Weathers and an analysis by Brandon Busteed which appeared on www.gallup.com

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HISPANIC OUTLOOK | INNOVATIONS & PROGRAMS

Michigan Tech

Partnership

Sparks Minority Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Interest in Research

By Gary M. Stern

he four-year Michigan Technological University, located in Houghton, Michigan, wanted to appeal to more minority students. It knew that several more urban community colleges including Wayne County Community College District, Delta College and Grand Rapids Community College, attracted higher percentages of Latino and African-American students than it did. Michigan Tech is located in the northern part of the state, a 10-hour drive from Detroit and Wayne County, which is more rural and where fewer minorities reside. To encourage minorities to enroll, Michigan Tech established the Michigan College and University Partnership Program (MICUP) in 1996. Over the 19 years it has operated, more than 200 community college students have participated in MICUP and about a quarter of those students have transferred to Michigan Tech. The program enables community college students to attend the Michigan Tech campus, take a three-credit class for free during seven weeks in the summer and get involved in a research project with a mentor. It also covers room and board and pays students a $2500 stipend. It attracts STEM students and other majors such as business and psychology, who also work in research. For example, business majors have worked on 16 | JUNE 15, 2015

projects streamlining efficiencies for a HR department. Another student conducted research for a university director of administration on how the institution could reduce costs.

INNOVATIONS & PROGRAMS | HISPANIC OUTLOOK

The population of local Michigan community colleges is about 40 percent minority. But of the 7,100 students attending Michigan Tech in 2014, 5,300 were white and only 117 were Latino, 95 African-Americans 82 Asian and 156 multi-racial. For this reason, it wanted to boost its minority student contingent. Most years approximately 25 students participate in MICUP, and about 35 to 50 apply for those slots. Of the 24 students who participated in MICUP in 2013, 11 focused on science and math and five studied business and psychology. Latinos comprise about 25 to 30 percent of its students. To be accepted, students must possess a minimum 2.8 grade point average, write a personalized essay about their goals and what they expect to derive from the program, and must be interested in attending a four-year college. “It’s very individualized, based on their passion and interests,” says Kellie Raffaelli, the director of Michigan Tech’s Center for Diversity and Inclusion who coordinates MICUP. The program is free to students and is covered by a variety of grants. It costs about $6,000 to fund each student. “The main purpose of the program is to promote underrepresented community college students to transfer to four-year institutions. The goal is to provide better opportunities,” says Raffaelli, a native of the Bronx, New York. Raffaelli describes the program as “holistic” because it combines residential, academic and social experiences. “While they’re on campus, we connect and expose them to students already successful at Michigan Tech,” she says. Moreover, team-building activities such as field trips, canoe trips and rope exercises are stressed to engender a sense of community. STEM students are assigned a mentor depending on their interests and research project. “They work one- on-one with their mentor and with other PhD students,” says Raffaelli. MICUP students are furnished with the op-

portunity “to see themselves in a campus community, become a part of, and see the potential of becoming a part of a lab group,” says Raffaelli. After the program concludes, students are referred to financial aid counselors who help them navigate the process of transferring to Michigan Tech or other four-year colleges. Despite only five or six MICUP participants transferring annually to Michigan Tech, allocating resources to this effort pays dividends, says Raffaelli. She says it pays off “because it makes such an impact on these students and (because of) the diversity it brings to the school.” Participating students also serve as role models and encourage other community college students to apply to Michigan Tech.

Julio Saint-Felix and his Michigan Tech project Kellie Raffaelli, director of Center for → Diversity and Inclusion, Michigan Tech

JUNE 15, 2015 | 17

→

HISPANIC OUTLOOK | INNOVATIONS & PROGRAMS

→

“

Julio Saint-Felix explains his research to Andy Publes from Caterpillar

The main purpose of the program is to promote

underrepresented

community college

students to transfer to four-year institutions. The goal is to provide better opportunities.”

18 | JUNE 15, 2015

Kellie Raffaelli, director of Michigan Tech’s Center for Diversity and Inclusion

First-generation minority students thrive in this program because they can ask one-on-one questions. There are fewer students on campus during the summer so they get more attention and can gradually get acclimated to the campus. One problem that occasionally arises with MICUP students is “academic preparedness,” observes Raffaelli. She meets one-on-one weekly with each student to monitor their academic progress. “We also set them up with tutors to make sure they get through the program successfully,” she adds. In 2014, student performance underscored the program’s success. Every student involved in MICUP completed the program. Three quarters of the students received A’s in their course work. Anna Maria Clark, a program advisor at the Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC), describes MICUP as one of the most innovative programs in Michigan because it “invites students to get fully involved in university life by taking a class and participating in research.” It provides academic gain and personal growth and transformation. “They’re exposed to experiences they

INNOVATIONS & PROGRAMS | HISPANIC OUTLOOK

→

Michigan College and University Partnership Program (MICUP) participants

never thought they could have,” she says. GRCC has worked with MICUP over 12 years. Not only do the students gain, so does Michigan Tech, Clark suggests. “It has opened up Tech to the diversity of students applying there. It has helped it build relationships with other schools,” she says. Mentors play a special role in the program. They help students “learn the new language of working in a lab. They often invite students out and have conversations about their career or future. They operate like a guide or coach,” Clark says. Exemplifying this growth is Julio Saint-Felix, a junior at Grant Rapids Community College, who participated in the summer 2014 MICUP program. He majored in electrical engineering and is scheduled to transfer to Michigan Tech this year. In the future, he intends to earn a master’s degree and a doctorate. He calls his experience with MICUP a “life changing experience because I was able to define the areas of study that I wanted to be involved with.” During the program, he got to “experience

real college life” including the professional part and social life. After seven weeks, he fell in love with “the city, the community and the school.” While he met a few times with his mentor, much of the time Saint-Felix spent pursuing independent research. Working alone strengthened his research skills and built his confidence level. His research revolved around doing tests to improve power efficiency on an AC/DC converter. He describes participating in MICUP as helping him taste the American Dream. He studied at a “good school got paid after achieving the goals of the research, got free housing and meals for seven weeks.” Raffaelli believes the program is worth emulating and advises other four-year colleges that want to do so to take the following three steps: 1) cultivate relationships with the community college; 2) assign a dedicated administrator to oversee and manage the program, via academics, research, and social aspects; and 3) identify funding sources and ensure that support continues. • JUNE 15, 2015 | 19

HISPANIC OUTLOOK | REPORTS

Recent Data on Latinos in Higher Education Sets Stage for More Action By Angela Provitera McGlynn

atino college success does not begin at the entrance to the college campus. “Every educational experience from early childhood

FACTBOOK The Condition of Latinos in Education

2015

Excelencia in Education • www.EdExcelencia.org

20 | JUNE 15, 2015

to high school and into the workforce influences the potential for success,” says Sarita Brown, president of Excelencia in Education which recently released its 2015 factbook on Latino student educational achievement. The factbook offers a national snapshot of Latino participation in all stages of education, from early childhood programs to doctoral studies. As Brown states, the factbook provides a comprehensive analysis of all aspects of Latino learning because it is necessary to “look critically at the entire educational pipeline.” The new publication, The Condition of Latinos in Education: 2015 Factbook, was distributed earlier this year. The authors of the brief are Deborah A. Santiago, chief operating officer and vice president for policy at Excelencia in Education, Emily Calderon Galdeano, the director of research, and Morgan Taylor, research analyst. As Santiago said, the factbook is a reference tool that can be used to inform data- driven discussions about what is needed to improve Latino education. “One of Excelencia in Education’s strategies to compel action to increase Latino success is to provide timely information about the condition of

REPORTS | HISPANIC OUTLOOK

the fast growing and young Latino population in education,” said Santiago. An analysis of the fact sheets provided in this report shows there has been a lot of progress for Latinos in the last decade and yet there is much more work needed to ensure Latino success in higher education. The Condition of Latinos in 2015 Factbook only institutions looks at the nEducation: Latino undergraduates enrollednot in 4-year and entire pipeline but also on ofthe 2-year educational institutions were about equal. In Fallfocuses 2012, 51% context in which students are learning Latinos were enrolled in a four-year institutionin andorder 49% towere understand inform decision-makers and [NCES, Digest of Education enrolled at and a 2-year institution. stakeholders about Statistics 2013, Table 306.20]the many paths that promote Latino student success. n The majority of Latino students were concentrated in a It has been previously noted in many studies small number of institutions. In 2012-13, almost 60% of that reaching our nation’s goal ofin increasing the Latino undergraduates were enrolled the 11% of instiattainment of higher education degrees requires tutions of higher education identified as Hispanic-Serving bringing Latinos’ success rates higher. The Latino Institutions (HSIs). [Excelencia in Education analysis of U.S. Department population hasIPEDS, grown from 13Characteristics to 17 percent of of Education, NCES, Fall Institutional and Enrollment the population Surveys for 2012-13] from 2004 to the present. This represents an increase of 9 million Latinos. We EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT cannot allow the white-Latino achievement gap to ncontinue. Latinos significantly increased associate degrees in the last 10 years compared other “Latino groups. From 2003-04 to 2012As the report to notes, educational 13, the number of Latinos receiving an associate attainment is currently lower than that ofdegree other increased 75%. that same timeframe, Americans groups and theInnation cannot reachAfrican its reach its increased 44%, Asians increased 39%, and Whites degree attainment goals without substantially increased 37%. [SEE GRAPH] [U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 Current increasing Latino college completion.”

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nSource: LatinosThe increased bachelor degree attainment the last ten Condition of Latinos in Education: 2015in Factbook years. In 2013, 3.1 million Latinos had earned a bachelor degree as their highest degree earned. This was a 63% increase from the 1.9 million Latinos who held a bachelor degree in 2004. [U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 Current Population Survey, Table 1: Educational Attainment, and 2004 Current Population Survey, Table

Here is a snapshot of changes for Latinos since 2004 that apply specifically to college success – the changes show a positive trend: • Latino students’ high school completion rates increased from 57 to 65 percent and the percentage of Latino high school dropouts decreased by half to 13 percent. • The college enrollment rate for Latinos increased from 54 to 70 percent. Now, a higher rate of Latino students enroll in college directly from high school than both white and African-American students. Fortysix percent of Latinos are enrolled in higher education. • Latinos were also the second largest group enrolled at the undergraduate level in 2012, and Latino college enrollment is projected to increase more than other groups. • Of the traditional college age (18 – 24 years old), Latinos represented the second largest group in 2012 (21 percent). Whites represented 56 percent of college age students, African-Americans represented 15 percent and Asians represented 5 percent. • The numbers of Hispanic-Serving Institutions that enroll a high concentration of Latinos, 25 percent or more, known as HSIs, increased from 238 to 370, an increase of more than 50 percent. In 2012-13, 59 percent of Latino undergraduates were enrolled in an HSI. Other findings in terms of Latino student enrollments show that Latinos were about equally enrolled at two and four-year institutions. In 2012, 51 percent were enrolled at a four-year institution while 49 percent were enrolled at a two-year college. However, Latinos were more likely to be enrolled at a community college than any other demographic group. JUNE 15, 2015 | 21

HISPANIC OUTLOOK | REPORTS

In terms of community college Latino enrollment, there were high levels of concentration in two locations. In 2012-13, 62 percent of Latinos enrolled in a community ncollege Latino representation in K-12 educationin was largestCalifornia in the group in the attended an institution either Western and Southern regions of the United States. In 2011, he total U.S. or Texas. Hispanics represented 41% of student enrollment in the %. [NCES, Similarly, looking atK-12 enrollment West and 23% of K-12 enrollment in the South. concentration of Latino students at all Latinos represented 11% of K-12 students in the Midwest and 18% in undergraduate levels in that same 2012-13 By 2060, the Northeast. [NCES, Digest of Education Statistics 2013, Table 203.50] academic year, the majority were concentrated in total U.S. naLatino education was the second highected to repsmallenrollment numberinofhigher institutions. Almost 60 percent , 2012 National est of enrolled racial/ethnicingroups. 2012, Latino students reprewere the 11In percent of HSIs. on by Sex, Race, sented 16% of while Whites were While it undergraduate is importantstudents, to know about Latino 012]. 58%. [NCES, Digest of Education Statistics 2013, Table 306.10] enrollment patterns, more significant are higher education rates whatinthey imply r than the EDUCATIONAL e Hispanic population and attainment theATTAINMENT condition of and Latinos education. was 28 comfor promoting academic success for future n Educational attainment for Latinos increased over the last ten us Bureau, students. years. Between 2004 and 2013, the number of Latinos earning

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an associate degree or higher increased 71% (3.8 million to nLatino Latino representation in K-12 educationbut wasSurvey, largest inand the2013 Attainment Improves Still Lags [U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population 2004 6.5 million). Western and Economic Southern regions of the United States. haveTable made strides in In 2011, AnnualLatino Social and students Supplement, 1: Educational Attainment] Hispanics represented 41% of K-12 student enrollment educational attainment over the last decade. in the n West Hispanics had lower levels of educational attainment than and 23% of K-12 the South. Latinos rep The U.S.enrollment Census in Bureau shows that other groups. 22% of Hispanic adults (25 resented 11%In of2013, K-12 students in the Midwest andyears 18% and in between 2004degree and 2013, thecompared numbertoof over) had earned an associate or higher, the Northeast. [NCES, Digest of Education Statistics 2013, Table 203.50] earning an associate degree Asians (60%),Latinos Whites (46%), and African Americans (31%).or n [SEE Latino enrollment in higher education was the second highhigher increased 71 percent, from 3.8 GRAPH] [U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 2013 Annual est of racial/ethnic groups. In 2012, Latino students repremillion toTable 6.51:million. Social and Economic Supplement, Educational Attainment] sented 16% of undergraduate students, while Whites were 58%. [NCES, Digest of Education Statistics 2013, Table 306.10] EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT Percent of Adults Who Have Earned an n EducationalAssociate attainmentDegree for Latinos increased– over or Higher 2013the last ten years. Between 2004 and 2013, the number of Latinos earning an associate degree 60% or higher increased 71% (3.8 million to 6.5 million). [U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 2004 and 2013

Looking specifically at associate degrees earned, there are also significant increases.  From 2003-04 to 2012-13, the number of Latinos receiving an associate degree increased 75 percent. During the same time, the increase for AfricanAmericans was 44 percent, for Asians, 39 percent, and for whites, 37 percent. Latino bachelor degree attainment also increased in the last decade.  In 2013, 3.1 million Latinos had earned a bachelor’s degree as their highest degree and that represents a 63 percent increase from the 1.9 million Latinos who held a bachelor degree in 2004. The less-than-good news is that according to the U.S. Census Bureau, Latinos still have lower levels of educational degree attainment than other demographic groups. In 2013 among Latino adults 25 years and older, only 22 percent had earned an associate degree or higher. At the same time, 60 percent of Asians completed a degree in higher education, followed by whites (46 percent) and then followed by African-Americans (31 percent). While the data is encouraging about Latino strides in higher education over the last decade, the achievement gap with other groups is distressing. However, the research done by Excelencia in Education provides pathways for improving success rates. •

Annual Social and Economic Supplement, Table 1: Educational Attainment]

were of grown ere of %alofAmerican, public 30% by ment other places

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n Hispanics had lower levels of educational attainment than other groups. In 2013, 22% of Hispanic adults (2531% years and over) had earned an associate degree or higher, compared to 22% Asians (60%), Whites (46%), and African Americans (31%). [SEE GRAPH] [U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 2013 Annual Social and Economic Supplement, Table 1: Educational Attainment]

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of Education

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22 | JUNE 15, 2015

60% 42%

Angela Provitera McGlynn, professor emeritus of psychology, is an international consultant/presenter on teaching, learning, and diversity issues and the author of several related books.

Money: The Ubiquitous Leveler By Gustavo A. Mellander

I fear I am sometimes overly optimistic about Hispanics and higher education. But in truth there is a lot of good news. We all know more Hispanics are attending college, graduating and launching successful careers. I like to emphasize that. Besides how can one stumble through life without being optimistic? But I also realize it ‘taint all rosy for all Hispanics. As Washington-based, Excelencia in Education reports, the gap between Caucasian and Hispanic college completion rates is not only very wide but increasing. A continuing criticism of education is that we paint an overly rosy picture of the future and we de-emphasize or outright ignore the importance of money. I know some business schools cater to the “Me generation” mentality. That’s the other extreme – which I don’t recommend. I do think we should be more balanced, more realistic. Another systemic weakness is that Hispanic students all too often are either pushed out of high school or channeled into lower level service professions. It begins sometimes with their parents, who dare not hope for too much for their children. That is reinforced by well-meaning teachers who urge youngsters to be nurses, instead of doctors, to be school teachers, to be social workers. Those are all noble and needed professions but practitioners will never make much money and thus miss having the opportunities and influence that money can bring. Being a little selfish is the first step to becoming unselfish. Money Matters Going to college and the college we attend are influenced by family wealth. To the point, rich kids have far brighter futures than those at the bottom of the economic ladder, where many Hispanics still reside. Money may not guarantee happiness, but it’s a powerful component in everyone’s life. Money plays a role in the colleges we consider, the academic majors we chose, the careers we dare pursue and on and on. Student loans Today’s students have accumulated more than a trillion dollars in student debt. It’s a real burden. Given poor payment history in the past, legislation was passed so that student loans cannot be set aside through bankruptcy proceedings. The median debt for an undergraduate is $28,000. Not insurmountable – if you have a good job. But since there is high unemployment among recent college graduates one wonders how these loans will ever be paid off. Some graduate students have it worse, having acquired loans in excess of $100,000. A few months ago, Ryan Anderson wrote an opinion piece for The Chronicle of Higher Education, titled “The Lonely Shame of Student Debt,” which lays bare the underbelly reality of student loans. He was a

PhD candidate who was frequently hounded, albeit politely, by bill collectors. One day, after being passed around by several courteous but persistent bill collectors, he was asked. “Well, is there a reason why you can’t make your payment at this time?” “My answer jumps out of me: ‘I can’t make the payment because I am deep in student-loan debt, trying to finish graduate school, looking for work, there is no work, the higher-education market is completely devastated, I’m raising a kid, and I happened to go to graduate school right in the middle of a global economic implosion. Sorry.’ ” The student-debt problem is endemic in higher education. It permeates all sectors and it is painful. “Talking about student debt is taboo. Many of us feel shame and embarrassment, and we keep quiet to avoid being seen as complainers or losers. We keep our heads down.” Jobs, technology and shoals Many college graduates can’t get a job and have returned to live with their parents. Latest figures from Washington estimate that 16 percent of college graduates fall into this category. Further, a significant number who are employed aren’t working in their field of study. Technology continues to change the world. When a company can hire competent engineers, lawyers or accountants electronically for $2 an hour in India or the Philippines, homegrown opportunities are bound to shrink. More than ever I still recommend Hispanics attend college, but they should know their careers may be quite bumpy. That’s reality, par for the course. We can deal with that. Richard D. Kahlenberg, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation, notes matters are getting better but huge new cracks have surfaced. In his “The Widening Income Gap in Higher Education - and What to Do About It, ” Kahlenberg starts off adroitly enough with some good news – undoubtedly to prepare us for the bad that is to follow. His good news is that the college-going gap between students from rich and poor families has narrowed since 1970. Then Kahlenberg turns to what he characterizes as “truly devastating news.” Quoting a Pell Foundation study he writes, “The gap in bachelor’s completion by family income has roughly doubled since 1970. Why is that and what can be done to correct that trend?” Kahlenberg deciphered, “Indicators of Higher Education Equity in the United States: 45 Year Trend Report.” It starts positively enough: More students are going to college, and the gap by family income is declining. The share of dependent 18 to 24-year-old college students increased from 1970 to 2012 for all income groups. Lastly, the gap between the top and bottom income

JUNE 15, 2015 | 23

quartiles declined from 46 percent points to 36. Most would consider that good news and it is, but other things have changed. I studied the report and a clear reality emerged. The family-income difference in those who earn a bachelor’s by age 24 increased dramatically. To be specific, in 1970 dependent students from the wealthiest income quartile were 34 percentage points more likely to attain a bachelor’s degree than those from the bottom income quartile. That difference is a significant 40 percent to 6 percent variance. The clouds begin to gather. In 2013 that sizeable gap increased to 68 percentage points (77 percent vs. 9 percent). Why is that? Something or many things must have been happening. Some were planned and some were unintended consequences of what seemed a reasonable course of action. Let’s begin. I remember when the argument was put forward a few years ago that students should pay for a larger part of their education since they would be the ultimate and principle beneficiaries. Therefore, loans, heretofore quite rare for undergraduates became, for many, a reasonable course of action. But the concept was abused by predatory schools and inconsiderate administrations. Many a student was enticed to assume enormous loans in schools that provided worthless programs that did not lead to the employment so warmly promised. Secondly, even reputable colleges began to raise tuition and fees far in excess of the national cost of living. That went on for decades. Invariably student aid packages saw loans increase year after year. Further those rising tuition costs coupled with drastic reductions in federal and state financial-aid support for students pinched moderate income students. For instance, the maximum Pell Grant covered 67 percent of the average cost of college in 1975. By 2012, the maximum Pell covered only 27 percent of the total cost. Federal assistance thus had shrunk dramatically. Concurrently, state after state cut back on higher education support. In 1977 state and local governments provided 57 percent of higher education revenue, but that dropped to 39 percent in 2012. This body blow meant students and parents had to assume larger obligations. Families and students share of costs increased from 33 percent to 49 percent during this period. Which families are hurting most? It is commonly touted that when it comes to paying for college, it’s the middle class that is squeezed the most. The rationale being that wealthy children are supported by their parents, and that low-income ones receive sufficient financial aid to attend college. But current research indicates that low-income students, in fact, are under the most pressure. Why is that? Let’s check the numbers. After determining the expected family contribution, plus grants, and loans, students in the lowest family-income quartile still had $8,221 in unmet needs in 2012. That figure is higher than for students in any other quartile. Further and significantly, that level of unmet need is twice as high as it was in 1990. Some suggest the widening income gap in bachelor’s degree attainment may be due to changes in the types of institutions that students attend. As The Chronicle of Higher Education noted in its analysis, a key finding of the report is large-scale economic stratification within higher education. In plain English that means low-income students tend to attend less expensive community colleges or are seduced by aggressive for-profit institutions. On the other hand, wealthier students tend to cluster at

24 | JUNE 15, 2015

four-year public and nonprofit colleges. That phenomenon is understandable because low-income students can’t afford to go away to college. Thus they tend to attend local, low-tuition institutions. Many have family obligations and are working. They do not have the luxury of not working or attending a distant institution. Low-income students have, as noted before, been targeted by for-profit institutions. Congressional hearings have highlighted the fact that many have practiced shoddy recruitment practices and offered deficient academic programs. Hapless students including numerous veterans have been loaded down with heavy loan obligations without the benefit of securing a good education or even graduating. These trends have strengthened over time. In 2001 students receiving Pell Grants were 14 percentage points less likely than non-Pell students to go to a four-year college, as opposed to a two-year college. But by 2012 that gap between Pell and non-Pell students had grown to 20 percentage points. Concurrently, in 2012 students receiving Pell Grants were three and a half times as likely to attend a for-profit college as non-Pell students were, up from two times as likely in 2001. Is this growing stratification within higher education important? Well yes, because as recent studies indicate, when you match students by income, race, and academic preparation, a given student is more likely to receive a bachelor’s degree if she/he starts at a four-year institution than at a community college. It’s a fact. Period. Many for-profit colleges often produce worst results. What can be done? The report lists several suggestions from strengthening Pell Grants to enhancing TRIO student-support programs. Two bear particular attention. First, President Obama’s proposal for free community-college tuition is a good one. It could help low-income students attend college; spend more time studying and less time working. The strategy could also draw more middle-class students to two-year colleges which would provide many salubrious benefits. Kahlenberg pointed out in a piece for The Atlantic, that an increase of middle-income students into community colleges could strengthen the “political capital of community colleges to garner adequate financial resources from which all two-year students would benefit.” Further, the 2013 report of a Century Foundation panel, “Bridging the Higher Education Divide: Strengthening Community Colleges and Restoring the American Dream,” also called for taking steps to reduce socioeconomic and racial stratification between two- and four-year colleges in order to improve education for all students. There is also a need to return to a more vigorous state investment in public higher education. Kahlenberg ends succinctly, “When low-income American students are one-eighth as likely as rich students to earn a four-year degree by age 24, we are wasting a lot of talent and making a mockery of our commitment to equal opportunity in higher education.” Bottom line: I started on an optimistic note. I have highlighted a few shoals. But they are surmountable and optimism will help us overcome them. •

Dr. Mellander was a university dean for 15 years and a college president for 20.

By Margaret Orchowski TECH IS CHANGING UNIVERSITIES, BUT NO ONE QUITE KNOWS HOW It’s such fun to jump onto each new tech bandwagon as it passes by. Most of us like nothing more than to try the newest thing. But new things don’t last as long as they used to. The rage over MOOCS seems to have calmed down considerably: elite universities are not talking so much about how many thousands of students their elite professors reach through massive online lectures, once the world found out they wouldn’t be getting credit from those elite institutions for taking their courses on line. Similarly e-books are not taking over print: they have found a niche as texts one reads, but won’t keep like textbooks and cheap “bathtub novels” that women of a “certain age” used to absorb during a long soak. Then there is Facebook. Students seem to be increasingly wary about the time spent posting messages on a public bulletin board that could haunt them the rest of their lives. Some professors report they rarely tell students to turn off Facebook during class anymore since many students no longer use it! “We all know technology is going to change the look and conduct of the future university,” said former Indiana governor and now president of Purdue University Mitch Daniels at several meetings on higher education in Washington D.C., in March. “We just don’t quite know how.” ONLY ONE LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRY GETS VISA WAIVERS If you are a citizen of one of the 38 officially recognized visa waiver countries, you don’t need a visa to come in, stay, work, study or reside for 10 years in the United States. Right? Quite NOT right. But at recent congressional hearings, even senators and congressmen had to get up to speed on what a visa waiver is. The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows a citizen of that country to come to a U.S. port of entry without having a consular interview before hand IF they intend to visit for 90 days or less. But once there, VWPers are interviewed by the Customs and Border Patrol like everyone else and given a physical “permit” that states exactly for what and how long they can stay. Only one Latin American country has been cleared for the VWP. Can you guess? Kinda rhymes with “hilly” and starts with a C.

WHO IS AN AMERICAN? This question is sometimes posed in politically correct forums as if it is a deep inquiry. It’s not. “American” is the only universally recognized word for a U.S. citizen. We don’t call ourselves United Statians or any other some such term. Like it or not, it’s as simple as that. LATINO ENTREPRENEURS POLITICIZED BY REPORT The small business entrepreneurship of immigrants is held in awe by most Americans. Increasingly, colleges, high schools and immigrant aid groups offer courses in entrepreneurship, business training, mentoring and even access to mini-loans for “students” of all ages, especially the over 3 million new legal immigrants who settle in the United States every year (on green cards and temp permits). A New America Foundation panel in March applauded the growth of immigrant-owned small businesses in a briefing paper “Harnessing Small Entrepreneurship for Economic Growth.” The panel of Latino advocates urged that access to national funding and multilingual training for immigrant entrepreneurs be increased. It soon became clear however, that the main focus of the report was to advocate for support to broaden President Obama’s highly controversial executive action for DAPAs (Delayed Action for Parents of Americans). That program would temporarily legalize up to 5 million illegal immigrants along with 2 million DACA-DREAMERs (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), giving them work permits and access to government-funded programs and small business loans. While the permanent legalization of this population was included in the Senate’s failed 2013 bipartisan Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill, President Obama’s use of executive action to go around the new Congress and give out extensive immigration benefits, is highly controversial and possibly unconstitutional. It was unfortunate that DAPA was included in this report on immigrant entrepreneurs. Better would be if such reports could focus on how to help all entrepreneurial immigrants come in legally and create jobs for all Americans (a requirement of the investor visas), and not just create another “gotcha” political vehicle to support a controversial administrative maneuver that has tainted all Latino immigrants.

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.

JUNE 15, 2015 | 25

From the

Scholars’Corner By Kelly Ocasio, Educational Leadership & Policy

Analysis/Curriculum & Instruction University of Wisconsin – Madison, 2014 Graduate Fellow

always knew I wanted to be a teacher. I just never realized that my true passion would lie in serving my Latino community. As I sit on the brink of a new career, PhD in hand, constantly looking for ways to make education more equitable for Latinos, I find it necessary to reflect on how I’ve come to be here today. As an undergraduate student in teacher education, I soon discovered that I not only wanted to be an educator, but I wanted to serve a specific population of students – Latino students – that I felt were being mistreated by an education system that did not value our unique needs and contributions. I became that idealistic teacher who would make a difference for Latino students everywhere! After five years in the classroom, I decided the impact I was making in the classroom wasn’t enough. Armed with a master’s degree in educational leadership and policy studies, I became fascinated with college access issues and the education pipeline. As I began my doctoral studies at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, I was directed to many different resources, had fascinating conversations, reflected on my own experience, read inspiring articles and eventually chose a research area around a topic that continues to inspire me, even after finishing my degree. My research focuses on examining the experiences of Latino/a teachers as they progress through the teacher pipeline (the education pipeline that leads to a career in teaching). Having Latino/a role models at all points of the educational spectrum inspires students, like

26 | JUNE 15, 2015

me, to pursue dreams we don’t even know we have. This leads me to my experience participating in AAHHE as a 2014 Graduate Fellow. Prior to attending the conference, I expected to find connections with Latino/a peers that were passionate about the kinds of issues I was interested in. I expected to build a network of scholars and professionals that would inspire me to tackle education issues that face our community. I expected to learn about my peers’ research interests and have a comunidad that extended beyond the community that I’d found at UW-Madison. All of these expectations came true. However, I gained much more through being an AAHHE Graduate Fellow. I’ve been challenged to consider different points of view; made professional connections with peers, faculty fellows and conference attendees that I know will last a lifetime; and I’ve been encouraged to think about topics and careers that I hadn’t considered. The many mentors I gained through being a fellow have had a profound effect on my life already, as I have transitioned into a career I hadn’t considered. They’ve dared me to create new dreams. I just began a job with the Texas Education Agency working on college access and readiness initiatives. I am once again that idealistic educator hoping to make a difference for students across the state of Texas. Except this time around, with the support, wisdom, and encouragement of my AAHHE familia, I believe that I can. •

Mexico in Verse: A History of Music, Rhyme, and Power Edited by Stephen Neufeld; Michael Matthews. 2015. 360 pp. ISBN: 978-0-8165-3132-5. $35.00. paper. The University of Arizona Press, Tucson, Ariz., (800) 6212736, www.uapress.arizona.edu.

At the End of the Road: Jack Kerouac in Mexico

by Jorge García-Robles (Author), Daniel C. Schechter (Translator). Mexico, an escape route, inspiration, and destination in the novel On the Road, was crucial to Jack Kerouac’s creative development. From the writer’s initial excitement upon encountering Mexico and its fascinating display of humanity to his tortured relationship with a Mexican prostitute who inspired his novella Tristessa, this volume chronicles Kerouac’s often false view of the country while realistically detailing the incidents and individuals that found their way into his poetry and prose. 2014. 120 pp. ISBN-13: 978-0816680658. $17.95. Paper. University Of Minnesota Press. Minneapolis, Minn., (612) 627-1970 www.upress.umn.edu/

Mental Floss Presents: Be Amazing

by Maggie Koerth-Baker (Author), Will Pearson (Author), Mangesh Hattikudur (Author) What good are the world’s greatest geniuses if you can’t muddy their shoulder pads and use their accomplishments as a step stool? Mental Floss has combed through every success story in history to deliver this ultimate how-to guide for climbing your way to greatness. The message of this book is that it’s time to get off the couch and take your life to the next level. Be Amazing covers all the essential life skills. 2009. 320 pp. ISBN: 978-0061251481. $16.99. paper. William Morrow Paperbacks; Harper Collins, New York, N.Y., 212-207-7000. www.harpercollins.com

The Storyteller

by Jodi Picoult Sage Singer is a baker. She works through the night, preparing the day’s breads and pastries, trying to escape a reality of loneliness, bad memories, and the shadow of her mother’s death. When Josef Weber, an elderly man in Sage’s grief support group, begins stopping by the bakery, they strike up an unlikely friendship. In this novel, Jodi Picoult explores the lengths people will go in order to protect our families and to keep the past from dictating the future. 2013. 480 pp. ISBN: 978-1439102763. $ cloth. Atria/ Emily Bestler Books. www.simonandschuster.com. New York, NY., (212) 698-7086

Educators often rely on historians and scholarly works to explain the origin and history of society. The truth is that these kinds of sources can paint an incomplete (if not inaccurate picture) of a country’s national heritage. No history of any people can be told without the voice of the people who lived it or had stories passed on to them from their ancestors. The purpose of this book is to clarify the picture of Mexico and its people by adding a more human element to their historical legacy. In this text, the history of Mexico is spoken in the voice of ordinary people. In rhymed verse and mariachi song, in letters of romance and spoken words in the cantina, the heart and soul of a nation is revealed in all its intimacy and authenticity. Mexico in Verse, edited by Stephen Neufeld and Michael Matthews, examines Mexican history through its poetry and music, the spoken and the written word. The book’s editors made the decision to make their primary focus modern Mexico from 1840 to the 1980s. This was a time that resonated with students of history and this volume examines the cultural venues in which people expressed their basic understanding of the social, political, and economic change they witnessed taking place during times of tremendous upheaval and traumatic events, such as the Mexican- American War, the Porfiriato, and the Mexican Revolution. Through the words of many different peoples in different social strata —people of the street, of the field, of the cantinas—reveal how Mexico evolved into a modern nation in the modern nation. The result is that Neufeld and Matthews have added texture to the history of Mexico by choosing sources so far unexplored by Mexicanist scholars. Another aspect of this book is that it shines a light on how historical scholars determine what materials to use and which to ignore when trying to paint a picture of a country’s history and heritage. Every source in Mexico in Verse pulls back the curtain and shows how different social groups interpreted and understood the Mexican experience. The collected essays cover a wide range of topics: military life, railroad accidents, religious upheaval, children’s literature, alcohol consumption, and the 1985 earthquake. Each chapter provides a translated song or poem that encourages readers to participate in the interpretive practice of historical research and cultural scholarship. In this regard, Mexico in Verse serves both as a volume of collected essays and as a classroom-ready reader. Reviewed by Mary Ann Cooper

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Washington State Convention Center | Seattle, WA | November 11-14, 2015

ow in its fifteenth year, ABRCMS is one of the largest, professional conferences for underrepresented minority students, military veterans, and persons with disabilities to pursue advanced training in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). ABRCMS provides students with the opportunity to: • present research at a national forum, • expand scientific and professional development through innovative sessions, • interact with peers through multiple networking opportunities, and • explore graduate schools, summer research opportunities, and postdoctoral fellowships through the robust exhibits program.

2014 ABRCMS Exhibitor Types Industry 4 Associations/Non-profits 45 Foundations/ Research Hospital 3 Federal/Gov. Agencies 16

2014 Distribution of Scientific Disciplines Unspecified - 710 (9%) Cancer Biology 681 (9%) Immunology 562 (7%) Developmental Biological 588 (7%) Social & Behavioral Sciences & Public Health - 463 (6%) Physical Sciences & Mathematics - 362 (5%) Physiological - 389 (5%)

Biochemical - 855 (11%)

Educational Institutions 254

Cell Biological 885 (11%)

Chemical 487 (6%)

Molecular 496 (6%) Microbiological 800 (10%) Neuroscience - 669 (8%)

Important Dates: • September 11, 2015: Abstract Submission Deadline • September 11, 2015: ABRCMS Student Travel Award Deadline • October 19, 2015: Discount Registration Ends

www.abrcms.org facebook.com/abrcms

28 | JUNE 15, 2015

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abrcms@asmusa.org

NEW YORK CITY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK

TENURE TRACK FACULTY POSITIONS FALL 2015 New York City College of Technology is a comprehensive college with over 16,000 students offering both Associate and Baccalaureate Programs. City Tech seeks candidates for tenure track faculty positions beginning fall 2015. SCHOOL OF ARTS & SCIENCES ADMINISTRATION African American Studies Academic Advisor Anatomy and Physiology Academic Career Employment Specialist Anthropology/Geography Academic Internship Manager Arabic/French Academic Internship Coordinator Bioinformatics Academic SEEK Student Support Specialist Chemistry Academic Transfer Specialist Communications Benefits Manager Economics Communications & College Relations Specialist English Digital Recruiter Mathematics Finance Coordinator Medical Informatics Financial Aid Assistant Director Philosophy Major Gifts Development Manager Physics Professional & Technical Writing EXECUTIVE Psychology Dean - School of Arts & Sciences Spanish Associate Dean - Student Affairs SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES Executive Director - Human Resources Accounting SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY & DESIGN Culinary Arts/Pastry Arts Advertising Design Dental Hygiene Architectural Technology Health Service Administration Computer Engineering Technology Hospitality Management Computer Systems Technology Hotel Management Construction Management Human Services Digital Publishing Design Law & Paralegal Studies Electrical & Telecommunications Nursing Engineering Technology Radiologic Technology/Medical Imaging Foundation & Graphic Design Restorative Dentistry Game Design Vision Care Technology Illustration LIBRARY Mechanical Engineering Technology Systems & Information Technology Librarian Mechatronics Engineering Technology

To Apply: www.cuny.edu Go to Employment. These positions are anticipated vacancies. The City University of New York is an Equal Opportunity Employer which complies with all applicable laws and regulations and encourages inclusive excellence in its employment practices.

G O

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Assistant/Associate Director of Admission for Multicultural Recruitment

At DePauw, we are seeking energetic, creative people to join our dynamic team in developing new and exciting ways to support a culture of intellectual engagement combined with unique social experiences that prepare our students for life. We are currently recruiting for an Assistant/Associate Director of Admission for Multicultural Recruitment. The position requires a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree and three years of experience in admission and student recruitment. For more details and application visit: http://depauw.applicantpro.com/jobs/ DePauw University is an equal opportunity employer. Women and members of under-represented groups are encouraged to apply.

Hispanic Outlook

Assistant Dean for Assessment

Sacred Heart University in Connecticut The Isabelle Farrington College of Education invites applications for Assistant Dean for Assessment beginning May 29, 2015. Review of applications begins July 30, 2015. To apply please visit: http://www.sacredheart.edu/officesservices/humanresources/jobpostings/facultycareeropportunities/collegeofeducationassistantdeanforassessment/ Sacred Heart University is an EEO/AA employer committed to providing employment to all.

JUNE 15, 2015 | 29

PRESIDENT Laurie C. Wilder President lwilder@ parkersearch.com Porsha Williams Vice President pwilliams@ parkersearch.com 770-804-1996 ext: 102 and 109

The University of Iowa is conducting a national search for its next president. The Iowa Board of Regents invites letters of nomination, applications, or expressions of interest to be submitted to the search firm assisting the university. Review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the appointment is made. It is preferred, however, that all nominations and applications be submitted prior to July 28, 2015. For a complete position description, application instructions, and the university’s nondiscrimination policy please visit the Current Opportunities page at www.parkersearch.com.

“The Board of Regents and the University of Iowa are Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employers”

VICE PRESIDENT FOR RESEARCH The University of Cincinnati, a growing and vibrant global research University invites nominations and applications in search of our next Vice President for Research. This individual will play an essential role in the central leadership of the University’s research, scholarly and creative programs to facilitate and direct the University’s research and discovery initiatives. The University invites letters of nomination, applications (letter of interest, full resume/CV, and contact information of at least five references), or expressions of interest to be submitted to the search firm assisting the University at the email address below. Nominations and applications submitted prior to August 5, 2015 are preferred; however review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the appointment is made. For a complete position description, please visit http://www.uc.edu/president/priorities/search/search_vp-research.html Send application materials to Porsha L. Williams (pwilliams@parkersearch.com) 770-804-1996 ext: 109 The University of Cincinnati is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. Ohio law provides that public records, which would include certain search materials such as nominations and applications, be open to the public and the press. Ohio Revised Code Sec. 149.43. Notice of Nondiscrimination - http://www.uc.edu/about/policies/non-discrimination.html

30 | JUNE 15, 2015

Clinical Associate Professor of Economics/ Strategic Management/Public Policy: The Chicago Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago is seeking candidates for the position of Clinical Associate Professor of Economics/ Strategic Management/Public Policy. Clinical faculty members are expected to teach effectively and to participate in and contribute to the academic environment. In addition to teaching courses in economics, strategic management, and public policy this clinical faculty member will also serve as the executive director for the Stigler Center, having administrative, fundraising and research strategy responsibilities for the Center. Qualified applicants will have a MBA or PhD in a business field. In addition, they will have extensive experience in writing about business and economics; have worked abroad; and have experience teaching MBA classes at a research university. Each candidate will be required to submit a curriculum vitae, teaching statement, writing sample, and a course outline. To apply for this position, please complete an application online at: http://chicagobooth.edu/faculty/openings no later than June 26, 2015. The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity /Disabled /Veterans Employer.

MEDICAL SCHOOLS

ISSUE july 13, 2015

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The University of Chicago Booth School of Business is seeking to appoint outstanding scholars to tenure-track positions in Marketing beginning in the 2016-17 academic year. We are seeking the best possible candidates without regard to subfield of specialization. Applications are invited from individuals who have earned a PhD (or equivalent) or expect to receive a doctorate in the near future. Members of our faculty are expected to conduct original research of exceptionally high quality, to teach effectively, and to participate in and contribute to the academic environment. Junior candidates will be judged on potential, and we will rely heavily on the advice of established scholars. Each candidate should submit a curriculum vitae, job market paper, and at least two letters of reference from scholars qualified and willing to evaluate the candidateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability, training, and potential for research and teaching. Applications will be accepted online at: http://www.chicagobooth.edu/faculty/openings . We will begin formally reviewing applications on July 1, 2015 and strongly encourage you to complete your application by then. We will continue to accept applications until February 28, 2016. The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity / Disabled /Veterans Employer.

JUNE 15, 2015 | 31

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