I was very fortunate to have gotten the Borderland fellowship at CMAS. That fellowship provided me great opportunities and helped me not get into greater debt, as I finished my doctoral program at UT. I owe thanks to the CMAS director and staff for this opportunity. I do not think removing Dr. Nicole Guidotti-Hernandez and Dr. Dominio Perez achieves anything useful.
I believe everyone does the best they can with what they have. We do want transparency in the awarding of this award. There was no transparency. These women work hard and should get the opportunity to respond to the problems on this award. I was devastated that George P. Bush was selected for this award. I do not believe he deserves it and many others agree.
We achieve nothing by shooting the messengers. We achieve much by acknowledging that improvement is necessary, that a public call for award nominations needs to occur in the future, and a transparent process is necessary at this fine University of Texas at Austin. What starts here changes the world. Let us not change the world by making it less transparent and more politically wired. Let us empower others by acknowledging errors and move forward with improvements in the processes for such an award, plus engage more UT alumni in events. The points made in the petition are important and they need urgent attention. Acknowledgement and public and transparenat moves to improve are necessary and would ameliorate the situation.
M
Maria Cotera
11 years ago
For an up-to-date collection of articles and statements related to the Latino Leadership Award debacle, you can go to Angela Valenzuela's blog: Texas Educational Equity at http://texasedequity.blogspot.com/
M
Maria Cotera
11 years ago
CMAS/MALS Graduate Student Recommendations, submitted to the Dean on 19 May 2015
We, graduate students affiliated with the Center of Mexican American Studies and the Department of Mexican American and Latina/o Studies at The University of Texas at Austin representing students in several departments across the College of Liberal Arts, College of Fine Arts, and the College of Education, write to express our concerns over the direction of the Center and Department.
We salute and commend the struggle led by students, community activists, and faculty who in 1970 established the Center for Mexican American Studies.
We are grateful for the dedication, work, and leadership of UT alumni, affiliated faculty, current directors, staff, and students that have brought to fruition the recently established Department of Mexican American and Latina/o Studies, which is positioned to be a significant force in shaping the direction of the field in the present and near future.
Echoing the sentiment in a recently publicized national petition written by UT alumni and signed by over 325 people, including senior scholars in the fields of Mexican American and Latina/o Studies such as Raúl Coronado, María Cotera, Sonia Nieto, David Montejano, Emma Pérez, Chela Sandoval, Paula Moya, Frederick Aldama, and Devon Peña, we recognize and celebrate the role of CMAS at UT in producing scholars and Latina/o community leaders ranging from teachers, activists, social workers, and politicians. It is from our deep love for an academic community that means so much for our intellectual, material, and spiritual well being that we address this letter and offer our recommendations.
We are aware of current expressions of concern from UT faculty, alumni, and community members over problems in the current governance that threaten the stability and direction of CMAS/MALS. Because we share some of these same concerns, we write these Graduate Student Recommendations with the intention of making the
M
Maria Cotera
11 years ago
Friends, please continue signing....
L
Louis Mendoza
11 years ago
Featured
A sincere thank you for all who signed this letter. The letter was sent to the President and Provost (also the incoming President) of UT Austin this evening with 325 signatures attached!
C
Christian Faltis
11 years ago
Featured
An award to George P. Bush dishonors the activists and scholars who worked tirelessly to bring Mexican American Studies to universities. I earned a Master's degree in Mexican American Graduate Studies in 1976, and have remained tethered to field in my work. George P. does not deserve an award.
S
Sonia Nieto
11 years ago
Featured
I was last year's Américo Paredes Distinguished Lecturer at the Center for Mexican American Studies, University of Texas at Austin. I was thrilled to be selected for that honor. But given this turn of events, I am baffled that George P. Bush, a person with no perceivable commitment to the Mexican American community (but one who is politically connected) has been given this award. Even more, I am disappointed that the leadership - without consulting faculty, students, staff, or community members - made this decision. Dozens of other truly worthy candidates might have been selected, and they would have had a great deal more credibility.
P
Paula Moya
11 years ago
Featured
As an academic associated with an ethnic studies program at my own university, I am highly aware of how important it is for the academic legitimacy of such programs generally that they maintain high standards for the honors and awards they confer. When awards are given for what appear to be baldly self-serving and politicized reasons, the academic integrity of all ethnic studies programs is compromised by association.
T
Thomas Esparza
11 years ago
Featured
Well said, there are numerous Latino Leader who have been leading since well before Prince George was born. They continue to do so to this day.
A
Adaljiza Sosa-Riddell
11 years ago
Featured
A brilliant letter which all interested faculty, staff, and students should read. It captures very well the spirit of the Chicano movement and the goals and reforms we sought. We have much work to do. This petition is a great milestone in Chicano/Latino and Chicana/Latina efforts to make institutions of higher education respond to the needs of our communities.VIVA La voz de nuestro pueblo! ASR
L
Louis Mendoza
11 years ago
Clarification
You need not be a UT alumnus to sign, nor does one need to donate to ipetitions for their vote to be registered.
I was very fortunate to have gotten the Borderland fellowship at CMAS. That fellowship provided me great opportunities and helped me not get into greater debt, as I finished my doctoral program at UT. I owe thanks to the CMAS director and staff for this opportunity. I do not think removing Dr. Nicole Guidotti-Hernandez and Dr. Dominio Perez achieves anything useful. I believe everyone does the best they can with what they have. We do want transparency in the awarding of this award. There was no transparency. These women work hard and should get the opportunity to respond to the problems on this award. I was devastated that George P. Bush was selected for this award. I do not believe he deserves it and many others agree. We achieve nothing by shooting the messengers. We achieve much by acknowledging that improvement is necessary, that a public call for award nominations needs to occur in the future, and a transparent process is necessary at this fine University of Texas at Austin. What starts here changes the world. Let us not change the world by making it less transparent and more politically wired. Let us empower others by acknowledging errors and move forward with improvements in the processes for such an award, plus engage more UT alumni in events. The points made in the petition are important and they need urgent attention. Acknowledgement and public and transparenat moves to improve are necessary and would ameliorate the situation.
For an up-to-date collection of articles and statements related to the Latino Leadership Award debacle, you can go to Angela Valenzuela's blog: Texas Educational Equity at http://texasedequity.blogspot.com/
CMAS/MALS Graduate Student Recommendations, submitted to the Dean on 19 May 2015 We, graduate students affiliated with the Center of Mexican American Studies and the Department of Mexican American and Latina/o Studies at The University of Texas at Austin representing students in several departments across the College of Liberal Arts, College of Fine Arts, and the College of Education, write to express our concerns over the direction of the Center and Department. We salute and commend the struggle led by students, community activists, and faculty who in 1970 established the Center for Mexican American Studies. We are grateful for the dedication, work, and leadership of UT alumni, affiliated faculty, current directors, staff, and students that have brought to fruition the recently established Department of Mexican American and Latina/o Studies, which is positioned to be a significant force in shaping the direction of the field in the present and near future. Echoing the sentiment in a recently publicized national petition written by UT alumni and signed by over 325 people, including senior scholars in the fields of Mexican American and Latina/o Studies such as Raúl Coronado, María Cotera, Sonia Nieto, David Montejano, Emma Pérez, Chela Sandoval, Paula Moya, Frederick Aldama, and Devon Peña, we recognize and celebrate the role of CMAS at UT in producing scholars and Latina/o community leaders ranging from teachers, activists, social workers, and politicians. It is from our deep love for an academic community that means so much for our intellectual, material, and spiritual well being that we address this letter and offer our recommendations. We are aware of current expressions of concern from UT faculty, alumni, and community members over problems in the current governance that threaten the stability and direction of CMAS/MALS. Because we share some of these same concerns, we write these Graduate Student Recommendations with the intention of making the
Friends, please continue signing....
A sincere thank you for all who signed this letter. The letter was sent to the President and Provost (also the incoming President) of UT Austin this evening with 325 signatures attached!
An award to George P. Bush dishonors the activists and scholars who worked tirelessly to bring Mexican American Studies to universities. I earned a Master's degree in Mexican American Graduate Studies in 1976, and have remained tethered to field in my work. George P. does not deserve an award.
I was last year's Américo Paredes Distinguished Lecturer at the Center for Mexican American Studies, University of Texas at Austin. I was thrilled to be selected for that honor. But given this turn of events, I am baffled that George P. Bush, a person with no perceivable commitment to the Mexican American community (but one who is politically connected) has been given this award. Even more, I am disappointed that the leadership - without consulting faculty, students, staff, or community members - made this decision. Dozens of other truly worthy candidates might have been selected, and they would have had a great deal more credibility.
As an academic associated with an ethnic studies program at my own university, I am highly aware of how important it is for the academic legitimacy of such programs generally that they maintain high standards for the honors and awards they confer. When awards are given for what appear to be baldly self-serving and politicized reasons, the academic integrity of all ethnic studies programs is compromised by association.
Well said, there are numerous Latino Leader who have been leading since well before Prince George was born. They continue to do so to this day.
A brilliant letter which all interested faculty, staff, and students should read. It captures very well the spirit of the Chicano movement and the goals and reforms we sought. We have much work to do. This petition is a great milestone in Chicano/Latino and Chicana/Latina efforts to make institutions of higher education respond to the needs of our communities.VIVA La voz de nuestro pueblo! ASR
Clarification You need not be a UT alumnus to sign, nor does one need to donate to ipetitions for their vote to be registered.