La Nueva Profesional Latina: Taking my first steps

Written By Yaileimy 'Jamie' Rodriguez
Syracuse University

About two years ago I attended my first NASPA conference where I began to connect with the Latino/a Knowledge Community and now have been given the opportunity to share with you my experience as a new professional in the field.

Born in Panama, I moved to the states at age five. After living in New York City until I turned 13, a big move was made to Homestead, Florida located south of Miami.
In April 2010 I was offered the Residence Director position at Syracuse University in the Office of Residence Life.

As my family and I drove the 1,408 miles from Miami, to Syracuse, NY, I recalled a conversation I had with a friend two years ago. I kept telling her, “ I just want to know.”
What was I so curious about? While my friends graduated from undergrad at Florida International University and went on to their first ‘real world’ job, I was starting my graduate assistantship and still unclear of when my ‘real word’ life would begin. It felt as if my life would be on a stand still for the next two years.

Here I am a recent graduate of the College Student Affairs program at Nova Southeastern University where I worked as the Graduate Assistant of Housing, and I now know where my ‘real world’ job will be and more or less where I want to head as a student affairs professional. Luckily, I was able to get over the feeling of having my life on pause and instead look around to see the opportunities I was being given while doing my grad work.

In those two years I was provided the opportunity to develop true knowledge and foundational skills that I know will come in handy as I begin my first full time position. Therefore, my first advice to share with others who are fresh out of undergrad and starting their grad work in student affairs is, “ there is no rush.”

With this in mind, as I start training for my new position- I wonder what seasoned professionals wish they knew as they started their first full time position in student affairs. Any advice?

The LKC NEEDS your perspective!

The DEADLINE for the 2011 NASPA program proposals is quickly approaching. September 3^rd in fact. The Latin@ Knowledge community (LKC) Sponsored Programs Committee is calling for presentations that bring awareness to current issues in higher education as they affect Latin@s as well as the greater community. Your voice is needed as we think about the future of NASPA & Latin@s in higher education. Many of you have excellent ideas for presentations and we don’t want them to go unheard! If you have the slightest question about submitting a proposal on Latin@ issues contact me (LKC Chair for Sponsored Programs) at aparicia@seattleu.edu. I look forward to seeing your program proposals and for those of you who have yet to present at NASPA I encourage you to take this challenge and next step in your professional career.

Program proposal facts:

• The LKC can approve three programs for sponsorship, which means your proposal can be evaluated by our community directly and has a very strong chance of being accepted by the overall NASPA program proposal committee.
• This is a great resume booster! Even if not accepted, writing a program proposal is an excellent point of professional development. Check out the guidelines here: http://www.naspa.org/conf/cfp/default.cfm
• We need diverse program proposals. We welcome programs that highlight intersections of identity: race, class, sexual orientation, religion, gender, etc. With inclusion comes awareness and change!
• Program proposals can be: panels, research based, experiential, and etc. (be innovated!)
• If you have questions about submitting a program proposal or want it to be anonymously reviewed with feedback before you submit it to NASPA, contact Adam-Jon Aparicio at aparicia@seattleu.edu 206.269.6306

More on Purdue's Humanigration Program

You read about the Humanigration program at Purdue University in the June issue of La Voz. Christa Wessels talks a bit more with Maricela Alvarado, director of the University's Latino Cultural Center (LCC) and discusses the program's impact.

Christa Wessels: As I understand, the Latino Cultural Center has been taking students on the Humanigration trip with Borderlinks for three years now. What has been the greater impact on the Purdue community following the students attending this program?

Maricela Alvarado: As the director, I am privileged to see students grow on almost a daily basis so the trip is something that has really transformed students’ way of thinking, their identity, and leadership. A few of the Humanigration students are currently involved with the issues related to undocumented students attending higher education and being able to have a path to U.S. Residency. Their activism is contagious and thus other students seem inspired to learn more so student organizations have had movie screenings, speakers, and information tables set up in the student union to get the word out.

C.W: How does this fit into the bigger picture of undocumented students and their struggles and the DREAM Act?

M.A: I think we are beginning to see some of the fruits of our labor from the Humanigration trip because students seem to be more concerned with what their peers and their families are going through in regards to immigration laws. As students, some have the privilege of being a resident or citizen and those students are realizing that they have peers that do not have the day to day privileges that they sometimes take for granted. They are more conscious of the world outside of themselves and understand that they have to have a voice to affect change. Their leadership thus develops through their own initiatives and passion which I believe is something they need to do to transform their own leadership skills through action. In March, students have held several movie screenings, had speakers, and are traveling to Washington DC in support of the DREAM Act. What is wonderful about this is that most of this was initiated and planned out by the students themselves.

According to Maricela: "The title Humanigration was made up to reflect the experience students will have on the trip, by connecting human aspects to the legal (or illegal) aspects of immigration. The students will learn a great deal through first hand experiences such as an overnight stay with families in Nogales who live in Colonias, which is squatted land due to people migrating north to either cross the border or work at the maquiladoras (factories) and settle in the border town of Nogales. We will also visit maquiladoras which increased in numbers along the border when the 1994 NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) legislation was enacted. Many of the maquiladoras are U.S. owned/managed companies. All of the students are required to read "The Devil's Highway" by Luis Urrea, prior to the trip. This book is now used as part of the training for Border Patrol because it is an inside true account of what many people know as the Yuma 14, a group of migrants crossing the treacherous Sonoran desert, which is where the Humanigration participants will travel to. "

According to Alvarado, participants were also scheduled to meet with Mexican border security officials (Grupo Beta) and ICE (Immigration Customs Enforcement) officials on the U.S. side. They were also scheduled to "attend court proceedings regarding Arizona's "Operation Streamline" which is a faster deportation process through the courts." Alvarado also said the group would meet with Mike Wilson, "arepresentative of the Tohono O'Dom reservation to talk about the immigration issues that affect reservation land and people. We'll also be able to do a short desert walk to have a better idea of what people experience walking in the desert while they cross the border."

Alvarado says budget cuts have forced the university to limit participation to five students this past spring, down from an average of 11 in past years. The program, now in its third year, will be expanded into a class next spring (2011) in the Latin American and Latino Studies Department.

For more information on the Humanigration program, visit the Purdue University LCC website.

Nuestro Comprade Nos Comparte: Thoughts on the 2010 NASPA Conference

I was very excited when I learned that Chicago would host the NASPA 2010 Conference. Given that I currently work at Northwestern University (Evanston, IL), I felt extra motivation to make this conference the best NASPA conference yet! I wasn’t disappointed. I looked forward to Mi Familia visiting from all over the country and I felt honored to have many esteemed, bright individuals in my “home”, many of whom I consider mentors. And that is exactly what NASPA and the Latino/a Knowledge Community provides me with each year...a time to reconnect with familia and an opportunity to expand on it. Each year I continue to grow personally and professionally from the many interactions during sessions, lunches, social events and even the quick “hello” between sessions. Conversations within the Latino Male Summit and the women in the Cathy Acevedo Comadres Circle are always a breath of fresh air and a great reminder of the positive work being done in our respective communities. This is also a time to reflect on many of the issues we face and the individuals that still need professionals like us to be their voices. To those of you reading this, Gracias for the work you do for our communities! I look forward to seeing and meeting you in Philadelphia!

- Christian Yañez is Director of Hispanic/Latino Student Affairs at Northwestern University.

NASPA Board Votes to Honor Contract for 2012 NASPA Annual Conference in Phoenix

Message from NASPA President Elizabeth Griego

In its meeting by conference call on June 18, the NASPA Board of Directors voted to honor its contractual commitments to host the 2012 NASPA Annual Conference in Phoenix, and to use the conference program "as an opportunity to address AZ SB 1070 and issues of immigration, social justice, and human dignity."

Background and Information

In making its decision about whether to hold its national conference in Phoenix in 2012 in light of passage of Arizona Senate Bill 1070, the Board of Directors considered a statement submitted by the Latino/a Knowledge Community, as well as comments from many others. In preparation for the Board meeting and vote, NASPA Board members and staff conducted research and corresponded and talked with many NASPA members, education leaders, other association leaders, NASPA's regional and divisional advisory boards, members of Arizona's Region VI Executive Board, and leaders in NASPA's knowledge communities. The wealth of information reviewed and consulted by the entire Board revealed the range of information and opinions put forward to inform the decision about the 2012 conference location.

In reviewing the possibilities, NASPA attorneys were consulted about any possible legal basis for canceling the contracts. Upon review, the attorneys were of the opinion that NASPA would not escape significant liability if we were to cancel. As of this date, the exposure to cancel hotel contracts is $850,000, a significant financial decision for the Association to make. Also, given the financial penalty that would have to be paid to the hotels in Arizona, the impact of an economic boycott - one of the chief reasons given for supporting the cancellation of the contract - would be negated.

The Board was very much in accord with the thinking of the Latino/a KC statement regarding the negative repercussions of SB 1070. It acknowledged that Arizona's political history has been a concern to NASPA members for some time, including the 1990 failure to establish Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday as a holiday (approved two years later), last year's revocation of health benefits for domestic partners of state employees, and, most recently, banning the teaching of ethnic studies in Arizona public schools. Last year, in response to the decision about health benefits for domestic partners, NASPA chose not to hold its assessment and retention conference in Arizona.

The accompanying personal statement, written by NASPA President-elect Dr. Patricia Telles-Irvin, was read at the Board of Directors conference call and provides further explanation of the stance ultimately taken by the Board.

Next steps

The Board is grateful for the extensive communication extended by the membership around this issue. Following my May 2010 article in the NASPA Forum, I received almost 300 e-mails in response to my views on SB 1070. We acknowledge and honor the passion and commitment of many of our members who stand in fervent opposition to SB 1070. We also acknowledge that there are other NASPA members who favor this legislation and have written in support of it. We respect the right of everyone to hold their informed opinion, and we intend to provide protected and respectful opportunity for ongoing dialogue, beginning with the website blog, continuing with a pre-conference session for the NASPA 2011 conference in Philadelphia, and including attention in the program for the 2012 conference.

In the 2012 conference, we will plan opportunities to meet and work with community leaders, and, if we can get them, state legislators, so that we can understand and perhaps impact one of our country's most pressing issues: immigration reform. We foresee an exciting opportunity in the Phoenix conference to extend the learning for all of us. And finally, we respect the right of persons to boycott Arizona and not attend the 2012 conference in protest of SB 1070, especially those who may not feel safe in the state given this legislation.

Now we need your help. We welcome your reactions to the Board's action and to this letter. Express yourself on the NASPA website. If you would like to work on the pre-conference session on immigration reform for the 2011 conference, we would welcome your ideas and creative energy. Please e-mail Kaaryn Sanon to discuss our plans and find out how you can contribute. Also, if you would like to be involved in reacting to and organizing against SB 1070 with other NASPA members, or if you would like to join in efforts to respond to other states considering similar legislation that could result in discrimination or profiling, please e-mail Kaaryn Sanon. If you would like to communicate your views with your regional vice president or the NASPA Board or the Executive Committee, you may find our e-mail addresses on the board page of the NASPA website.

Thanks to all who wrote with views on this important issue, and special thanks to those willing to become involved.

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Personal Statement of Dr. Patricia Telles-Irvin, NASPA President-elect

NASPA is an organization with members representing more than 1,400 institutions of higher education. As such, NASPA members hold a broad range of perspectives. Consequently, NASPA cannot represent any single political viewpoint. However, we must recognize there are serious societal issues that warrant serious consideration and debate. The Arizona laws regarding undocumented immigrants, ethnic studies and potential birth rights that have recently been brought to our attention raise very serious issues of immigration and economic policy, justice, opportunities, access, fairness, and the role of immigrants in the development and maintenance of American society, among other issues. There have also been laws in this state that have impacted the GLBT community with last year's revocation of health benefits for domestic partners of state employees.

While I personally disagree strongly with these laws, I also understand that my personal views cannot reflect an organizational view for an association with a membership as diverse as NASPA's. It is clear to me, however, that if NASPA is to have its meeting in Arizona, we cannot pretend that the controversies over these laws and the many issues they raise do not exist. As student affairs leaders within institutions of higher education, we need to face these controversies head-on and in a manner that is appropriate for an organization uplifting the values of the student affairs profession. Our institutions impact the minds and souls of students who will lead this country one day. The future of this country depends on them to make good decisions that are honest, thoughtful, and just. Silence is not an option on issues as important and complicated as these.

I want to share with you my personal experience as someone born in the southwest and of Mexican descent. I understand the challenges of the borders and the plight of these immigrants. I also understand that the issues are complicated. In my experience living in my hometown of El Paso, Texas, many undocumented immigrants are encouraged to take jobs other Americans are not willing to assume. Many work hard and contribute to the economy by purchasing goods, keeping prices down, and keeping producers, farmers, and ranchers in business. Among those who cross the border, there are individuals (a small minority, I would say) that have a criminal intent. Unfortunately, in my hometown it appears that the drug cartel has moved to the border town of Juarez, Mexico, and there are killings occurring almost daily. I recall when these two cities worked collaboratively and going across the border either way was safer. There was an appreciation for both cultures by the citizens living in this bicultural region. I do not blame those who are concerned now for their safety. However, the majority of the immigrants are coming out of desperation. One depiction of one such painful, tragic, and true journey immigrants took to find work and to improve the lives of their families can be found in a great book we had our first-year students read last year, The Devil's Highway by Luis Alberto Urrea.

Solutions need to be found, however, I do not think the United States can resolve all these issues alone. There has to be a partnership with other countries; and it is my hope that it happens soon. For most of his career, my father has been a servant leader. He has served this country all his life with great honor and loyalty, and through this he taught me to face any challenge worth facing head-on and with conviction. In 1957, he was elected the first Hispanic mayor of a major city in this country; in 1961, he was the first appointed U.S. ambassador of Hispanic descent; and he was the first Hispanic to serve as a colonel in the Air Force. He also accepted a presidential appointment to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Washington, D.C., as one of five commissioners in the early 1970s. In these various roles, he never shied away from trying to correct injustice. He also taught me to love this country; and part of loving this country was contributing to realistic, honest, and humanitarian solutions.

So, as an educational organization that stands for justice, inclusion, and access to education, as well as analyzing and solving the great challenges of our times, we must make a statement by going together and being very purposely present in Arizona with programs that will educate, enhance the dialogue, and reach a greater understanding on issues of immigration, justice, and human dignity.

Our presence is needed. That being said, I ask for the support of the NASPA membership in embracing an approach that deals directly with these laws regarding undocumented immigrants and the concerns of the GLBT community. With that, I would then find myself able to proudly represent NASPA as its president at the 2012 conference in Arizona.

Erika's Story: Driving Through Life on a Bumpy Road

Please enjoy our first feature based on the June 2010 Issue of La Voz eMagazine.

“Why don't you go back to your country?”, “Why don't you just become an American citizen and stop breaking the law?”, “Why do you steal our jobs and our identities?” These are the kinds of questions that I hear from people who don't want me here. People who think I’m a “criminal”, and who judge me because of my legal status in this country. But who are they to judge? If they only knew what I have been through throughout my entire life: the suffering... the pain. I’m not looking for anyone to feel sorry for me, I just want people to understand that I'm not in this country because I want to take jobs, or because I want to break the law, all I want is an opportunity to become a productive citizen, who can do a lot for this country.

Ten years ago, I came to this country with my mother, my sister and my two year-old brother, and even though my mom always tells me not to say it, I am not ashamed of admitting that I am undocumented. My mom brought me here to look for a better quality of life. I also admit that I didn't want to come. I didn't want to leave everything behind; my grandma, my tias (aunts), my best friends, my country... but I had to. My mother had to raise five children on her own, and not only that, she also had to put up with my “dad”, who would beat her up every time he had a chance. We had to move from one place to another, hiding from him. She had a job as a janitor at a school, but it was not enough to feed five children on her own.

Crossing the border was one of the most traumatizing experiences I have ever had. My mother, my sister, my baby brother, and I had to walk for about half a day throughout the Arizona desert. I still remember hiding inside a hole because we heard the immigration trucks driving very close to us. I am still very proud of my little brother, because even though he was only two, he behaved very well and didn't cry at all. If he would have, we would have gotten caught for sure. Finally, we arrived to this wonderful country.

I couldn't believe how different it was from my country; the streets, the stores, the people, the schools, I LOVED IT! Now that I have been here for so long, I feel like this is my home, and I don't want to leave, even though I feel like I'm not wanted here.

I have been attending school since the first week we were here, and at first I hated it because I had no idea what the teacher was saying, and only one girl in my class spoke Spanish. It was like a nightmare, and I thought I was never going to wake up. I learned English in about a year. I couldn't speak it very well, but I could understand most of it. I was getting better grades, and at that point everyone started to realize that I was kind of smart, and I wasn't as stupid for not understanding anything the rest of the kids and my teacher were saying. Once I got to high school, I could speak, read and write English very well, I was on the top five percent of my class, and started getting all types of awards. I also started getting involved in sports and even ended up as the president of our school's Latino Club. Everything was like a dream, until my senior year came.

During my senior year, I realized how hard it is to be an undocumented student in this country. The first few months I was so excited because a lot of my teachers and coaches would tell me that they were proud of me, and that I was for sure going to go to college and that I was going to do great. So I went to talk to the lady in the career center, and she said I had very little possibilities of achieving this because universities did not accept undocumented students and that most scholarships were going to ask me for my social security number. Right at that moment she cut my wings. I went home and asked myself and God, “Why me?” I couldn't understand why I had to suffer so much if it wasn't my idea to come to this country in the first place. I was only eleven, and never took the decision to come here. That same night I came to my senses, and I decided I was not going to give up.

I applied to all the colleges and universities in the State of Arizona, and also to about 15 private scholarships. It was hard work, but it paid off when I got a letter from Arizona State University telling me that I was accepted. That was one of the most exciting days of my life, and the first thing I did the next day was to take the letter to the lady in the career center. I also received 6 scholarships, including 3 full rides to ASU. I know that like her many people are not very well informed of who we are and what kinds of things we can do.

In 2007, Prop 300 passed in Arizona. This law did not allow undocumented students to get in-state tuition and also denied any type of funding from the state to continue our education. They took away all of my scholarships. All those nights I spent filling out scholarship applications, and all of those hours I spent doing community service hours and homework for my AP classes were ignored because of my status. But once again, I decided to not give up and I applied to as many private scholarships as I could. All that hard work paid off again when a community organization awarded me a scholarship that allowed me to complete my education.

In May of 2009 I graduated from Arizona State University with a BA in Psychology. It was the first commencement ceremony that Barack Obama had attended as the new president of the United States. It was a sweet-bitter taste. I was proud of everything I had accomplished, but knowing that at the end of the day, that beautiful diploma from ASU was just a piece of paper that was going to hang on my wall. I was not going to be able to use it because of my status.

I might not able to use my degree, but I still have the power to fight for my family, my community and the people I love. I will not stop until this country realizes that I am not a criminal. I only want an opportunity. They can cut our wings over and over again, but I know they will always grow again, and one day all the DREAMERS and their families will fly freely in this wonderful country. They can make our road bumpy, but we will always keep driving!

The Association of Fraternity and Sorority Advisors Opens Graduate Staff Applications

Calling all graduate students interested in fraternity and sorority advising! Check out the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors' website for information regarding the coveted Graduate Staff application process. Though you won't attend many educational programs, you will get a great experience! The Graduate Staff is an essential part of the staffing for the volunteer-driven meeting and will provide much of the onsite support to the Central Office staff, Annual Meeting Planning Team, and other Annual Meeting volunteers in delivering an excellent experience for attendees.

http://www.fraternityadvisors.org/AnnualMeeting/GradStaff.aspx

Open Letter to the LKC and NASPA National Board

MEMORANDUM

DATE: May 17, 2010

TO: NASPA National Board

Dr. Gwendolyn Dungy, Executive Director

NASPA Members

FROM: NASPA Latina/o Knowledge Community

The Latina/o Knowledge Community (LKC), which is dedicated to challenging and engaging all members of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) regarding critical issues for Latinas/os in higher education, joins other organizations across the country in denouncing Arizona State Bill 1070. SB 1070 is scheduled to go into effect 90 days after the end of the legislative session on July 28, 2010. We believe that SB 1070 leads to unjust racial profiling, discrimination, and is a violation of civil rights.

Before Arizona State Bill 1070 was signed into law, the NASPA Latina/o Knowledge Community (LKC) leadership team received numerous requests to take collective steps in addressing the consequences of this legislation for members of our community; namely, students, families, practitioners, and scholars. In full support of NASPA’s Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity, we believe the Association must make every effort to “emphasize the importance of understanding, approaching, and owning diversity and equity from a personal, interpersonal, institutional, and global level.”

Therefore, we are answering the call to action and respectfully request that the NASPA Board of Directors, under the direction of President Elizabeth Griego, make every effort to move the 2012 Annual Conference from Phoenix to another location. We also request every effort is made to create space for educational programming on immigration issues both in pre-conference and conference formats, with particular emphasis on the extent to which institutions of higher education are affected by immigration legislation at the 2011 Annual Conference in Philadelphia. We request that members of the 2011 Annual Conference Planning Committee spearhead the coordination and implementation of this educational programming, with the support of the NASPA LKC and other NASPA entities. We encourage other knowledge communities, regional leadership, and those invested in higher education and equality to join us in this call to action.

Our rationale for these requests is based on the following considerations:

1. We understand that hotel contracts and monetary investments have already been allocated for the 2012 Annual Conference in Phoenix. We also understand that if the Association is able to cancel or postpone the hotel contracts, there is still the issue of financial costs already incurred, which significantly affect the overall budget for the Association. To cover these costs, it is possible that membership dues will need to be increased, which will have to be approved by the NASPA membership.

It is our belief that NASPA’s financial commitment should not take precedence over living the commitment to diversity and social justice. By moving the conference from Phoenix, the Association is actively demonstrating that the voices of the disenfranchised and marginalized are being heard, which includes NASPA members, regardless of their involvement in the LKC.

2. We contend that Arizona State Bill 1070 is a form of racial profiling targeted at immigrant communities regardless of (un)documented status.

By keeping the 2012 Annual Conference in Phoenix, we cannot guarantee that conference participants will be free from potential harassment from law enforcement entities. NASPA members who identify as Latina/o and/or indigenous, are perceived as Latina/o and/or indigenous, are members from other countries, or are simply perceived as immigrants may have to take extra precautions to ensure that they have “appropriate” documentation. Although there are financial costs incurred with moving the conference, we cannot put a price on the emotional, psychological, and professional toll that some NASPA members may experience as a result of keeping the conference in Phoenix.

3. The Latina/o Knowledge Community actively promotes the empowerment of NASPA members through education, research, shared knowledge, mentoring initiatives, and the use of online forums to disseminate information and facilitate discourse.

We believe that the NASPA LKC role is to create positive change concerning Latina/o issues through education and action. However, this legislation, which is already being considered for adoption in other states, including Pennsylvania, warrants all of our attention regardless of racial and ethnic background.

We will support an educational forum that is funded through the Association that occurs not only as a pre-conference but as a part of a major speaker/panel session during the actual conference; for we contend that an issue of this magnitude should not be placed at the margins. The Association should offer an opportunity for conference participants to dialogue about these issues as part of their conference experiences, especially those who need to receive education about the consequences of this type of legislation on our campuses and communities.

In our roles as students, scholars, and practitioners we have often witnessed the toll that many of our students of color experience as they attempt to educate the campus community about issues that are important to them. In many ways, we feel this is mirrored in our work as professionals within the Association. We believe the impact of the educational programming at the conference level will be far greater if the Association as a whole makes a concerted effort to coordinate, fund, and implement a discourse on immigration reform. The NASPA LKC is committed to serving on any Annual Conference planning committees that specifically work on coordinating the programming in Philadelphia.

We appreciate the support and guidance by members of the NASPA National Board and staff, especially Elizabeth Griego, David Zamojski, and Joey DeSanto. We look forward to working together to address this issue.

Could They Really Deport Me?

Reposted from the NASPA Forum: Could They Really Deport Me?
by Elizabeth Griego, NASPA President

My grown-up daughter came home for Sunday brunch and mentioned that she's going to Phoenix next week. "I made a T-shirt that says, 'Pull me over, I'm Mexican,' " she added. While Arizona S.B. 1070, the controversial new immigration law recently signed by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, doesn't take effect for nearly 90 days, I still had to caution my daughter not to be too casual—and to be sure to have her drivers' license with her, just in case. She looked serious. "Could they really deport me?" she asked.

Seriously, why should Americans have to ask this question?

As you've most likely heard, S.B. 1070 criminalizes stopping to hire day laborers as well as transporting or sheltering an illegal immigrant under any condition. The legislation allows individual Arizonans to sue agencies that fail to pursue immigration enforcement, makes private employment of illegal immigrants a state-level offense, and, most controversially, requires local police "when practicable" to check the immigration status of a person if they have a "reasonable suspicion" that the person is in the United States illegally, which is the clause that really raised my daughter's ire. Under this new law, a person will be required to produce a document or identification card proving his or her right to be in the United States.

The law states that using race or apparent origin as the only standard for establishing suspicion is prohibited, and state Sen. Russell Pearce, who sponsored the legislation, says that we have to have faith that police will implement safeguards against racial profiling. However, skeptics like me find it hard to imagine what other metrics agencies could use to systematically decide who might reasonably be suspected of being an illegal immigrant other than brown skin, dark hair, and accented English. If that isn't racial profiling, I don't know what is.

As an administrator and faculty member in higher education, I know that our role as educators should be to continue to urge the voice of reason. But we should also not forget that our voice needs to be the voice of principle, as well as the voice of reason. We have all experienced the hysterical and extreme internet vitriol on opposing sides of emotional issues, demonstrating the worst of communication when comments are made without personal attribution.

As president of NASPA, I am working with our association leadership to review our options regarding the 2012 NASPA Annual Conference, which is scheduled to take place in Phoenix. We are considering how best to convey our opposition to this legislation, including the possibility of canceling our conference and hotel contracts, despite the considerable financial exposure that would be incurred.

We in education have a responsibility to encourage the just and civil examination of this legislation. We need to insist on the identification of principles and facts, and we need to discourage paranoia and hysteria. We also have the responsibility to continue to convey to all of our students and the broader community, on this and other issues, that our core academic values include mutual respect, inclusivity, equity, and the value of diversity in the process of learning.

We should stand for the repeal of S.B. 1070, support the promised federal immigration reform, and sustain the ethical, respectful, and inclusive treatment of others that is essential to providing an environment for learning. Racial profiling diminishes us all.

On my own campus, students organized a protest art display in the multicultural center and invited the local community. Students, faculty, and staff marched downtown in a weekend demonstration against S.B. 1070 and in support of federal immigration reform to create a system for the undocumented workers who are already here, which President Barack Obama said was a priority of his administration. Similar events have been held on many other campuses across the country. Many have focused on the questionable constitutionality of a state law that attempts to regulate a power assigned to the federal government.

A widely referenced Rasmussen poll found that 70 percent of likely voters in Arizona favor "legislation that authorizes local police to stop and verify the immigration status of anyone they suspect of being an illegal immigrant." The same poll found that 53 percent of likely voters are concerned that "efforts to identify and deport illegal immigrants will also end up violating the civil rights of some U.S. citizens."

We know that S.B. 1070 will create heightened concern across the country about civil rights and elicit fear—and that is not too strong a word—among our Mexican-American students (as well as students from other backgrounds) for themselves and for their families. This is the major problem with S.B. 1070: It does little, if anything, to keep people from crossing the border illegally. But it does promote suspicion and distrust toward anyone who might look as if they did. This suspicion will be felt by everyone, not just farm workers or blue-collar workers or immigrants, but everyone who could likely be stopped—our university students and their families, our friends, our neighbors, our colleagues. My daughter. Your grandson.

The real harm of S.B. 1070 is that it creates an environment of fear and distrust that heightens and fuels resentment and ethnic divisions. It encourages the worst emotions in some of our citizenry. It motivates some Arizonans to see their neighbors through the lens of suspicion, rather than community. In other words, the sponsors and supporters of this legislation are worsening the very problem they were trying to solve.

Assistant Director/Assistant Dean position - Chicano/Latino Student Affairs Center of Claremont University

The Chicano/Latino Student Affairs Center of the Claremont University Consortium is searching for an Assistant Director/Assistant Dean position. If you are interested or know of someone that would be interested, the selection committee encourages you to apply. While the deadline has passed for the initial screening(Monday, March 22), applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

The search committee is interested in attracting the strongest possible pool of candidates, with the expectation of hiring the most qualified person for the position. We are searching for candidates who have experience working with Latina/o students, and are familiar with their academic, cultural and social needs in residential colleges. Candidates should have approximately four years of experience in student services at the college level or related field. The position requires a Master of Arts degree in an appropriate field, and the person must be bilingual in English and Spanish. For the job posting, please click here.

If you have any questions please contact Marla Love.
________________________
Marla Love
Assistant Dean of Students
SCORE (Scripps Communities of Resources and Empowerment)
Scripps College - The Claremont Colleges
1030 Columbia Ave
Claremont, CA 91711
marla.love@scrippscollege.edu

New to the NASPA Conference Experience?

Laura Valdez returns again as a guest writer for our blog to give new professionals or new attendees for NASPA some tips for this year's 2010 Conference in Chicago!

I will always remember going to my first NASPA conference and being overwhelmed by the size of the hotel and the conference itself. Here are a few tips for making it a manageable and fulfilling experience, and not overwhelming.

Whether you are attending alone or with colleagues from your campus, you should go to one or two social events to informally network with Latino/as from other campuses. Eating alone can be so lonely especially when everyone else seems to be gathering in groups, so venture out and attend a social. The LKC is filled with many people eager to network with colleagues.
Here are some helpful hints that we can pass along in advance.

- Use the itinerary builder on www.naspa.org/conf to tame the conference agenda monster, otherwise the large list of activities can be daunting
- Bring comfortable shoes (Place vanity aside and leave the fashionable yet uncomfortable shoes behind!)
- Pack business attire. You never know when you are about to meet your future boss at these conferences
- Attend the LKC events. It’s a great way to meet a community within a large setting
- Pack a lot of business cards and be prepared to network. When you receive a business card, write a “note to self” to recall where you met this new contact
- Meals are not included in the conference, but there are receptions or exhibit hall events with some light food
- Get plenty of rest so that you can make it to all your planned events
- There is a free cybercafé, so you do not have to bring your laptop
- Be prepared for a great experience
- Did I say, come to an LKC event?

I hope to see you in Chicago!

Hispanics on the Move: Monica Miranda Smalls

Please check out this month's issue of Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education. In this month's issue, our colleague Monica Miranda Smalls is featured as a Hispanic on the Move!!

Check out the article: http://www.hispanicoutlook.com/phispanics.htm

Thank you to Juan Guardia for keeping us up to date about our colleagues!

Latino in America: Laura Valdez

We received some very positive feedback from our most recent publication of La Voz, titled Latino in America. Readers were pleased with the mix of news and personal stories. In an effort to share more about our members and their individual Latino in America story, we will be featuring a LKC member periodically with their own Latino in America story.

Our first feature: Laura Valdez.
Laura is a long-time LKC member who serves as the New Student Orientation Director at the University of New Mexico. A well respected member of the LKC and a mentor for many, Laura shares her story with us here.

Can you share with us one of your more vivid memories of growing up Latino in America?
I grew up in a predominately Latino environment where only the teachers and priest were not Latino. I remember being really nervous about speaking English to non-Spanish speaking adults up until I went to college. I was afraid of saying the wrong word or phrase. I also remember learning about the pilgrims in 2nd or 3rd grade and wondering what people in New Mexico were doing during the first Thanksgiving. It was the beginning of my realization that Latinos in the American Southwest were largely ignored in history.

What do you think are the biggest issues facing Latinos in college today?
Finances. It's tough to qualify for financial aid and Latino families are struggling with unemployment and high costs of living, so students are juggling several jobs to pay for school. Overall, it's affecting their grades and college experience. I can think of dozens of students, some within my own family, with stories relating to the lack of money for college.

Do you think there are any challenges to being Latino in the higher education setting?
Yes, there are several issues for Latino students and professionals. Latinos are attending community colleges but not transferring to 4-year institutions which I'll speak to in simplistic terms. There is the issue of identity within a Predominately White Institution (PWI), and issues of access. Latino professionals in higher education are tapped to be in numerous campus committees, mentor students and new professionals, and be involved in the community on top of performing in the regular job. Being a Latino professional means that I don't just concentrate on my duties as described on my job description; I feel obligated to work on issues of access and equity. In some respect, I have to forget about the challenges so that I can psychologically prepare myself for success and beat the odds.

Do you find that Latino professionals are well-connected with each other on your campus?
I feel connected with other Latino staff members. Despite our politics and different backgrounds, I know that I can rely upon my fellow Latino professionals to advocate for Latino students. I feel that we are all really good at keeping our focus on the students. We aren't as good about encouraging each other in our career pursuits, but maybe it's because we're so overwhelmed by our daily tasks that we can only take on so much. I don't feel as connected with faculty, since we don't naturally cross paths on campus.

If you could leave us with one message what would it be?
Knowledge is power, so get an education. Plus, the Latino/o Knowledge community gives me energy that sustains me during rough periods.

Thank you Laura for sharing your story! Please check out our Pre-Conference Special Edition of La Voz. Featured will be LKC sponsored events and programs, and a special feature from Laura about attending the conference for your first time.