04/29/2013 Getting That Degree

APRIL 29, 2013 • $3.75 www.HispanicOutlook.com VOLUME 23 • NUMBER 15

Completing College Diversifying Higher Ed Budget Cuts in California

Also available in

Digital Format

http://www.hispanicoutlook.com

2 H I S P A N I C O U T L O O K • 0 4 / 2 9 / 2 0 1 3

TheUniversity of South Florida System is a high-impact,global research system dedicated to student success. TheUSF System includes three institutions: USF Tampa;

USF St. Petersburg; and USF Sarasota-Manatee. The institutions areseparately accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the SouthernAssociation of Colleges and Schools. All institutions have distinct missionsand strategic plans. Serving more than 47,000 students, the USF System hasan annual budget of $1.5 billion and an annual economic impact of $3.7billion. USF is a member of the Big East Athletic Conference.

Administrative and Executive Positions:Director of Development (Advancement)

Sr. Director of Development-COB (Advancement)Director (Associate Executive Director-Alumni) Advancement

Director for Center of Student InvolvementSr. Director of Development (Advancement)

Regional Vice Chancellor (St. Petersburg Campus)Director of Clinical Affairs (College of Medicine)

Faculty Positions:College of Arts and Sciences College of EducationAssistant Professor (6) Dean (1)Assistant/Associate Professor (3)Assistant/Associate/Full Professor (2)Associate Professor/Professor (1)

College of Business College of EngineeringAssistant Professor (2) Open Rank (Full Professor) (2)Associate Dean (1) Assistant Professor (1)Associate Professor/Full (2) Open Rank (Full/Associate/Assistant) (2)Assistant/Associate Professor (2)

St. Petersburg Campus Behavioral SciencesAssistant Professor (5) Assistant Dean (1)

College of Public Health Sarasota CampusAssistant Professor (2) Assistant Professor (2)Assistant/Associate Professor (1)

College of Medicine College of NursingAssistant/Associate Professor (10) Nursing Faculty (2)Assistant Professor (11) Assistant/AssociateProfessor (1)Assistant/Associate/Full Professor (5)

Mental Health Law & Policy Coll. of Behavioral and Comm. SciencesAssistant Professor (2) Professor (1)Professor (1) Assistant Professor (2)

Associate/Full Professor (1)

For a job description on the above listed positions including department,disciple and deadline dates: (1) visit our Careers@USF Web site athttps://employment.usf.edu/applicants/ jsp/shared/Welcome_css.jsp; or(2) contact The Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity, (813) 974-4373;or (3) callUSF job line at 813.974.2879.

USF is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution,committed to excellence through diversity in education and employment.

www.usf.edu • 4202 E. FowlerAve,Tampa, FL 33620

Vice President for Student Affairs

The University of Connecticut invites nominations and applications for the position ofVice President for Student Affairs.

The University of Connecticut (UConn) is one of the nation’s leading public researchuniversities. Founded in 1881, UConn is a Land Grant and Sea Grant college andmember of the Space Grant Consortium. It is the state’s flagship institution of highereducation with its main campus in Storrs in addition to a Law School, Medical andDental Schools, a Health Center and five regional campuses in Greater Hartford,Stamford, Waterbury, Avery Point, and Torrington. The Law School campus is locatedin Hartford; the Health Center campus is located in Farmington. Both are closelylinked to the main campus through academic projects.

UConn is ranked among the Top 25 public universities in the nation according to the2013 U.S. News & Report. The University has approximately 10,000 faculty and staffand 30,000 students which includes more than 22,000 undergraduates and nearly 8,000graduate/professional students. UConn offers about 100 majors, eight undergraduatedegrees, 17 graduate degrees, and five professional degree programs. In 2012,UConn’s main campus admitted the highest-achieving freshmen in University history.Student diversity continues to increase, as does the number of honors students,valedictorians and salutatorians who consistently make UConn their top choice.

The state legislature is currently considering a proposal by Connecticut’s governorcalled Next Generation Connecticut, an initiative that would add 6,580 students(growth of more than 20 percent) to UConn’s student body, enhance the physicalinfrastructure for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs,create a premiere STEM honors program and hire an additional 259 faculty membersbeyond the 290 new faculty hires already planned under UConn’s four-year facultyhiring initiative that began in 2012.

Reporting to the President and the Provost, and serving as a member of the President’sCabinet, the Vice President for Student Affairs will provide the vision and strategy forthe division of student affairs and the programs, services, and co-curricularexperiences that enhance student success. The Vice President oversees a range of areasaffecting the student experience including the Center for Students with Disabilities,Community Standards, Counseling and Mental Health Services, Dining Services, Off-Campus Student Services, Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life, Office of StudentServices & Advocacy, One Card Office, Residential Life, Student Affairs InformationTechnology, Student Activities, Student Health Services, Student Union, Wellness &Prevention Services and five cultural centers. The Vice President for Student Affairsoversees a staff of approximately 300 and directly manages a budget of approximately$80 million.

The Vice President for Student Affairs should possess senior leadership experience ina complex student affairs division. The successful candidate will also demonstratestrong fiscal and budgetary management skills and the ability to develop and mentor astellar staff. The Vice President for Student Affairs must fully understand studentdevelopment, learning outcomes, and best practices in student affairs. A terminaldegree in student services or a related field is preferred.

Initial screening of applicants will begin immediately, and continue until the positionis filled. For full consideration, please provide applications or nominations by May15, 2013. The University of Connecticut will be assisted by Ellen Brown Landersand Cynthia Greenleaf of Heidrick & Struggles, Inc. For further information, pleasesee: http://provost.uconn.edu/vice-president-for-student-affairs/. Nominations andapplications should be directed to:

University of Connecticut Vice President for Student Affairs Search CommitteeHeidrick & Struggles, Inc.

303 Peachtree Street, NE, Suite 4300Atlanta, GA 30308

Telephone: 404-682-7313Email: [email protected]

University of Connecticut is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

http://www.usf.edu

http://www.uconn.edu

mailto:[email protected]

Editor-in-Chief – Suzanne López-Isa

Editor – Jason Paneque

News & Special Project Editor –

MaryAnn Cooper

AdministrativeAssistant & Subscription

Coordinator – Barbara Churchill

DC Congressional Correspondent –

Peggy Sands Orchowski

Contributing Editors –

Carlos D.Conde,MichelleAdam

Online ContributingWriters –

GustavoA.Mellander

Art & Production Director –

Avedis Derbalian

Graphic Designer –

JoanneAluotto

Sr.Advertising SalesAssociate –

Angel M. Rodríguez

Article ContributorsFrank DiMaria,Yvette Donado,

Marilyn Gilroy,MyrkaA.González,Angela Provitera McGlynn, Jerry Plush,

Miquela Rivera,Gary M. Stern

Editorial Office80 Route 4 East, Suite 203, Paramus,N.J. 07652

TEL (201) 587-8800 or (800) 549-8280FAX (201) 587-9105

“‘The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education’and ‘Hispanic Outlook’ are registered

trademarks of The Hispanic Outlook in HigherEducation Publishing Company, Inc.”

Letters to the EditorThe Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine ®

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

email: [email protected]

®

Editorial Board

Ricardo Fernández, President

Lehman College

Mildred García, President

California State University-Fullerton

Juán González,VP Student Affairs

University of Texas at Austin

Lydia Ledesma-Reese, Educ. Consultant

Ventura County Community College District

Gustavo A. Mellander, Dean Emeritus

George Mason University

Loui Olivas,AssistantVPAcademic Affairs

Arizona State University

Eduardo Padrón, President

Miami Dade College

Antonio Pérez, President

Borough of Manhattan Community College

MaríaVallejo, Provost

Palm Beach State College

Editorial PolicyThe Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine® is a national

magazine published 23 times a year. Dedicated to exploring issues

related to Hispanics in higher education,The Hispanic Outlook in

Higher Education Magazine® is published for the members of the higher

education community. Editorial decisions are based on the editors’ judg-

ment of the quality of the writing, the timeliness of the article, and the

potential interest to the readers ofThe 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 inter-

viewed 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 byThe Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine®.

Advertising SalesTEL (201) 587-8800 ext. 102/106

FAX (201) 587-9105

email: [email protected]

Want a Subscription?Visit: www.HispanicOutlook.com

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

Postmaster: Please send all changes of address to:

The Hispanic Outlook,P.O.Box 68,Paramus,N.J. 07652

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

and a sponsor of

Publisher – José López-Isa

VP & COO – Orlando López-Isa

0 4 / 2 9 / 2 0 1 3 • H I S P A N I C O U T L O O K 3






amazing how quickly some dyed-in-the-wool political stances can turn on a dime in the face of publicopinion. Take the case of immigration reform. When the Latino vote went overwhelmingly to support the re-electionof the president – even in the face of crushing economic times – lawmakers sat up and took notice, scrambling to climb aboard thebandwagon of sensible reform. What remains to be seen is how “sensible” is defined.

In this issue, we delve into the courting of the Hispanic voter and the challenges that reform will bring to the world of highereducation. One of our headlines carries the message “Latinos Are Liked! Really, Really, Liked!” And while that might represent a positivechange in perception by the public and politicians, our article explores how each political party is succeeding or failing as Hispanic votersuitors, and how they can do better. Also, just how will decisions on this issue made in Washington impact higher education – the so-called “missing link” of immigration reform? With more and more children of the undocumented coming out of the shadows, HO presentssome ideas on how to bring these students into academic life and mainstream young professionals with much-needed skills into society.

In this issue, we quote Lawrence E. Katz in his “The Race Between Educators and Technology” as an exclamation point to thisargument that we must do this if we are to thrive economically as a nation. He noted, “The 20th century was the century when educationbecame the dominant factor determining the wealth of nations, and it was the century when America was first to discover that notion.”Better late than never! Next month in our Top 100 issue, we celebrate those schools that are working to fulfill that academic mission.

¡Adelante!Suzanne López-IsaEditor-in-Chief

It�s

Start Nowby advertising in

Diversifying Your InstitutionA Multicultural Faculty is the key to

Call our experienced sales staff at:

1.800.549.8280

EsquinaEditorial



Being a politician anywhere, butparticularly in Washington, is aprecarious business. You have

handlers to help you negotiate thepolitical minefields and the always-lurking faux pas you invariably com-mit. When you do make a blunder,you plea repentance and promiseredemption to the offended parties.

Rep. Don Young for the past 40years has been the sole and untilnow innocuous congressman fromAlaska. Hardly anyone except forhis constituents had heard of himuntil he appeared on a local radioshow and in discussing bygoneagricultural days referred to farm-workers as “wetbacks.”

He didn’t say Mexicans or Latinos,but the inference is deafening.

Young talked about his youngerdays in California, where he grewup, saying, “My father had a ranch.We used to have 50 to 60 wetbacksto pick tomatoes. It takes two peo-ple to pick the same tomatoes now.It’s all done by machine.”

The farmworkers might havebeen from other ethnic or racialgroups, but in this case, as manyalready know, “wetback” is code,and a derisive word for a Mexicanor, to be more precise, a Mexicanfarmworker, although in my days inSouth Texas you didn’t have to workon a farm to be called a “wetback.”

You’re already aware of theuproar it caused. Interestingly, itwas contained mostly to Rep.

Young’s fellow politicians inWashington and the few Latino rep-resentatives in Congress.

Washington’s political “A” teammembers, like Republican HouseSpeaker John Boehner, issued state-ments condemning the comments.

“Congressman Young’s remarkswere ... beneath the dignity of theoffice he holds and warrants animmediate apology,” Boehner said.

Republican Sen. John McCainsaid, “Don Young’s comments ...have no place in our party or inour national discourse.”

House Minority Leader NancyPelosi called Young’s comments“deeply hurtful and ... inappropriate.”

Congressional Hispanic Caucuschairman Rubén Hinojosa said,“Shame on you, Don Young. It’sdeeply disheartening that in 2013 weare forced to have a discussion abouta member of Congress using suchhateful words and racial slurs.”

All the chest thumping isbecause the Latino vote is big now,and, boy, do the politicians knowhow to spot an apple-polishing,pro-Latino opportunity they canlater cash in for votes.

Apparently, the news was slowgetting out to the U.S. outback, andthere was scant reaction. There wasno marching in the streets byLatinos like you might expect fromsay the Muslims had someonedanced on the Koran.

It didn’t stir Latino passionsnotably because although the term“wetback” is a relatively well-known word, it’s antiquated intoday’s cultural references.

Also, save for Mexicans, otherLatinos, whatever their origin andstatus, have hardly dealt with the“wetback” issue or identified with itas in the olden days when it wasabout swimming the Rio Grandeand being chased by the U.S. borderpatrol, sometimes on horseback.

Congressman Young has had lit-tle dealing with the small Latinoconstituency in Alaska. He takes hisexperience with Latinos, largelyMexican, from his California days.

There is a small but growingLatino community in Alaska, but it’snot about working in tomato patch-es or picking oranges. Like manyothers on the mainland, Latinoshave discovered Alaska, and thetransplanting is on – many startingprivate businesses or working inthe oil and construction industries.

Alaska has an estimated731,449 persons. In the last 10years, Alaska’s Hispanic populationhas grown 52 percent, making itthe fastest-growing minority in thestate. Whites constitute 68 percentof the population.

Striking a blow in defense of theunderprivileged and the underdog– particularly if it involves the cur-rent golden group of minorities,Latinos – is still good politics inWashington or wherever their polit-ical vote is coveted.

Alaska has started to becomeattractive to Latinos although thenumbers show Whites and the con-servative bloc still vastly outnumberthe mostly Mexican-American legions.

Nevertheless, you can’t ignore eth-nic sensibilities knowing that theSpanish-speaking community is nowthe largest minority group in the coun-try on track to becoming the dominantgroup overtaking Whites and woe beunto you if you ignore this.

Political observers say, please theLatinos and they can help get you tothe White House. Over 70 percentvoted for the Democrat incumbent,Barack Obama, in the last election.

Why is Washington all of a sud-den taking unbridled umbrage withan uncouth, insensitive legislatorignoring a bit of history when theterm “wetback” was a part of theWashington lexicon and Mexican

undocumented workers were aproblem as well as a solution?

The Eisenhower administrationcommanded the U.S. Immigrationand Naturalization Service toundertake “Operation Wetback” in1952 to stymie what many of ourWashington leaders had perceivedas a plague of mostly Mexicansswimming the Rio Grande to workprimarily in the agricultural fieldsand as stoop laborers.

It came after the legitimateBracero Program initiated by theRoosevelt administration in 1942 toimport temporary Mexican contractworkers to offset the scarcity ofU.S. laborers.

Supposedly, the venerable NewYork Times first used the term“wetback” as early as June 1920 todescribe illegal Mexican farm-workers, and the U.S. Immigrationand Naturalization Service adoptedthe word.

Operation Wetback was aban-doned after opponents of the pro-gram in Mexico and the U.S. began tocomplain of “police state” methods.

There are still “wetbacks” alongthe Rio Grande because it’s still themost convenient way to get to theU.S. if you’re undocumented,although the illegal traffic ofMexicans and other groups hasbecome more sophisticated.

Congressman Young has apolo-gized for his bigotry and insensitivity,and we can forgive him for his badcharacterization of Latinos and fornot knowing of what he speaks of.

AlrightYouWetbacks,ReadThis!

PoliticalBeat

Carlos D. Conde, award-win-ning journalist and commentator,former Washington and foreignnews correspondent, was an aide inthe Nixon White House and workedon the political campaigns ofGeorge Bush Sr. To reply to this col-umn, contact [email protected].

by Carlos D. Conde



Page 8

Page 11

MAGAZINE®

CONTENTS

APRIL 29, 2013

NSCRC’s Completing College Report and the GatesFoundation’s Presentation on the Higher Ed BudgetCrisis by Angela Provitera McGlynn

8

LatinosAre Liked! Really, Really Liked!by Peggy Sands Orchowski

The Missing Link in Immigration ReformbyYvette Donado

Banking on Solutions:Webster Bank Invests inFinancial Literacy by Jerry Plush

ACE Launches Effort to Diversify HigherEducation Leadership by Marilyn Gilroy

11

14

15

16

UT System to Open a New Universityby Frank DiMaria

State Budget CutsWreaking Havoc on CaliforniaCommunity Colleges by Gary M. Stern

20

18

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

Latinos

Unemployment in 2011 (in %)Unemployment in 2011 (in %) M2.4

3.6

4.9

6.8

8.7

9.4

14.1

1



Page 18

Page 20

DEPARTMENTSPolitical Beat by Carlos D. Conde

Alright You Wetbacks, Read This!5

PPrriimmiinngg tthhee PPuummpp...... by Miquela Rivera

Wisdom of Grandparents and Parents

Back Cover

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

HHiissppaanniiccss oonn tthhee MMoovvee 22

Book Review by Myrka A. González

Roots of Style

23

IInntteerreessttiinngg RReeaaddss 23


NSCRC’s Completing College Report and the Gates

Foundation’s Presentation on the Higher Ed Budget Crisisby Angela Provitera McGlynn

Funded by a grant from the Lumina Foundation, the Signature ReportCompleting College: A National View of Student Attainment Rateswas published November 2012 by the National Student Clearinghouse

Research Center (NSCRC) and is unique in how it gathers completion data.Earning a degree or a certificate is understood to be a key college successoutcome. However, institutions and policymakers in the United States onlymeasure degree outcomes for students who complete their degrees fromthe college where they began.

The NSCRC Signature Report series goes beyond such measures andassesses rates of college completion of all postsecondary credentials of alllevels and types at any institution and in any state regardless of how manycolleges students attended prior to completing their degrees. This is animportant advance in assessment of college completion given that one-thirdof first-time college students attend several institutions before actually earn-ing a degree or certificate. Indeed, nontraditional students, those who post-pone going to college beyond traditional age (24 and older) and/or attendcollege part time and have full- and part-time jobs actually have become thenew normal among North American college students. The majority of stu-dents now move towards their degrees in nontraditional ways.

This report adds to the database by including:• Six-year college outcomes, including the first instance of degree or cer-tificate completion (first completion), persistence and stop-out – out-comes are broken out by students’ age at first entry, students’ enrollmentintensity, enrollment intensity within each age group, and type of starting

institution (enrollment intensity refers to the students’ enrollment status inall terms of enrollment; the report categorized mixed enrollment studentsas those who changed their enrollment status from full time to part time orvice versa, from term to term)• Six-year college outcomes for students who started at four-year publicinstitutions, at two-year public institutions, at four-year private nonprofitinstitutions and at four-year private for-profit institutions• Patterns of completion across state lines, broken out by students’enrollment intensity, students’ age at first entry, and enrollment intensitywithin each age group

The news from this added data is somewhat promising. Within six yearsstarting in 2006, 12.1 percent of first-time-in-college degree-seeking stu-dents completed a degree or certificate at an institution other than theirstarting institution. This raises the overall postsecondary completion ratefrom 42 percent to 54.1 percent.

Since the data is more nuanced, the report was able to determine thatstudents who started at four-year public institutions had a completion rateof 60.5 percent within the six-year period, including 12 percent of studentswho completed their degrees at an institution other than the one at whichthey started.

For two-year public institution students, completion rates go up to 60.5percent for the six-year period including the 12.4 percent of students whocomplete at a different institution from the one where they started. We seesimilar increases for students who start at four-year private nonprofit

REPORTS


Unemployment in 2011 (in %)Unemployment in 2011 (in %) Median Weekly Earnings in 2011 (in $)Median Weekly Earnings in 2011 (in $)

Professional DegreeMasterʼs Degree

Bachelorʼs DegreeAssociate Degree

Some College, No DegreeHigh School Diploma

Less Than High School Diploma

2.4

3.6

4.9

6.8

8.7

9.4

14.1

1,665

1,263

1,053

768

719

638

451

COLLEGE AND SOCIAL MOBILITYCOLLEGE AND SOCIAL MOBILITY

schools – 62.5 percent completion rates within six years if we add the 12.9percent who complete their degrees at a different school.

Interestingly, the trend is different for students who begin their educa-tions at four-year private for-profit institutions: these students had lowercompletion rates at an institution other than the starting school (37.8 per-cent at the starting institution and 4.9 percent at a different institution).

Since this report was able to disaggregate groups of students, anotherinteresting finding appears when we look at completion rates for exclusive-ly part-time students that make up 7.2 percent of the study’s cohort. It isunderstandable that completion rates for these students would be lowergiven that six years is not enough time to complete a degree if students areenrolled only part time. We should expect, though, that these studentswould still be enrolled at the end of the six-year period. However, this isnot the case. Fifty-nine percent of part-time enrollees at four-year privatenonprofit institutions and 70 percent at four-year public and two-year pub-lic institutions had either dropped out or stopped out of school, showingno enrollments in the final year of the study.

When part-time students were further disaggregated into older studentsand traditional-age students, it was found that older students had a highercompletion rate than younger students. The report states that the overallcompletion rates of older students were driven largely by the degree-com-pleters of the exclusively full-time enrollees among them.

Additionally, this Signature Report, written by Doug Shapiro and AfetDundar with the assistance of the Project on Academic Success, IndianaUniversity (Jin Chen, Mary Ziskin, Eunkyoung Park, Vasi Torres, and Yi-Chen Chiang), looked at our-of-state completions. Out-of-state degreecompletions had not been tracked previously by traditional measurements.

Completion rates for students who start at a college or university intheir home state and then complete their studies at an out-of-state institu-tion have typically been missing from the data gathered by traditional mea-suring approaches. This report found that 3.5 percent of students receiveda degree in a state different from the one where they started within the sixyears studied. Out-of-state student completers represent about 6.5 percentof all completions, and more than a fourth (28.7 percent) of all studentswho completed a degree did so somewhere other than the school at whichthey began their studies.

Using all this extended data, this report provides a more comprehen-sive analysis of student progress and degree completion and thus a widerperspective on student success in postsecondary education. The implica-tions of the research findings are very clear – policy discussions need tofocus more on older, nontraditional-age college students and on studentswho enroll part time and not on a continuous basis.

In the words of the report: “these findings have the potential to con-tribute to ongoing discussions about national education goals and institu-

tional accountability. More specifically, the findings suggest that emergingpolicy initiatives should look to more nuanced and targeted measures of stu-dent success and that institutions should provide student support tailored tothe differing needs of students along their various postsecondary pathways –pathways that include intermittent part-time enrollment in multiple institu-tions, enrollment as a returning adult learner, and longer time to degree.

This report shows, although not specifically stated, that Latino students(our fastest-growing minority population) are at risk for degree comple-tion for a number of reasons. First, due to financial and cultural reasons,Hispanic students are more likely to enroll part time (one college comple-tion risk factor), more likely to live at home (another college completionrisk factor), more likely to work full or part time while studying (yetanother college completion risk factor), and not have adequate funding tocomplete their degrees.

Since many of these risk factors involve financial barriers for Hispanicstudents and other low-income groups, I was drawn to the recentPowerPoint presentation of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation titledIncomplete: A Higher Education Case Study of the Budget Crisis(November 2012).

I noticed the Gates Foundation presentation online where JordanWeissman, associate editor at The Atlantic, posted it on InShare inNovember. Weissman reported that Bill Gates explained some ideas relatedto higher education at the Washington Ideas Forum. Specifically, Gatesfocused on how shrinking state budgets have made college less affordableand have led to ballooning student debt. Gates further stated that althoughthe cost of higher education is certainly a major problem, the bigger issueis our nation’s terribly low college graduation rates. Weissman reportsGates saying that if we want to produce an educated, 21st-century work


NSCRC’s Completing College Report and the Gates

Foundation’s Presentation on the Higher Ed Budget Crisis

Completion at Starting vs. Different Institution by Age at First Entry

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%

24 or Younger Over 24

76.4%

23.6% 14.8%

85.2%

Completed atDifferent Institution

Completed atStarting Institution

force, we need to focus on making sure more students who are currentlydropping out of school instead make it to commencement.

Weissman posted the PowerPoint presentation Gates used that Gatesdelivered before his question-and-answer session with The New YorkTimes’ David Leonhardt. Gates shared many of his valuable insights in hispresentation.

Gates used Claudia Goldin and Lawrence F. Katz’s quote from The RaceBetween Education and Technology to emphasize the correlationbetween higher education and economic growth: “The 20th century wasthe century when education became the dominant factor determining thewealth of nations, and it was the century when America was first to discov-er that notion.”

Most educators and policymakers now take for granted that we need toexpand our higher education base in order to be economically competitivein a global economy and that cannot be achieved without graduating moreHispanic students. Gates reminds us that internationally our nation is nowbelow average in college graduates, trailing 12 other countries – whereasonce we were number one.

We are not producing enough graduates to fill the jobs of the latter partof this decade. One of Gates’ slides quotes the executive summary of HelpWanted: Projections of Jobs and Education Requirements Through 2018by the Center on Education and the Workforce (Anthony Carnevale, NicoleSmith and Jeff Strohl): “By 2018, we will need 22 million new collegedegrees – but will fall short of that number by at least three million post-secondary degrees.”

Using data from the Current Population Survey, Bureau of LaborStatistics, Gates notes the strong positive correlation between a collegeeducation and social mobility. In addition to the nation’s need for gradu-ates to populate the work force, our nation’s people benefit greatly by

earning a degree. The higher people go on the educational ladder, thelower their unemployment rates and the higher their median earnings.

Gates explains the following conundrum: College enrollments keepgoing up – in all the United States, the average enrollment increase from2006 to 2011 was 16.9 percent. During the same time span, state fundinghas gone down by 12.5 percent. Colleges are then forced to raise tuition.Federal funding and heavy borrowing made up some of the difference cre-ated by state cuts.

The essential problem is that students aren’t completing their degrees –not even those students who are fortunate enough to get grants and loans.Using statistics from the U.S. Department of Education, Gates cites the per-centages of students who graduate from four-year institutions within sixyears: 58 percent, and from two-year schools within three years: 30 percent.

At the end of the Gates presentation, he offers three guiding principlesof higher education reform that certainly make sense. He suggests the fol-lowing:• Don’t cut more; we have already cut higher education to the bone, andit’s critical to economic growth and opportunity• Get more productivity out of federal grants and loans; find credibleways to help institutions and students receiving them raise graduation rates• Focus on today’s students: working, raising children and enrolled part time

We can see a very clear overlap between NSCRC’S Completing Collegereport and Gates’ perspectives on solutions.

Angela Provitera McGlynn, professor emeritus of psychology, is aninternational consultant/presenter on teaching, learning and diversityissues and the author of several related books.


Positions contingent on funding

Gallaudet University serves deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing studentsfrom many different backgrounds and seeks to develop a workforce thatreflects the diversity of its student body. Gallaudet is an equal employmentopportunity/affirmative action employer and actively encourages deaf,hard of hearing, members of traditionally underrepresented groups,people with disabilities, women, and veterans to apply for open positions.

The university is currently accepting applications for one or morefaculty positions in the following departments:

American Sign Language and Deaf StudiesBusinessCounselingEducationForeign Languages, Literature and CulturesInterdisciplinary PhD program in Educational Neuroscience (GSPP)Hearing, Speech and Language SciencesInterpretationLinguisticsPsychology

For detailed job descriptions and application information, go to:http://www.gallaudet.edu/hrs/employment_opportunities.html

http://jobs.virginia.gov

http://www.southside.edu/about/employment

http://www.gallaudet.edu/hrs/employment_opportunities.html

Latinos Are Liked! Really, Really Liked!

by Peggy Sands Orchowski

Inthe past six years, the image of Latinosin the United States has changed sub-stantially. During the 2006-07 Latino-

centric comprehensive immigration reform bat-tles and until approximately 2009, Latinos wereviewed generally and usually compassionately bythe public and the media as poor, mainly unedu-cated, Spanish-speaking-only immigrants whohad had to cross illegally over the Mexican bor-der to get bend-over agriculture, maintenanceand dirty kitchen jobs in the United States thatno American citizen or legal immigrant woulddo. Since 2010, however, Latinos are increasing-ly being toasted, flirted with, recruited and ven-erated as the fastest-growing political power andeducation success story in America.

This new image of Latinos was especially evi-dent in all the major events of the 2012 presi-dential elections: the nomination conventions,the election itself and the inauguration cere-monies of President Obama.

Latinos were the stars of both the Republicanand Democratic Party conventions in Tampa,Fla., and Charlotte, N.C., respectively. Both con-ventions featured new Latino faces, voices andleaders. The Democrats featured Los AngelesMayor Antonio Villaraigosa as the host of theconvention; their keynote speakers were theidentical twin brothers Julián and Joaquín Castro– the mayor of San Antonio, Texas, and the(winning) candidate for Congress, respectively.During the day when there was no national tele-vision coverage, the Democratic convention del-egates met in group caucuses including thewomen’s caucus, the Black caucus, the gay andlesbian caucuses and the huge Latino caucus.First lady Michelle Obama and Obama advisorValerie Jarrett visited each caucus individually tobring a personal message about their particularissues. For Latinos, Democrats focused on theDREAM Act. Every single speaker at theDemocratic convention mentioned the DREAMAct, to which the audience immediately respond-ed with standing ovations, cheers and applause;a Latino illegal immigrant student DREAMer wasgiven a prime-time evening speaking slot.

The Republican convention also featurednew star Republican Hispanics on their platformin prime time. They actually outranked theDemocratic Latino stars and were more diverse.Republicans highlighted the first Latina governor

in the United States – Susanna Martínez of NewMexico; and the newest Hispanic senator, MarcoRubio of Florida. The wife of the Republicangovernor of Puerto Rico was also featuredamong others. Almost every Republican statedelegation had Hispanic members, includingMexican-heritage youth delegates fromCalifornia and Texas, holding up signs bearingslogans such as “Latinos for Romney.” Duringthe day at the Republican convention, unlike theDemocrats, the Republicans met in state caucus-es, not identity target groups. Unlike theDemocrats, Republican Hispanics did not cam-paign as Latinos; they ran as Republicans focus-ing on GOP issues such as reducing governmentincursion on businesses and decreasing taxes.None mentioned the DREAM Act by name, but

some suggested proposing a fair immigrationsystem that would encourage entrepreneurs andeducated immigrants to stay. The HispanicRepublican delegates were widely diverseincluding Tea Party Republicans, Reagan com-

passionate conservatives, and moderates. Manywere non-Catholic – especially evangelicals fromTexas and the South, and Mormons from Utahand Arizona and (in Rep. Raúl Labrador’s case)Idaho.

During the election months, Latinos seemedto be the primary voting bloc focused on by themedia. After the election, the one analysis thatalmost every pundit in both parties and almostevery media outlet seemed to agree on, was thatthe Latino vote won Obama the presidency andwas almost solely responsible for the currentdemise of the Republican Party itself. It is widelyquoted that Hispanics voted in historically largenumbers – they made up 11-12 percent of thetotal electorate, and 71 percent Hispanic voterscast ballots for Obama compared to an

POLITICS/PERSPECTIVES


Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa

“unprecedented” and “disastrous” low of 27percent for Romney. These statistics are alwaysaccompanied with the words “Hispanics are thefastest-growing demographic in America.” Thepresumption is that the Latino demographicequals the electorate.

None of these “facts” are true – but the per-ception is that they are. The voting numbers arebased entirely on exit polls, which are historical-ly unreliable. What is already known, althoughnot acknowledged popularly, is that approxi-mately three million fewer U.S. citizens voted inthe 2012 election than in 2008, since 2009, thefastest-growing demographic in the United Statesis Asian-American, not Hispanic; and 2012 vot-ing patterns show that Obama won the presiden-cy way before the Hispanic-heavy western states’and Florida’s numbers were counted.

According to the Pew Hispanic Center, in2008 the Hispanic vote was about 10 million –7.4 percent of the total electorate of 131 million;67 percent of Hispanic voters cast ballots forObama (about 6.5 million), and 31 percent (3.1million) voted Republican. It seems unlikely that

four years later, in a low voter-turnout election,the Latino vote increased by several million tomake up 12 percent of an estimated 128 milliontotal voters. More likely is that the Latino votedid increase somewhat, but probably by underone million to make up 9-10 percent of the total

electorate. Voter-turnout data will also probablyshow that around 29 percent of Hispanic citizensvoted Republican (slightly less than in 2008)and perhaps 69 percent voted for Obama(slightly more than in 2008); the rest votedIndependent.

But these facts won’t matter. The narrativeand the will of the politic is strongly enthusiasticfor the perception that the Latino electorate isthe fastest-growing, most powerful and mostcoveted of any voter block and that it will contin-ue to grow “overwhelmingly Democratic.” Thesuccess of Democrats to divide the electorateinto monolithic single-issue identity groupsseems to have gripped even the most strategic ofRepublicans like Karl Rove. Both parties now arefocusing on the Latino.

The inauguration of President Obama con-

firmed the national Latino love fest when Latinostars dominated every facet of the ceremony. Co-chair of the inauguration was Latina TV star EvaLongoria, along with San Antonio philanthropistand business leader Henry Muñoz III. TheCuban-American Episcopalian Luis León, pastorof the yellow church across the street from theWhite House, gave the inaugural benediction(some of it in Spanish). Richard Blanco was thefirst Hispanic to read an original poem at theceremony. The first Latina Supreme Court JusticeSonia Sotomayor gave the oath of office to VicePresident Joe Biden.

Now since January and the beginning of the113th Congress, the image of the “power of theLatino electorate” suddenly has become theinexorable driving force behind the surprisingbipartisan push for immigration reform. Thecurrent congressional and presidential priority,even urgency, given to passing immigrationreform is remarkable. Immigration reform wasnot ever a priority issue of the Obama adminis-tration in his first term, nor of the public beforethe election, including most Latino voters. Inpre-election poll after poll, even Latino votersranked immigration reform as last in a list of fiveof the most important issues they faced. But theelection and the much-proclaimed “historicHispanic vote” changed all that.

Like most voters, Hispanic voters listed“jobs” as their most important issue.Unemployment rates of Hispanics in Americarose slightly to 11 percent from 9 percent in2010-12, including some eight million illegalimmigrant workers who come mainly fromMexico. While in many states Hispanic unem-ployment is almost half that of African-Americans, still Hispanic workers (legal and ille-gal) are viewed as vital, hardworking and verysympathetic. Immigration is about jobs, aboutwork, about filling a productive work force forAmerica’s prosperity. For many Latino advocatesand Democratic leaders, the unbending line inthe sand regarding comprehensive immigrationreform is the legalization of almost all of the esti-mated 11 million (could be many more) illegalimmigrants in the country – the majority of themLatinos, most of whom are working.

President Obama’s main immigration priorityhas been slightly different – to allow educatedimmigrants, legal and illegal, to stay and “createjobs.” Just before the election, he implementedan executive order that gave prosecutorial dis-cretion (a two-year detention waiver and a tem-porary work permit) to any illegal immigrant


Latinos are now also the largest minority by far attending U.S. colleges –

public, private and for-profit.

who might qualify for the DREAM Act. The presi-dent’s and most Republicans’ and Democrats’top immigration reform agreement is to giveeventual green cards to high-skilled workers andforeign students graduating from American col-leges with either an MS or Ph.D. in the STEMfields. It seems certain that any kind-of-sort-of-more-than-piecemeal “comprehensive” immi-gration reform package that will be hammeredout by Congress and the White House in the nextyear will include some form of legalization forDREAMers – illegal immigrants who have a highschool education.

And education is where Latinos are reallybeginning to shine.

Latinos are the largest minority in schoolsthroughout America – almost one in four. TheLatino high school completion rate is thefastest-growing among minorities, despite thelanguage obstacle for many Latino immigrantyouths. Latinos are now also the largest minorityby far attending U.S. colleges – public, privateand for-profit.

A focus on educational achievement in thebroad Latino community is largely thanks to anincreasing number of Hispanic-centered organi-

zations that are dedicated to the success ofLatinos in education. No other minority grouphas the number and quality of so many promi-nent educational support organizations. Theyinclude the Hispanic Scholarship Fund,Excelencia in Education, the HispanicAssociation of Colleges and Universities, and theNational Society of Hispanic ProfessionalEngineers among many others. They sponsormentorship programs, scholarships and supportfor Hispanic students from grade school throughcollege, often including Hispanic parents andcommunity leaders.

Hispanic student admission to undergraduatecollege degrees is particularly encouraged by a$1 billion fund dedicated to HSIs (Hispanic-Serving Institutions) that was established byEducation Secretary Arne Duncan in 2009, hisfirst year in office. Hispanic achievements in col-lege admission and completion are additionallyencouraged and tracked by the very active WhiteHouse Hispanic Initiative on Higher Education.As a result, a record number of Hispanics arecompleting college degrees, increasingly inSTEM fields, at a rate higher than every otherminority groups except Asian-Americans.

Latino success in home ownership, com-merce and winning electoral office is increasingstatistically faster than any other minority groupas well. Again this is thanks in part to severalmajor national Latino organizations that pro-mote, encourage, support and track such suc-cesses, from small grass-roots community orga-nizations up to major national congressionallobbying groups. Almost all of them are biparti-san (at least in theory), and some are givenprominent media coverage. They include theNational Council of La Raza, the U.S. HispanicChamber of Commerce, and the NationalAssociation of Latino Elected and AppointedOfficials, among many, many others.

Admiration of American Latinos and theirsuccess is increasing, no doubt. But perhaps themost mysterious of Latino achievements inAmerica is just coming to light. Recently, severalnational health reports have reported that Latinomales and females live longer than any othergroup in America including non-HispanicWhites! There has been no explanation of thatHispanic American feat to date.


Associate Vice PresidentGrants, Research, and Sponsored Programs

The Associate Vice President for Grants, Research, and Sponsored Programs (AVPGRASP) is a full-time, 12-month position under the general direction of the Provost andVice President for Academic Affairs. One of the primary focuses of this position is securingextramural funding that contributes to the institution’s priorities and commitment toacademic excellence in teaching and learning. The AVP GRASP plays a critical role increating an environment where scholarly activity for faculty and students grows.

Duties and Responsibilities include assisting administrators, faculty, staff, and students inall phases of grant award competition and management of project concept development;Identification of funding sources; Proposal and budget development; Approval processes;Award negotiations; Post-award administration; Quality, regulatory, and fiscal compliance,reporting, and grant closure.

The AVP GRASP also manages all activities associated with post-award administration toensure compliance with sponsored program requirements, CSU and CSUB policies, and allapplicable federal provisions in OMB Circulars A-21, A-110, and A-133. Responsibilitiesinclude responsibility for institutional oversight of fiscal management, including ensuringappropriate cost sharing/matching commitments and direct and indirect cost recovery;preparation of a wide variety of reports required by federal, state, local, CSU, and campusorganizations regarding quality, regulatory, and fiscal compliance; authoring and maintainingresearch policies and operating procedures for campus employees receiving external funds;assessing and evaluating the impact of implemented policies, and executing changes asneeded; monitoring legislation and appropriations that impact sponsored programs; trainingand supporting Principal Investigators; serving as the campus contact to federal, state, andlocal awarding agencies for matters relating to sponsored program administration and fiscalmanagement; the AVP is further responsible for managing the GRASP office, its activities,budget, operation, and personnel, and will perform other duties as assigned.

For complete advertisement, application instructions, and detailed job description for thisposition, please visit our webpage at http://www.csub.edu/provost/MPPSearches.shtml

California State University, Bakersfield is an EO/ AA/ Title IX employer.

http://www.csub.edu/provost


The Missing Link inImmigration Reformby Yvette Donado

Inrecent weeks, immigration reform has garnered everyone’s atten-tion, including policymakers on both sides of the aisle. At thispoint, we cannot foresee what the bill will look like, but there will

be a bill. The big question, however, is what happens after it passes, partic-ularly with regard to educational opportunities for more than 11 millionresidents?

Last July, the Obama administration decided not to deport children ofundocumented immigrants. I wrote then that little attention was beinggiven to the need for easier access to educational opportunities for thosewho would be coming out of the shadows.

Now is the time to prepare to address the education needs of these 11 mil-lion persons who we hope will, regardless of the nature of citizenship path-ways in the bill, become full-fledged, lawfully present, productive residents.

Imagine a physician from another country who, because of his or hercurrent immigration status, drives a cab or works in a field other thanmedicine. That person came here without records of his or her academiccredentials and has little, if any, prospect of acquiring them easily from thecountry of origin.

Multiply that by the tens of thousands – or millions – of future “regular-ized” residents who, despite good intentions and many sacrifices, lack proofof the education and experience that qualifies them for work in their profes-sion or trade. Holding them to the same documentary requirements as citi-zens and current legal residents would prove to be an impossible task.

Here’s what needs to happen:1) Employers and academic institutions, from high schools to graduate

programs, must be flexible.2) Private-sector and educational institutions must equip themselves

with skilled counselors to attract, employ, train, educate and developworkers and students.

3) Newly enfranchised residents must recognize that credentials matterto employers and academic institutions, and that scores on a high schoolequivalency, college admission or English-language test carry weight, evenif they are not required for a job or a place in an academic program. Testshelp level the playing field, eliminating superficial judgments based oncountry of origin, native language or English proficiency.

4) Latino organizations, schools, counselors and others must helpbuild a college-bound culture in the families of newly documented per-sons. The journey to a more productive role can be made easier througheducation of the entire family.

Latino organizations, schools, universities and government agencies atall levels must provide efficient services to smooth that journey.

The legislative path is unpredictable. What is predictable is that thisissue will be addressed – and soon. Through efficient implementation ofthe law, by providing helpful services and by creating greater educationalopportunities, they can become more productive, pay more taxes, improve

bottom lines and empower their families.

Yvette Donado is the chief administrative officer and senior vicepresident, people, process and communications, for EducationalTesting Service in Princeton, N.J.

COMMENTARIES/IMMIGRATION


“Now is the time to prepare to address the educationneeds of these 11 millionpersons who we hope will,regardless of the nature of

citizenship pathways in the bill,become full-fledged, lawfullypresent, productive residents.”

Yvette Donado


Banking on Solutions: WebsterBank Invests in Financial Literacyby Jerry Plush

Financial literacy and work force readiness are more important nowthan ever. The earlier today’s students learn basic financial knowledgeand skills, the more opportunity they will have to thrive both profes-

sionally and financially.At Webster Bank, a leading regional bank based in Waterbury, Conn.,

and serving businesses and consumers from Westchester County, N.Y., toBoston, Mass., we are fully committed to this educational endeavor. In fact,we have teamed up with Junior Achievement (JA) to make a difference inthe lives of young people across our footprint.

This is a personal investment as well as financial commitment by ourbankers to give back to the community. Working with the terrific people atJA, we believe we can help provide young people with the tools they needto be successful in the future, and we start with students as early as kinder-garten up through high school. We’re passionate about financial literacyand champion it here at Webster with great enthusiasm. In fact, a seniorWebster banker serves on every JA board throughout our four-state foot-print, which includes Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and NewYork as well as Sheboygan, Wis. – home of HSA Bank, which is part of theWebster family. Our Webster bankers, from the most senior leaders to thenewest bankers just out of school, enthusiastically participate in the educa-tional process in “JA in a Day” sessions at schools across New England andNew York as well as Wisconsin.

Students enjoy dealing with professionals who have completed all dif-ferent levels of schooling. We have also found that they remember us whenwe return year after year. My first experience with JA was as a classroomvolunteer. After one wonderful, rewarding day I was hooked. The next year,I returned to the same Waterbury school and one of the students said,“Hey, I remember you!” That’s a clear example that we – both as individu-als and Webster bankers – have the ability to make a lasting, positiveimpression on these kids and their future. It feels great to give back to thecommunity in such a vibrant, creative and meaningful way.

The JA financial literacy experience can start with a simple questionlike “Who likes money?” and wind up being a lesson plan in how to man-age a relationship, start a business and think outside the box. It’s amazinghow quickly students pick up on these things – even the youngest ones. Byunderstanding basic monetary issues such as income, borrowing, lending,saving and earning interest, students will be able to see the multiplying fac-tors involved in saving and taking on debt.

These fertile lessons help plant seeds for the future, and it’s just possi-ble that these seeds will encourage youngsters to major in finance orbecome tomorrow’s bankers. For instance, Daniel Bley, our executive vicepresident and chief risk officer, is a Junior Achievement alumnus. Today hegives back to the community by volunteering in the classroom and servingon the board of Bridgeport-based JA of Western Connecticut.

Teaching financial literacy is a great way to “pay it forward” and help

rejuvenate America’s entrepreneurial spirit. By rolling up our sleeves andinteracting in classrooms at all levels, we can positively impact the futurefor many students and, at the same time, personally grow from the experi-ence. Reaching the next generation of thinkers with these critical lessonswill help prepare them to make sound financial decisions in the yearsahead. What can be better than that?

Jerry Plush is president and chief operating officer of Webster andWebster Bank as well as a director of Webster Bank. A Certified PublicAccountant and Certified Management Accountant, he has a BS inaccounting from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, Pa.

FINANCE

Jerry Plush, president and chief operating officer of Webster and Webster Bank and director of Webster Bank

by Marilyn Gilroy

Research from the American Council on Education (ACE) shows thatwhile 57 percent of those enrolled in higher education are women,they constitute only 26 percent of college presidents. And while

members of racial and ethnic minority groups make up 30 percent of col-lege classrooms, only 13 percent of presidencies are held by minorities.

Despite historical gains and many efforts to broaden representation inthe presidency, progress has slowed and even declined over the past fewyears. Minorities accounted for 14 percent of presidents in 2006, a sharethat actually dropped one percentage point in the 2012 ACE survey on thecollege presidency. Hispanic women represented 6.7 percent six years ago.Currently, that number has fallen to 5.6 percent.

But a new program from ACE, the Spectrum Executive LeadershipProgram, shows promise for making higher education’s top leadershipmore representative of the people it serves.

“Higher education faces a unique period of transition as scores of pres-idents, including minorities and women, are retiring,” said Kim Bobby,director of ACE’s Inclusive Excellence Group. “This presents us with a spe-cial opportunity to further diversify the ranks of the presidency,”

The Spectrum Executive Leadership Program is an eight-month series ofactivities featuring intensive study and guidance for senior-level administra-tors who are seeking to become college presidents in the near future.Bobby says the program is the latest effort in ACE’s continuing commitmentto access, equity and diversity in higher education. It is designed for, but notexclusive to, women and members of underrepresented groups.

“This program is designed specifically to help members of these under-represented groups examine and build upon their skills, share their expe-riences and understand the nuances of the search process,” she said.

Bobby and her colleagues have been sifting through applicants to selectthe first cohort for the program. They will choose up to 35 individuals whowill engage in candid conversations on race and gender issues relevant to thepresidential search process and participate in webinars on a variety of topics.

“We think it is important to have a program that allows a specific focuson these issues and gives participants strategies for dealing with them,”said Bobby.

According to ACE research, many presidential candidates from underrep-resented groups, including women, minorities and gay applicants, are oftensubjected to “hyperscrutiny,” even when boards of trustees and search com-mittees have expressed a sincere interest in diversity. Bobby says that as aresult, there might be a subtle bias that candidates must work to overcome.

“I tend to believe that everyone in the search process is coming to thetable with good will,” she said. “But we need to keep having this discourseand talk about these issues so we can move forward.”

During the Spectrum Leadership sessions, participants will assess theirown strengths and weaknesses, work on professional development plans,develop search strategies, hone their leadership skills and prepare for thetransition to a presidency.

This is an opportunity for them to map out how they can strengthen

their skills,” said Bobby. “The whole process becomes a kind of scaffoldon which they can build.”

Planned sessions include:• Answering the call to lead• Mock interviews and contract negotiations• Media relations and developing effective communications strategies• Managing the transition into a presidency• Assessing campus culture and implementing change• Advancement and fundraising• Working effectively with boards

At one point, there will be a chance to meet with search consultantsand go through exercises on how to deal with tough interview questionsand other challenging situations that occur during the search process. Lastyear, search consultants were used to recruit nearly 60 percent of recentlyhired presidents, up from 49 percent in 2006.

“We’re especially pleased that members of boards of trustees andsearch consultants, who serve such a vital role in this process, will workwith participants to develop mutually beneficial strategies that addressissues of diversity and inclusion in the presidency,” said Bobby.

Those who have gone through other ACE programs, such as Advancing tothe Presidency, say one of the best learning experiences comes from watchingand listening to how their counterparts answer difficult questions. In fact, it has

INNOVATIONS/PROGRAMS


Kim Bobby, director of the American Council on Education’s Inclusive Excellence Group

ACE Launches Effort to Diversify HigherEducation Leadership

been lauded as one of the most valuable parts of leadership programs.“Being able to interact with one another, with our varied experiences

and strengths and weaknesses, and being able to share our knowledge inthe context of problem-solving and decision-making exercises that theseworkshops offer, is very helpful,” said James Anderson, chancellor ofFayetteville State University in North Carolina, who completed theAdvancing to the Presidency workshop several years ago. “And the diversityof participants contributes to an enhanced experience for everyone.”

Although Spectrum Executive Leadership retains some of the elementsof the Advancing to the Presidency program, it also has its own specialcomponents. For example, there will be experts who help participantsdevelop the strongest possible application packages in order to overcomeany perceived deficiencies. Research indicates that many women andminorities, who might have had a career path in student affairs, do nothave the strong background in finance and fundraising many boards wantin a CEO. Applications must address these concerns while presenting evi-dence of strong leadership skills and an ability to get the job done. Searchcommittee members often say they want diversity, but they want the bestpossible candidates, regardless of race or gender. Candidates must be surenot to hold back in showcasing accomplishments.

“Reading the résumés and cover letters of others can provide a newperspective on how to make the best presentation,” said Bobby.

Fundraising has become an increasingly important skill for presidents.In the 2012 ACE survey of presidents, respondents indicated they spentmost of their time on fundraising, budgets and community relations. TheSpectrum sessions will offer specific strategies to address this growingfocus on the external mission of colleges and universities.

“Sometimes presidential candidates from diverse backgrounds are notaware of subtle markers that could create obstacles in the fundraisingprocess,” said Bobby. “Perhaps they might have an accent or mannerismthat unknowingly causes barriers. That’s why we need an environment inwhich these things can be discussed candidly.”

Dealing with the media, which can be a minefield for any president,presents its own challenges, especially during a crisis situation in whichrace or gender issues are involved.

“This is part of the ‘hyperscrutiny’ syndrome,” said Bobby. “Sometimesminority or female presidents are criticized because the communities theyrepresent in terms of their race or gender expect a certain response. Butin this case, the presidents do not represent one community; they repre-sent the entire college.”

One of the most practical aspects of Spectrum involves matching partic-ipants with a college president who will serve as their advisor throughoutthe program. Several studies have shown that this type of mentoring isinvaluable in advancing women and minorities through the ranks ofadministration.

Overall the Spectrum Executive Leadership Program is a unique addi-tion to the list of ACE’s learning opportunities for those who want to climbthe higher education management ladder. One of the most successful ini-tiatives has been the ACE Fellows Program. Since 1965, more than 1,800administrators, faculty members, department chairs and other emergingleaders have been ACE fellows. Of those, approximately 400 have becomecollege presidents and 700 have assumed senior-level positions, such asvice president or dean. Bobby says ACE’s National Women’s Leadershipforum also has achieved a similar success rate, most notably becausewomen participants form state, regional and national support networks.

Making a Commitment to Diverse LeadershipSpectrum for Leadership is supported by American Express, which has

funded ACE efforts on inclusion in the past.“American Express has been a terrific partner for us,” said Bobby. “In

this case, we have a shared goal of diversifying leadership.”Born out of a desire to cultivate new leadership within its own organi-

zation, American Express has committed $25 million to funding leadershipdevelopment programs for nonprofit organizations in the United States andother countries. Under the umbrella of Developing New Leaders forTomorrow, the company supports leadership opportunities for arts, envi-ronment, higher education and social service organizations.

“American Express recognizes the benefits diversity can bring to anorganization,” said Tim McClimon, president of the American ExpressFoundation. “We support the Spectrum Executive Leadership Programbecause it will capitalize on the depth of talent in the pipeline and prepareparticipants with the leadership skills to reach the top levels of the colle-giate arena.”

Like many businesses, American Express sees diversifying nonprofit lead-ership as a way of transforming organizations while introducing “best in

class” management practices to emerging leaders. College presidents are fac-ing increasing pressure to guide their institutions during a time of reducedfinancial support while responding to changes such as the revolution inonline education. This has led to rising expectations for CEO leadership skills.And while profit organizations and nonprofit colleges have different missions,there are sound business practices that are beneficial to any university’s oper-ations, especially in the areas of accountability and fiscal management.

“Because it is important that nonprofit organizations in our communi-ties have strong and effective leaders, we have tried to take some of thebusiness knowledge we have and share it with nonprofit organizations,”said McClimon.

Grants from American Express have gone to organizations such as theNational Urban Fellows and Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics (LEAP).LEAP targets emerging Asian Pacific Islander leaders at nonprofit organiza-tions and prepares them for future leadership roles. They receive one-on-one coaching with group sessions in basic leadership skills through experi-ential learning; leadership simulations; interactive problem solving; andaction-planning and networking sessions with seasoned community leaders.

American Express also sponsors a 10-day leadership program with theNational Hispana Leadership Institute (NHLI). Launched in 2010,Advancing Latina Leaders in Nonprofits (ALL IN) provides training to devel-op Latinas’ leadership and management skills, help them find their voiceas effective community leaders, and build their external networks by pro-viding access to role models and mentors. Each year, the program selects22 fellows who are 24-34 years old and have less than 10 years experienceat a nonprofit organization. Alumnae of the program include Karia Robles,vice president of College Going Initiatives for the Be a Leader Foundation,Patricia León-Guerrero, the director for National Alliances for Teach forAmerica, and Stephanie Bravo, co-founder and president ofStudentMentor.org, the national college student mentoring program.


SSttaattee BBuuddggeett CCuuttss WWrreeaakkiinngg HHaavvoocc oonnCCaalliiffoorrnniiaa CCoommmmuunniittyy CCoolllleeggeessby Gary M. Stern

Community college students attending LongBeach City College in Long Beach, Calif., whowere planning to major in auto body technol-

ogy, interior design, real estate, welding, dieselmechanics, or aviation maintenance and five otherdisciplines will have to make adjustments. WhenCalifornia’s Legislature cut $7.5 million in fundingfrom its budget in 2013, those majors were elimi-nated or transferred into other disciplines.

How are budget cuts affecting Long BeachCity College and other community colleges inCalifornia, where many schools have large Latinostudent populations? How do Long Beach CityCollege’s superintendent-president, Eloy OrtizOakley, and other experts view the situation?

Like all public community colleges inCalifornia, Long Beach City College has faced aseries of dramatic budget cuts over the last fewyears. In fact, its budget has been slashed by$10.9 million over the last three years. To staywithin budget, the college laid off 12 managersand 139 administrative and support jobs. In fact,the persistent cuts have contributed to shrinkingits student body by 3,000 full-time students.

Of its 24,653 students enrolled in spring2012, 44 percent were Latino; 20 percent, White;15 percent, African-American; 15 percent, Asian-American; 3 percent, multiracial; and 2 percent,unknown. Of its student body, 42 percent werepursuing bachelor’s degrees; 22 percent, voca-tional degrees; 6 percent, associate degrees; andthe remainder was undecided. Nearly 30 percentof its students are 30 years or older, and itattracts 49 percent men and 51 percent women.

Paul Feist, vice chancellor for communica-tions at California Community Colleges’Chancellor’s Office, acknowledges that the bud-get cuts since 2009 have been “devastating” forjunior college students. He says California’s two-year colleges have faced a 17 percent drop inenrollment and were forced to cancel thousandsof course sections. Since 2008-09, public com-

munity colleges throughout California have lost$809 million or 12 percent of its budget over theentire system. In 2008, about 2.9 million stu-dents attended community colleges, but by

2012-13, that number dwindled to 2.4 million, aloss of a staggering 500,000 undergraduates.

The reduced budgets in California communitycolleges have been “unprecedented in the lengthof the durations of these cuts,” explained NancyShulock, professor at California State Universityand director of the Institute for Higher EducationLeadership and Policy. Moreover she said thatCalifornia instituted some of the lowest tuitionfees in the states. Despite the loss of classes, thestate has done an effective job of minimizing thedamage, protecting its core mission and eliminat-ing low-enrollment courses, she said.

While many of these cutbacks were neces-sary, Shulock said that some of the severity of the

reductions could have been lessened or averted.“Higher education [in California] hasn’t been apriority for decades. This state has been compla-cent and has rested on its reputation of havingexcellent higher education,” she said.

Oakley acknowledges that the cuts have “sig-nificantly reduced access to our students.” Thecollege had to lay off staff including faculty, admin-istrative staff, secretaries, custodial and supportpersonnel. “Layoffs have touched every employeegroup including full-term faculty,” he said.

“Every time we have a major recession inCalifornia, we cut services in response. It’s atragedy,” Oakley stated. As the demand for com-munity college education has intensified, the cut-backs transpired. Timing could not have beenworse, he suggested. Demand is rising becauseCalifornia has graduated its largest high schoolclasses in years, faced a large number of return-ing military veterans and has been retrainingscores of laid-off employees.

Faced with these budget cuts, the college hadto diminish programs and re-deploy resources.Twelve different disciplines including auto bodytechnology, aviation maintenance, welding, realestate, diesel mechanics and carpentry wereeliminated. But Oakley said most of these majorswill be subsumed by other programs. For exam-ple, welding will be incorporated into mechani-cal maintenance, a larger program.

Moreover Oakley said that only 82 certifi-cates were issued to students in these dozen pro-grams over the last six years. “We’ve introducednew programs like welding and automotivemechanics into other programs more meaning-ful to the local labor force,” stated Oakley, anative of Mexico, who also serves as superinten-dent of the community college district. “Becausewe have finite resources, we have to shiftresources from some programs,” he said.

Eliminating the programs was necessary.“These recommendations are critical for the

COMMUNITY COLLEGES


Paul Feist, vice chancellor for communications,Chancellor’s Office, California Community Colleges

long-term fiscal health of the college,” Oakleysaid. He emphasized that the college will contin-ue its commitment to technical education andthat 89 percent of all degrees and certificatesare awarded in technical areas.

Oakley downplays the closing of thesemajors. “For a small number of students, thesediscontinued programs will have an impact,” hesaid. Affected students will need to focus on theircareer goals, make adjustments and masterskills that will make them employable.

Since Latinos constitute nearly half the stu-dent body and are the fastest-growing populationin the country, Oakley said the college is strivingto minimize any negative effects on them andother minorities. He said its board is committedto “close the educational equity gap that existsand put more focus on improving outcomes forLatinos and other members of underrepresentedgroups.” He said the college has been revampingits services, studying data and focusing on out-comes for minority students.

Specifically, Oakley said the college has tar-geted three major areas to help Latino students:1) It has shifted resources into essential coursessuch as English, which students need to attaincertificates, associate degrees or transfer intofour-year colleges; 2) It has scrutinized data toensure that Latinos and other minority studentssucceed and earn certificates and degrees; 3) Itis redoubling its efforts to collaborate with theLong Beach Unified K-12 school district in apartnership called Long Beach College Promise.

Shulock noted that the reductions haveaffected students of all ethnicities across theboard. “It wasn’t just Latinos and African-Americans that were shut out of classes; every-one was,” she said. But she added the studentswho were most affected were the “low-skilledadults, working poor and immigrants whosebasic and technical skills are inadequate andoften don’t have family supporting them.”

Introducing more orientation programs andpreparing students for college readiness willalso play a role in supporting students, Oakleysaid. In addition, the college is collaboratingwith the Lumina Foundation on a Latino StudentSuccess Program.

To ease the pain on students, Long Beach CityCollege has been pruning its own budget. Overthe last few years, it diminished its health carecosts by $2.6 million by having staff increasecontributions. Since 2008-09, it has cut 32 per-cent of course sections offered students and cutstaffing costs by $5.1 million. So it’s been asteady diet of cut, cut, cut the budget.

Finding classes to earn a degree can be diffi-cult. In fact, Feist said a new term, “swirlers,” has

entered the parlance of California colleges. Swirlersare students who enroll at several junior collegessimultaneously in order to find enough classes tomeet their requirements. They “swirl” by auto ormotorcycle from one campus to another in searchof finding enough sections to fill their credit loads.

Ironically, every crisis produces opportunityand so has this community college budget reduc-tion. Attending community colleges in California isso necessary and desirable that students are takingit more seriously and becoming more committedto earning a degree. California has adopted a prior-ity system-wide enrollment that forces students toconcentrate on earning an associate degree or cer-tificate. If students accumulate more than 100credits without receiving a degree, students mustmeet with a counselor to develop their own successplan to ensure earning a degree in a timely fashion.

Community colleges, too, must play an active

role in fixing budgetary problems and not sitback passively and just absorb cutbacks. Two-year colleges can promote partnerships withbusinesses and turn to their local community forassistance in raising funds, suggested Feist, aformer journalist for the San FranciscoChronicle. Oakley noted that Long Beach part-ners with several funding sources including theLumina Foundation, has leased buildings to raisefunds, and collaborated with businesses to formjoint programs. A new cybersecurity program,for example, was recently launched.

But that additional funding has its limitations,Oakley said. “Our options are limited because of thelaws that community colleges are governed by,” he

noted. Since state educational revenues and tuitionsare set by the Legislature, options are limited.

Out of hardship springs innovation. Shulocknoted that forced to restrict classes and operateunder a tighter budget, community colleges havemade adjustments. The outlook at two-yearschools shifted to “access to success, not justadmissions and enrollment,” she said.

Administrators and counselors focused moreon educational planning, developed individualizedsuccess programs, and the state is developing tech-nology that enables administrators to oversee eachstudent’s plan. Having students decide their majorat an earlier point and tracking their progressshould raise levels of students’ ability to earn cer-tificates and associate degrees. Shulock says con-centrating more on programs that students are tak-ing rather than piecemeal on choosing individualcourses would heighten success rates.

These two-year colleges are critical to localCalifornian economies. Feist says two-year col-leges graduate 70 percent of the nurses in thestate and 80 percent of emergency medical tech-nicians (EMT). Oakley noted that some nursingand EMT students are facing difficulty enrollingin prerequisite courses because of the cutbacks.

Ironically, work force projections forCalifornia indicate that community colleges willplay an increasingly significant role in its economyover the next two decades. Junior colleges special-ize in granting degrees in allied health, clean ener-gy, manufacturing and culinary arts. In addition,they encourage students transferring to four-yearcolleges to earn bachelor’s degrees, Feist says.

Relief might be around the corner for two-year California colleges. Voters in November 2012passed Proposition 30, which was Gov. JerryBrown’s tax initiative. It generates new revenuesthrough an increased sales tax and personalincome tax. Money derived from the taxes will goto both K-12 and two- and four-year colleges. “Itwill allow us to slowly restore the access that weneed. It stops the bleeding,” Feist noted.

Oakley agreed, saying that California’s econo-my was rebounding, had turned the corner, andhe expected that community college budgetswould gradually rise in the near future. But headded that “Proposition 30 doesn’t bring usback to the funding levels we were in four yearsago. We have a big hole to dig out of.”

California’s future is linked strongly to the suc-cess of community colleges, Shulock said. Only stu-dents who score in the top third on tests and gradepoint average are accepted into four-year publiccollege; the rest start off in community colleges.

“If California is to remain vibrant and com-petitive, it’s highly dependent on the communitycollege system,” Shulock added.


Nancy Shulock, professor at California StateUniversity, director of the Institute for Higher

Education Leadership and Policy

UT System to Open a New Universityby Frank DiMaria

INSTITUTIONS/ORGANIZATIONS


Every two months, two new elementary schools and one new middleschool are built and opened in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas.Although one of the fastest-growing regions in the state, it experiences

a brain drain, as students graduate from the region’s universities and arelured from the valley by companies like Lockheed Martin, Boeing and IBM.

To accommodate this rapid growth and stop this brain drain, theUniversity of Texas (UT) System is opening a new university. The yet-to-be-named university will have an overall size and portfolio similar to otherexisting UT emerging research universities, with a student population of28,000, research expenditures of $11 million, an endowment of $70.5million and a total operating budget of $419 million. Eventually, the newuniversity will accommodate 50,000 students. The new university will com-bine UT-Pan-American and UT-Brownsville and will include a new medicalschool that will be called the South Texas School of Medicine.

“The growth in the valley is so phenomenal. We are no longer just agroup of little towns; we are now a borderplex, you know, like a metro-plex,” says Robert Nelsen, president of UT-Pan American. If the UT Systemdid not open this new university, “We could not help the state of Texas orthe nation. If we don’t get it right in South Texas, we aren’t going to get itright anywhere,” says Nelsen.

The law that created the university’s charter had exceptional traction inthe Texas state Legislature. “They gave the bill the symbolic number in thehouse of HB 1000 so everyone could track it, and they took it up as thefirst bill that they looked at in higher education,” says Nelsen.

In the senate, which Nelsen calls more old fashioned, the lower thenumber of the bill the more traction it has and the sooner the bill comesto the floor for a vote. The original bill was given number 24 out of hun-dreds and hundreds of bills filed. “It was amazing to get such a low num-ber,” says Nelsen.

In terms of developing infrastructure and building new facilities, theUniversity of Texas System has some work to do to accommodate the50,000 students it hopes to accommodate. “Right now in the Rio GrandeValley, we have the Regional Academic and Health Centers or RAHCs. Theyhave buildings in Harlingen, Brownsville and in Edinburg. These buildingswill serve as a basis for the new medical school,” says Nelsen. But the newuniversity will need some new facilities.

UT-Brownsville has enjoyed a partnership with Texas Southmost Collegefor years. Because the college is part of a taxing district, a luxury not afford-ed to universities, it owns the majority of the buildings on the UT-Brownsville campus. UT-Brownsville is negotiating with Texas SouthmostCollege to purchase some of those buildings. In addition, the city ofBrownsville has offered to donate 76 acres on which the UT System canbuild. “There’ll have to be a series of buildings built down there, and alsowe’ll have to have some new buildings for the medical school,” says Nelsen.

The new university will use four existing buildings on the UT-Brownsville campus. The legislation that created the charter assembled ablue ribbon panel charged with determining where the various buildingsthat will comprise the medical center will be built. “Some will be down inHarlingen with the VA Clinic. In McAllen, there are five more hospitals, andthe charter says there will be a substantial presence in both Cameron

County and Hidalgo County,” says Nelsen.In 2014, the medical school will admit its first students. They will

matriculate at the UT Health Science Center in San Antonio for the first twoyears. In 2016, according to the UT System’s plan, they will then attendclasses in brand new medical facilities and start their residencies. “Wehave already attracted over 150 different residencies in hospitals,” saysNelsen. “In 2016, we will begin introducing the individual students here(in the Rio Grande Valley) and keep them 100 percent in the valley.”

Over the next three years, the UT System plans to construct a new $98million science building and five smaller buildings, costing $156 million, atBrownsville. According to Nelsen, all this construction will be a boon for theresidents of the Rio Grande Valley. The new science building alone will gen-erate 125 new jobs and have a positive economic impact of $134 million. Asa whole, the new university brings with it 7,000 new jobs – 10,000 if eco-nomic development impact of the new university is factored in – to the RioGrande Valley with an average annual salary of $63,000. Nelsen calls thisamazing since the average family in the valley only makes $32,000 per year.

In addition to generating new jobs and providing livable salaries in theRio Grande Valley, the new university, and in particular the new school ofmedicine, will have a positive effect on the quality of life of all the residentsin the valley. Nelsen often brags that students who graduate from UT-PanAmerican have a 64 percent chance of getting into medical school com-pared to a 32 percent chance for those who graduate from UT-Austin. Inreality, this statistic is bittersweet for Nelsen. Of the 64 percent from UT-PanAmerican who go off to medical school, few, if any, ever return to the valley.

The new university will graduate 150 medical residents per year, manyof whom might now wish to stay in the valley and start their professionallives there rather than moving to San Antonio, Dallas or elsewhere. “Thiswill be tremendous,” says Nelsen. “I’ve had mothers crying, thanking me,saying ‘My son, my daughter will be able to stay here.’ That’s part of ourculture,” says Nelsen.

On average, there are 240 medical doctors for every 100,000 peoplenationwide. In the state of Texas, there are 165 medical doctors for every100,000. But in the Rio Grande Valley, there are only about 124 doctorsfor every 100,000 people. It’s not uncommon for patients to wait for hoursto see a doctor in the valley. In Starr County, there are only 27 doctors for100,000 people. Nelsen says that the doctors the new medical school willproduce will increase individuals’ health in the valley.

Francisco Cigarroa, chancellor of the UT System, intends to make thenew university a center for bicultural programs in economics, business,medicine, biomedical sciences, energy, environmental studies, LatinAmerican studies and a host of other areas. Nelsen says that the new school’slocation, right on the U.S.-Mexico border, is very important and provides thenew university with the opportunity to capitalize on that presence.

Some years ago, Panasonic moved its headquarters from Knoxville,Tenn., to the Rio Grande Valley, seizing on the opportunity to build its com-ponents across the border in Mexico and assembling and shipping them inthe U.S. “We have a very strong manufacturing engineering program. If wedon’t produce engineers who are bi-literate who can speak both Spanishand English, we are not preparing those students adequately,” says Nelsen.

According to Nelsen, the new university will blend the U.S. culture withthe Mexican culture, and that in and of itself will make the school unique.He says there are a lot of research universities out there trying to hit num-bers. They all want $100 million in research, they’re trying to get 100 doc-toral students per year, both of which determine whether a school is anemerging research institution or not. “We will do something very differentbecause we will capitalize on our location on the border. The students thatwe produce will be able to speak several different languages and go in sev-eral different ways,” says Nelsen.

The new university’s curriculum will feature elements that reflect theculture of the Rio Grande Valley and by doing so will make its studentsunique. The new school of medicine, for example, will offer courses inmedical Spanish because, Nelsen says, too much information can be lost intranslation. “Our doctors will be much-better prepared. Our engineers,nurses, economists, everyone who comes out of there will know more,”says Nelsen. In addition to serving both cultures, the new university willemphasize entrepreneurship, long an important element in the valley.

As the residents of the Rio Grande Valley benefit by gaining access tohigher-quality health care and to higher-paying jobs, the University of TexasSystem also benefits. The consolidation of UT-Pan American and UT-Brownsville and the creation of the new medical school means that the UTSystem will enjoy some substantial financial benefits. Initially, the UT Systemhas committed to absorb all costs of establishing the new university, so thestate would not be on the financial hook. In the long run, the UT Systemexpects to save as much as $6 million a year through administrative effi-ciencies and other cost-saving methods that will eliminate redundancies.

One of the biggest areas of savings would be in a president’s salary.Consolidating UT-Pan American and UT-Brownsville means that the newuniversity will have only one president and be burdened with only onepresident’s salary. There will be a lot of centralized functions, says Nelsen.Currently, Brownsville is in the middle of what it calls “right sizing,” as theyare reducing their footprint. “There will be a lot of shared services that willbe the biggest savers,” says Nelsen. For example, the new medical schoolwill require an enterprise resource planning software like Peoplesoft orOracle. Since UT-Pan American is already using Oracle, the medical schoolwill need only to tag onto the existing system.

Likewise, UT-Brownsville is currently in need of a new student system.Once the new university is created, Brownsville can tag onto UT-PanAmerican’s system, called Banner, which offers electronic advising, and notincur the cost of purchasing an entirely new system, reducing UT-Brownsville’s cost burden.

The new university will be funded through general formula. Twenty-nine percent of the new university’s funding will be based on the numberof credit hours the school generates. Another 30 percent of the new insti-tution’s funding will come from student tuition, and the balance will comefrom research dollars and philanthropy.

When UT-Brownsville and UT-Pan American came into the UT System,they were pre-existing universities and were not eligible for revenue fromthe Permanent University Fund. Known simply as PUF, this public endow-ment was created by the Texas constitution. In the 1800s, the Texas consti-tution gave the UT System huge amounts of land, mainly brush and cattlecountry. But, the UT System struck it rich when oil was discovered beneaththe land. This west Texas oil has generated a fund of over $12 billion thatpays out on a regular basis. To Nelsen’s delight, the new university will beeligible for PUF funding, which will be the major catalyst for building aworld-class research university.

“In the future, when we go to build a new building, such as the sciencebuilding, or whatever buildings we need for the teaching hospital, we’ll be

able to go to the board of regents and ask them to access the PUF endow-ment,” says Nelsen.

Being eligible for PUF funding could not have come at a better time forNelsen and UT-Pan American. “UT-Pan American has not built a new build-ing since 2001. I have a 520,000-square-foot space deficit. My studentscan’t necessarily take their science course and their lab course in the samesemester because I don’t have space. PUF is for capital construction andcapital improvements. It can buy the [enterprise resource planning soft-ware]; it can build new buildings,” says Nelsen.

Nelsen has sat in meetings in which he has seen one university receive$105 million to start a new building and another get $4.5 million to pur-chase the resources necessary to offer online classes. “My university has

not had access to that type of money,” says Nelsen. But now with the merg-er and the new university, it will.

Having access to PUF funding is now going to allow the new universityto move forward with projects that UT-Brownsville and UT-Pan Americanwould not otherwise have started before the merger. For example, there is$40 million available in what is called the Transformative Learning Centerthat allows schools to train faculty and purchase hardware and software tomake their courses available online.

As an emerging research university, the new institution would also beeligible for more funding sources such as the National Research UniversityFund, the Texas Research Incentive Plan and matching UT System money.


Robert Nelsen, president, University of Texas-Pan American


Pérez Receives Secretary of LaborNomination

President Barack Obama recently nomi-nated Tom Pérez as the next U.S. secretary oflabor. The son ofDominican immi-grants, Pérez is a dedi-cated public servantwho has spent hiscareer fighting to keepthe American Dreamwithin reach for hard-working middle-classfamilies and thosestriving to get into the middle class. Since2009, he has worked as the assistant attorneygeneral for the Civil Rights Division of theUnited States Department of Justice. Prior tohis work at the Department of Justice, heserved as the secretary of Maryland’sDepartment of Labor, Licensing andRegulation (DLLR), where he focused on pro-tecting consumer and worker rights, work-place safety, and wage and hour laws. Pérezhas a BA from Brown University, a Master ofPublic Policy from Harvard University’s JohnF. Kennedy School of Government and a JDfrom Harvard Law School.

Natalicio Receives PrestigiousTIAA-CREF Hesburgh Award

The TIAA-CREF Institute last monthannounced that Diana Natalicio, president ofthe University of Texas-El Paso (UTEP), is thewinner of the 2013TIAA-CREF HesburghAward for LeadershipExcellence. The insti-tute bestowed thishonor at the AmericanCouncil on Education’s(ACE) Annual Meetingin Washington, D.C. Natalicio also assumedthe chair position of the Board of Directors ofACE, the major coordinating body for all thenation’s higher education institutions. TheTIAA-CREF Hesburgh Award, which includes a$20,000 prize, recognizes leadership andcommitment to higher education and contri-butions to the greater good and is presentedto a current college or university president orchancellor who embodies the spirit of Rev.

Theodore M. Hesburgh and his contributionsto higher education and society. Natalicio hasa bachelor’s degree in Spanish from St. LouisUniversity, a master’s in Portuguese and a doc-toral degree in linguistics from the Universityof Texas-Austin.

García Honored at “Breaking theGlass Ceiling” Awards Ceremony

Her 2007 appointment as president ofCalifornia State University-Dominguez Hillssent another crackthrough higher educa-tion’s glass ceiling, asMildred García becamethe first Latina chiefexecutive in the nation’slargest system of seniorhigher education. InMarch, as presidentof California StateUniversity-Fullerton, that achievement, amongothers, led to her being one of 11 womenhonored by the California Legislative Women’sCaucus at the first “Breaking the GlassCeiling” awards ceremony, held last month inSacramento. The awards were developed tocelebrate the success of California women inbreaking barriers in the fields of science,technology, the arts, the judiciary, educationand more. The women were honored at thestate Assembly’s celebration of Women’sHistory Month during the floor session.

LISTA Hosts NASA AstronautHernández in Miami

José M. Hernández, NASA astronaut and anengineer, spoke at the Latinos of InformationSciences and TechnologyAssociation (LISTA)National EmergingTechnology LeadershipSummit in March atMiami Dade College.Hernández is anAmerican engineer andNASA astronaut ofMexican descent. Hedeveloped equipment for full-field digitalmammography at Lawrence LivermoreNational Laboratory before serving as a mis-sion specialist on the 14-day STS-128 NASAmission that launched on Aug. 28, 2009. Atthe summit, he discussed the influence his cul-tural background has played on his path fromfarming with his family as a child to his suc-cessful engineering career. Hernández has abachelor’s degree in electrical engineeringfrom the University of the Pacific and a master’sin electrical and computer engineering fromthe University of California-Santa Barbara.

HHIISSPPAANNIICCSS OONN TTHHEE MMOOVVEEHHIISSPPAANNIICCSS OONN TTHHEE MMOOVVEE

Campus Associate Dean for Student ServicesSuffolk County Community College seeks highly qualified candidates for the position ofCampus Associate Dean for Student Services on the Eastern Campus, Riverhead, NewYork. The Campus Associate Dean for Student Services is the chief student servicesofficer of the campus. The Associate Dean serves as an advocate for the needs of studentson the campus and assures the most effective and efficient delivery of services inaccordance with institutional goals, college policies and professional standards.

For the full position profile, please go to:http://www.sunysuffolk.edu/About/Employment.asp?id=542

http://www.sunysuffolk.edu


R oots of Style is more a philoso-phy of life story then a memoir ina conventional sense. Leave it to

Isabel Toledo, the renowned seam-stress/designer, to weave her life storyinto the tapestry of her philosophy forliving rather then weave her career as aseamstress into her life story. This bookis part autobiography, part life’s lessonsand all uplifting philosophy.

Through her eyes, we see the trans-formation of an awkward skinny immi-grant youth into sophisticated slim ladymade possible at first only through themagic of attire. We also see the unwavering focus of one intrigued andcaptivated by unlimited possibilities of sewing. At a time when the massproduction of inexpensive clothing is the norm and a generation of younggirls strive to purchase the latest fashion as determined by this week’s popstar, this book is a refreshing look at how creative people see the worldaround them.

Every aspect of Toledo’s life as related in this book is focused on someincident, object or person who influenced her artistic creative sense of style,pattern and fashion. Like Coco Chanel before her, Toledo starts to createclothes out of a sense of practicality. Where Coco looked to men’s clothes tofind both practical styles and materials that she could then make use of forwomen, Toledo looked to create clothes that fit her thin frame, were practi-cal, well-made, and made the wearer feel beautiful. Reading her book, oneis captivated and surprised by the number of opportunities she had to meet,learn from and interact with famous people growing up inclusive of DianaVreeland and Klaus Nomi. She grew up creatively in 1970s New York City, aplace of creativity and where any person could meet on any street. Her storyspeaks more of who she is and her outlook on life than about the opportuni-ties around her. There were over seven million people living in N.Y.C. in1970, and most did not grasp the opportunities around them to the degreethat Toledo did. Nor was she this way only in N.Y.C. From Cuba as a child tothe present, she takes experiences and turns them into lessons learned. Thebook moves quickly and is bright and colorful.

About the author: Toledo was born in Cuba and came to the UnitedStates with her family as a political refugee. Hailed as a “designer’s design-er,” she developed her own distinct design alphabet that explores suchconcepts as Liquid Architecture, Organic Geometry and Origami, amongmany others. She received the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt NationalDesign Award for Fashion Design in 2005.

Her words are interpreted in the book by artworkfrom her husband, Rubén Toledo.

Reviewed by Myrka A. González

Roots of Style by Isabel Toledo375 pages. Penguin Publishing, 212-366-2000, New York. 2012,ISBN 978-0-451-23017-1.

IInntteerreessttiinngg RReeaaddss

Conflict and Commerce on the Rio Grande: Laredo,1755-1955

By John A. Adams Jr.

Laredo is a city at the crossroads of North American his-tory. Founded by the Spanish in 1755, it has stood at theintersection of regional commerce since its earliest days.The author traces the evolution of the region from its earlydays as a ranching center into the mid-20th century, whenLaredo had become what it remains today: a booming port

of trade and a principal center of commerce and financial services onthe southern border of the United States.

2008. 356 pgs. ISBN: 978-1603440424. $29.95. cloth. Texas A&MUniversity Press. College Station, Texas. www.tamu.edu/upress. 979-845-1436.

The Life in My YearsBy Virginia McKenna

This is the inspirational story of Virginia McKenna, whostarred in some of the most popular and enduring movies ofour time, such as Born Free. It will inspire anyone who caresabout the future of the planet and all the creatures dependenton it, including human beings. McKenna’s advocacy helpedlaunch a movement that has revolutionized attitudes toward

the practice of keeping wild animals in captivity in zoos and parks.2010. 244 pgs. ISBN: 978-1849430357. $26.95 paper. Oberon Books

London, England. www.oberonbooks.com. 020-7607-3637.

The Bronx (Columbia History of Urban Life)By Evelyn González

The Bronx is the history of a singular borough, mappingits evolution from a loose cluster of commuter villages to adensely populated home for New York’s African-Americanand Hispanic populations. The author argues that racialdiscrimination, rampant crime, postwar liberalism and biggovernment were not the only reasons for the urban crisis

that assailed the Bronx during the late 1960s. She proposes that a combi-nation of population shifts, public housing initiatives, economic reces-sion and urban overdevelopment caused its decline.

2004. 304 pgs. ISBN: 978-0231121149. $24.95 cloth. ColumbiaUniversity Press, New York, www.columbia.edu/cu/cup. 243-843-291.

http://www.tamu.edu/upress

http://www.oberonbooks.com

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/cup

H I S P A N I C O U T L O O K • 0 4 / 2 9 / 2 0 1 3

P.O. Box 68 Paramus, NJ 07652-0068

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

One curious thing about growing up is that you don’t only move for-ward in time; you move backwards as well, as pieces of your parents’and grandparents’ lives come to you. – Philip Pullman, English author

Theother day, I opened my mouth and my Dad’s words cameout. His and the words of others – my mother, my grand-father or my grandmothers – sometimes pour forth

when I speak, as if I were channeling them. Because they profoundlyinfluenced me, small wonder the things they taught me “way back when”return just in time for me to use them.

Latino students still need the wisdom of parents and grandparents toguide them – directly and subtly – all the way through higher educationand beyond. Some Hispanics with traditional families revere their elders,treating them with respect and sensitivity. Others, though, are not thatfortunate. Whether families are apart by choice or circumstance, thosewho do not view their elder relatives as central to the family’s wisdommight find their children following a different path, sometimes confusedabout priorities or choices. Valuing celebrity and following trends mightbe temporarily fashionable, but stable grandparents and sound parentsstand the test of time. Their guidance – instilled by words and example –can help prepare young Latinos for higher education.

The strong work ethic in my family could not have come only from theneed to earn; work was the right thing to do. Since my grandparents andparents all survived the sacrifices they made in World War II, even theirleisure activities had a productive component. Whether Dad was buildingsomething in the garage or Grandma was making soap, if Mom was can-ning fruit or Grandpa was in the garden – they were working. With all ofthem serious about work, I took school, my job, seriously, too.

Persistence is also taught by parents and grandparents. Childrenwatching their elders attempt something repeatedly until they successfullytransfer that lesson to the elementary school classroom and all the way tocollege. Less-than-perfect results provide one more chance to get it right.Whether it is cooking a meal, completing another lab experiment or revis-ing another manuscript, there is room for improvement. Just keep it up.

Parents and grandparents alsoteach resourcefulness. Since moneyis a challenge for many Latinos,learning to use what you have makes a difference for the Hispanic col-lege-bound student. The 1950 Chevy (visor and a pushbutton ignitionintact) I inherited from my grandfather was painted with leftover gun-metal gray paint. Mom and Dad refurbished the interior. The brushstreaks (yes, brush streaks!) on the car body were noticeable, and it wasthe oldest car in the school parking lot, but those were my wheels, allthe way through high school graduation. Some classmates made fun, butonly a few were too proud to hitch a ride – and 40 years later, many ofthem still remember. (I also remember Grandpa sitting at the kitchentable reading National Geographic. He commented that while he couldnot travel to all those fascinating featured places in person, he couldtravel there in his mind by reading that magazine.)

A grandparent’s humor can cut through tension, sadness, disappoint-ment and frustration. Grandpa consoled my sister and me as we strug-gled to make our map-like tortillas round. “Don’t worry, mi’jita,” hekindly advised, “you’re not going to roll them into the dining room, any-way!” From that, I learned that effort counts – and not everything needbe so serious.

Life is not for the faint of heart, and Latino children can learn mentalstrength along with kindness from adults in the family. Wise grandpar-ents take the patience and time to talk with – and listen to – their grand-children. They exchange their own wisdom of times-gone-by with infor-mation about contemporary things. (Pre-microwave stories fascinatechildren, and agile demonstrations of nanotechnology by grandchildrencan fascinate grandparents in return.)

Perhaps the greatest gifts – and preparation – that Latino childrenreceive from grandparents are through daily interactions that teachrespect, manners, values, morals, family history and traditions. That softspot to land when life is hard, that place to just hang out and spend time,that home away from home that belongs to grandparents can be a mostsignificant classroom. And sometimes we think children aren’t listening.

WISDOM OF GRANDPARENTSAND PARENTS

PPrriimmiinngg tthhee PPuummpp......

Miquela Rivera, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist withyears of clinical, early childhood and consultativeexperience. She lives in Albuquerque, N.M.

Documents

04/29/2013 Getting That Degree