UNC forum leaves unanswered questions after Mexican-American studies major suspended (Northern CO)

Greeley Tribune ^ | Tyler Silvy

[real saxophonist]

A student forum on the suspension of the Mexican-American studies major Friday at the University of Northern Colorado was intended to provide answers.

The more than 50 students, faculty and staff members crowded into the Lindou Auditorium at Michener Library wanted only one: Restore the major now.

After a forum in which the person responsible for the surprise suspension chose “no comment” as one of her only comments, it seems the answer to that request is still unknown.

Donna Bottenberg, dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, was scheduled to host the forum, along with Department of Hispanic Studies Chairwoman Joy Landeira and Dean of University College Tom Smith.

But only Landeira, Smith and a moderator stood at the front of the auditorium at noon Friday, with Smith providing the administration’s viewpoint.

The hastily arranged forum came after pushback from Latino students and professors following the university’s March 25 decision to suspend the major because of low enrollment. Just two students are majoring in Mexican-American studies this year, continuing a downward trend since the major boasted 11 students in the 2010-11 academic year.

But the suspension reverberated throughout UNC’s Latino community, springing many to action.

Energized by what they called an insult to their culture, more than 30 Latino students filed into the auditorium after a rally at 11th Avenue and 20th Street. On the corner, their signs read “Help save MAS,” and “You can’t take our culture,” and “Knowledge is power.”

A Facebook page called “Save MAS at UNCo” had more than 400 likes by 9 p.m. Friday.

Inside the auditorium, many were vocal critics of Bottenberg’s action to suspend and her relative inaction to defend that suspension at the forum.

“Dean, where the anger and frustration that we all feel, I think it comes from the pride that we feel for our culture and for this program,” said Martin Gonzalez, a UNC student who is not majoring in Mexican-American studies. “It’s insulting to us, and to me personally, when you let (other people lead the forum) and you don’t have a comment. I would appreciate if you could say something.”

After moments of silence, Bottenberg turned in her chair to face the crowd.

“The one thing I’ll say is this: It was not a unilateral decision,” Bottenberg said. “It was based on data, and information was shared. In the future, I’ll communicate in writing.”

After the forum, Bottenberg said she never intended to play host to such an event. It was not the time and the place for a debate between her and Landeira over procedure, she said.

That’s precisely what many of the attendees wanted to hear. Landeira provided their outlet, giving background on how she and professors Priscilla Falcon and Genevieve Canales were essentially blindsided during a March 25 meeting by Bottenberg’s decision to suspend.

“When we went to the March 25 meeting, we thought we were coming to a dialogue meeting,” Landeira said. “But instead, we got a letter. I use the word blindsided.”

The first reaction to that letter, Landeira said, was “Can we say no?”

“That’s what we were asking then, and that’s what I’m still asking now,” Landeira said.

Students broke into applause then, and on three other occasions. A chorus of snapping fingers serenaded other points for Mexican-American studies. The sound matched the buzz of energy, which exploded, the first time, when Canales walked up to the stage.

She had initially objected to the use of notecards for questions, declaring that as a Mexican woman, she would not be told how and when to use her voice.

“Why are our top administrators on another continent?” Canales asked. “They’re nurturing relationships, and that’s great. But what about nurturing relationships with the largest minority group in the United States?”

Smith did his best to calm the discussion, reassuring the crowd that the suspension was not a sign of eventual elimination.

If the suspension remains in place, Landeira and company will have until Sept. 15 to create a focused plan to address the major’s challenges, including limited job outcomes. Three of the five publicized job outcomes are human relations positions. The two others are event planner and translator.

Landeira said she has no doubt that work could be done without suspending the major. And the suspension, which came right before students were able to declare majors, could set the program back further, Landeira said.

For Smith, any damage that has been done by the suspension can only be solved through open communication like Friday’s forum.

“I think it’s clear that there’s, internally, personally, people on campus who feel insulted and disrespected,” Smith said. “We must fix that with dialogue.”

Tyler Silvy covers education for The Greeley Tribune. Reach him at tsilvy@greeleytribune.com. Connect with him at Facebook.com/TylerSilvy or @TylerSilvy on Twitter.

[Lion Den Dan]

These snot nosed punks need to worry about American culture and quit with the Mexican crap. I say this with the realization that many of these “students” are illegals.