My name is Manuel De Jesus Cabrera and I am a fourth year Electrical Engineering student. I am currently the male co-chair of the Latino Student Council for the 2002-2003 academic year. I would first like to give you a little background on the Latino Student Council it’s purpose and how it functions here at Rutgers University. The LSC started in the winter of 1990 at time when several of the Latino organizations recognized that they had the same goals for the most part and agreed that to work together formally as a united force that would benefit not only the organizations individually but collectively as the Latino Community as a whole. Today the Latino Student Council serves as the unifying body of 26 Rutgers University organizations. I stand before as the representative of approximately 2000 students at this great institution. I would also like to be very clear on the fact that although the LSC is Latino based with organizations like Mu Sigma Upsilon Multicultural Sorority Inc. and the James Dickson Carr Society, the Latino Student Council represents one of the largest, most diverse, and multifaceted student group coalitions on this campus. We are campus wide and very conscious of the issues that affect our Communities. I address you all here today as our unified voice. In the past it was believed that our voice was suppressed, maybe even unwanted. Whether this was true or not is irrelevant, because you the Rutgers University administration have invited us to speak to you today on the concerns of our community. We applaud you for taking the initiative to come to us, before we came to you. There is a multitude of concerns from our community that we believe must be addressed, but from the list we compiled we agreed that it would be best to focus on the most important of ALL the issues; that issue of course is academics and education. Rutgers University is a glorious institution, admired by many within the State of New Jersey and beyond. Rutgers is one of a few schools that has not only a Puerto Rican Hispanic Caribbean studies department but also a Latin American Studies department. Schools like New York University are currently attempting to mobilize their students and faculty to create such departments at their institution. We commend Rutgers for having the vision to implement such programs over 30 years ago. In those 30 years leading up to the present, there are several key areas that We the Latino Student Council feel should have been a nature evolution. As we all know Latinos are the fastest growing immigrant group in the United States, and accordingly more of us are coming to College in rapidly increasing numbers. With that said We want to see more classes for Native Spanish speakers. This is not to be confused with 300 and 400 level Spanish Language classes where the priority is ultimately to learn Spanish. What we want is Spanish classes similar to 300 and 400 level English classes where instead of Twain, Emerson, and Shakespeare you have people like Julia Alvarez, Miguel de Cervantes, Emeralda Santiago, or Jose Marti. The aforementioned writers are arguably some of the best authors in Latino history, yet we do not learn or have the opportunity to learn about them here at Rutgers. We also want to see more English Second Language Classes. You one of the biggest problems in this country for Latinos is that upon arrival to this country if you don’t speak English it is automatically assumed that you are either not smart or need special education when the only relevant issue is a language barrier. On the collegiate level there are many highly intelligent individuals that complete their elementary and secondary educations in their home countries, and are then forced to repeat grade levels. We would like to see Rutgers University address this problem. Let it be understood that Latinos are not one people, but rather are comprised of 21 Latin American Countries bound by a common language. If language was the defining factor than there would be no distinction between the United States and England. It should also be understood that as a people in the country we are devoid of all knowledge about our history, our roots, and our homelands in elementary schools and high school, making college the ONLY place...I would like to repeat ONLY place where we can expand our knowledge, with the exception of our families of course. So although we’re very pleased to courses like the History of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic but what about Peru, Argentina, Colombia, or even Mexico. Half of this country used to be Mexico and with places like Colorado, Los Angeles, San Diego, La Florida, Perth Amboy, Union City our influence in this country is undeniable. The Latino influence in this country stretches from coast to coast and this is not reflected in Specific studies or in history classes. In fact most American History classes are rather Euro centric ignoring key elements of major events. More than likely, we all learned about the Spanish-American war in 1898 or the Mexican American War in the 1840’s but how much is talked about the Spanish side of the war or the Mexican side of the war? This one sided depiction of history is detrimental to not only students but also society as a whole. Just like Columbus was hailed as hero for centuries until the truth about his exploitation of our peoples was brought to light. He was obviously not a hero but the leader of genocide. But until history was properly recognized the truth was concealed. History is very important to our people. It is what binds not only Latinos but the Council as well. To us the absence of Latino history or the Latino side of history coupled with the absence of Latino writers in courses like Expository Writing is not only obviously lacking, but painfully agonizing. Why are Latino authors ignored? We are forced to read old dead Englishmen, when arguably some of the younger living Latino authors are better, more insightful, and could possibly even be brought in person to speak to a class. There are also very few if any courses, depending on the semester, that focus on what it is to be Latino. You should be aware that you are not a Latino until you arrive in this country. In the Dominican Republic nobody asks me if I’m black or what nationality am I. These question have no relevance in most of Latin America. Latino Consciousness is important to us and is beneficial to your understand of us as a People. One of the next logical questions would be who is going to teach these courses. We want a significant increase of Latino Senior faculty. Tenure for Latino Professors here is almost a myth and extremely difficult to achieve. We the Latino Student Council could not believe that one of the most popular professors in Jose Morales was denied tenure. That was unbelievable and devastating to the community because he was very much loved. We also want to be very clear that Latino Professors are not to teach Latino Courses only. In my entire life, I have met 1 Latino English professor, and have yet to encounter one here at Rutgers. This was nearly unilateral within the COUNCIL. There is also the concern of retention of students. We again commend Rutgers University for being on of the forerunners in the area of Equal Opportunity Fund. Programs like the Minority Mentoring Program and ESP are very helpful in assisting students achieve academic success. We don’t necessarily want new programs but a promise to keep the ones you already have and expand on them. Expand their resources, hire more faculty, expand the Minority Mentoring Program to be campus wide as opposed to just Livingston. It has been proven to work so why not develop it further? Any reduction in these 3 programs will signify a crippling blow to Minority students at this institution. We also want a more proactive role from the ESP program in recruiting students. Many students are not aware of the services that are availability to them and we need to address this immediately. With our growing numbers both as Latinos in the Country, Latinos at Rutgers, and members of the Latino Student Council, we need a place to call our own and we have that in the Center for Latino Arts and Culture. Once again We want to commend Rutgers for being again one of the few institutions to have the foresight and vision to create such a center. The Center headed by Isabel Nazario has been one of our biggest resources in recent years. The Center does whatever possible for students including granting us the basement to serve as Latino Student Council headquarters. But the CLAC, an official Rutgers University building, floods. In addition to floods, there is still asbestos in the basement. We ask Rutgers to expand the Resources of the Center for Latino Arts and Culture to address these concerns. I would like to end with a small recap of our concerns. We want a wider range of Latin American Classes. We want these classes to reflect Latino consciousness in the United states. We want more Central and South American based courses. We want ESL more ESL courses and Native Spanish Speaker courses. We want Latino authors, writers, and poets to be rightfully included in English classes and Expository writing. We want our side of history depicted accurately whenever historical contexts arise. We want an expansion of resources for the EOF, ESP, Minority Mentoring program, and the Center for Latino Arts and Culture. We want a visible Latino presence among senior faculty. These professors are once again not be simply PR studies teachers, but rather Economics, History, Math, Communications, etc. I want to thank Emmitt Dennis for giving us this time to speak and hear our concerns. I say concerns but the word concern relates to anxiety, and I am not anxious at all because this was obviously the first step in right direction and I am fully confident that Rutgers will follow through thoroughly to meet our expectations. I leave you with a quote for the great Mark Twain. " Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but really great ones make you feel that you too, can become great." Rutgers is a great institution and I along with my fellow Latino Student Council members are proud to a part of this glorious school. Thank You once again. |