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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