The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
4A — Tuesday, September 4, 2018

expressed her optimism for the 
conversations with MESA and 
the University moving forward.

“We are moving in a positive 

direction,” Rivas said. “We 
understand that there’s a lot of 
demands that can’t be solved 
in a certain timeframe. They 
require time, so I think we’ve 
been understanding on that end 
because (the administration) 
have been addressing the ones 
that are more immediate or 
easier to tackle.”

MESA director Nadia Bazzy 

confirmed in an email the 
organization has met with La 
Casa and wrote the University 
is focused on concrete solutions 
to the demands proposed by La 
Casa.

“Student Life leadership has 

met with La Casa on an ongoing 
basis 
since 
the 
demands,” 

Bazzy wrote. “The goal has 
been to listen, dialogue and 
deliver actionable items to 
strengthen partnerships and 
community.”

One of the initial demands 

called 
for 
full 
financial 

support for Assisting Latin@s 
to Maximize Achievement, a 
program designed to provide 
incoming 
Latinx 
students 

with necessary resources and 
support once they arrive at the 
University. La Casa specified it 
wanted ALMA to start prior to 
the official University move-
in date to avoid conflicts with 
other orientation programs.

According to LSA senior 

Yezeñia 
Sandoval, 
external 

director of La Casa, ALMA 
celebrated 18 years last week 
with additional support from 
MESA, 
which 
has 
led 
to 

increased support for incoming 
Latinx students. 

“(ALMA) 
really 

demonstrated the University’s 
commitment and leadership 
to helping La Casa grow and 
expand and helping recruit 
and retain Latinx incoming 
students, so I feel like they’ve 

really been pivotal in helping 
create action plans so that 
across campus, different offices 
can really cater their services 
to the diverse community that 
they serve,” Sandoval said.

With regard to the action 

plans, 
Sandoval 
and 
Rivas 

mentioned a pending joint press 
release from La Casa and the 
University about the status of 
the demands. Rivas said a few 
of the initiatives the University 
has been currently working on 
include the reinstallation of the 
previously removed art from 
the César Chávez Lounge in 
the Mosher-Jordan Residence 
Hall and an increased effort in 
diversified job applicant pools.

According 
to 
Sandoval 

and Rivas, the lack of Latinx 
representation in faculty and 
staff positions is still one of 
La Casa’s central demands. 
While 2017’s Hispanic/Latino 
student population sat near 6 
percent, data from the Office 
of Budget and Planning for 
2017 shows the percentage 
of 
Hispanic/Latino 
regular 

instructional faculty — which 
includes tenure-track faculty, 
non-tenure-track faculty and 
lecturers — was 3.97 percent. 

Sandoval 
said 
the 
low 

number 
of 
Latinx 
faculty 

members is a result of the 
applicant pools. While La Casa 
claimed the pools have seen an 
increase in diversity, Sandoval 
argues it isn’t enough.

“Outreach is a big (focus 

area) too because it’s not 
enough to just make sure 
applicant pools are diverse 
enough but it’s also important 
to make sure what outlets are 
we reaching out to (and) how 
else are we expanding and 
including 
the 
community?” 

Sandoval said.

Sandoval 
suggested 

the Professional Latino/as at 
UM Alliance , a network of staff 
and faculty at the University 
whose 
missions 
include 

furthering Latinx culture and 
increasing 
Latinx 
presence 

on campus, should receive 
further utilization. Sandoval 
said PLUMA should be notified 

of job openings so additional 
qualified Latinx candidates can 
apply.

“There’s a lot of potential, 

there’s 
a 
lot 
of 
Latinx 

individuals 
out 
there 
that 

have these qualifications but 
are you seeking them out?” 
Sandoval said. “Holding others 
accountable and seeing where 
you’re posting these jobs (and) 
how are you reaching out to 
Latinx faculty and staff … is a 
big part of (the conversation).”

Moving 
into 
September, 

which is also Latinx Heritage 
Month, 
Bazzy 
said 
the 

University is allocating more 
financial support for La Casa’s 
Heritage Month activities, as 
well as funding for programs 
and 
better 
employment 

opportunities 
to 
ease 
the 

burden of tuition.

“MESA, 
La 
Casa, 
and 

other campus partners have 
been 
working 
throughout 

the 
summer 
to 
provide 

programming 
for 
the 

campus 
community,” 
Bazzy 

wrote. “MESA has secured 
increased 
funding 
for 
all 

heritage 
month 
programs, 

mentorship 
programs, 
and 

grants for students and student 
organizations 
for 
ongoing 

work on campus, as well as, 
increased 
the 
number 
of 

student jobs in MESA and the 
rate of pay to better support the 
campus community.”

As conversations on the 

demands continue, Rivas said 
the main goal will continue 
to help Latinx students at the 
University feel as though they 
are supported and accepted 
by their peers and academic 
institution.

“I am very optimistic about 

this coming year and all the 
progress that will be made, 
and I am always excited to see 
La Casa grow into the largest 
Latinx 
organization 
that 

supports all of our community 
members and makes them 
feel like they have a home at 
Michigan,” Rivas said.

LATINX
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