New Latino center raises questions
by Dannie Higginbotham
Issue date: 10/27/09
Section: Campus News
Minnesota State is thinking about the future with its plans to build an on-campus Latino center.
Although a set location hasn't been decided upon, one possible spot is near the student activities center, where the Greek office, LGBT center, and veteran's affairs are located. The area also offers couches and a satellite computer lab for students.
The proposed location would move LGBT and veteran's affairs and take away from some of the available lounge space.
Still, no final arrangements have been made.
"We need to make a decision soon," said Interim Dean of Students Walt Wolff, adding the university would like the center up and running by spring semester. It is the university's goal to have the location decided on this week.
The decision still needs to go to the Student Union board for consultation.
Wolff said the university is setting its sights to the near future. By 2015, the number of graduating Caucasian seniors in Minnesota will have decreased dramatically - from about 53,000 this year to 46,000. In return, the number of graduating Latinos will number a little more than 3,000 - an increase of more than 1,000 graduates.
The new center would also benefit current Latino students. Guadalupe Quintero, Director for Chicano-Latino Affairs, said a Latino center would provide a stronger support system for MSU's Hispanic population.
"It would be a place for them to hang out, a place to feel where they belong," Quintero said. She said the extra space would also be beneficial, as Latino affairs has books full of information on scholarship resources and various aspects of Latino culture, but nowhere to display them.
Some are upset about what they feel is a lack of communication with the students.
"Where the hell is the student feedback?" asked psychology sophomore AJ Pitts, who said he didn't know what was wrong with the current multicultural center.
Although the new center would go in an area frequently populated by members of fraternities and sororities, Pitts pointed out that many people, not just Greeks, used the area.
Others are surprised by the suddenness of the situation.
"They didn't advertise it at all, and they should have," said Moisés Lima-Guerrero, secretary for the Chicano Latin-American Student Association (CLASA).
Lima-Guerrero said he believes people would use a Latino center, but that he would rather have a bigger multicultural center rather than a separate one for Latinos.
"If we want to be a multicultural school like we claim to be, we should have a bigger center," he said.
Though some have expressed concerns that a specifically Latino center may show favoritism towards one minority group, Michael Fagin, vice president of institutional diversity, said the name was a misnomer and wasn't only for one group.
"All Mankato students will have open access to the center," he said. "It will serve all students, like students with an interest in Latino culture or anyone who wants to understand the role of Latinos in America."
Fagin said the center wouldn't encourage segregation between students. Rather, it would promote cross-cultural integration.
"I think any structure put up would foster integration," he said.
Quintero agreed, saying it would help students learn to share their culture, as well as hopefully help with student retention.
The Latino center wouldn't serve just the student population - it would also house the Plaza Comunitaria, a program brought to MSU by a recent agreement with the government of Mexico. The Plaza Comunitaria will help Mexican immigrants who never finished school in Mexico earn their diplomas, providing programs and materials in Spanish and encouraging adults to finish school and consider higher education.
Quintero called Plaza Comunitaria another recruitment tool, since the way to attract members of the fast-growing Latino population was to recruit by whole families.
"It helps families become familiar with the university and its system," Quintero said. "Once they know it's a friendly place, they will motivate their children to go to college."
Quintero said, that while all the groups on campus deserved more space, priority should be given to Latinos.
"The average age of Latinos in the U.S. is 14," she said. "They're the largest minority group, and the population is growing fast."
Fagin thinks that serving the needs of one population will help the overall community.
"By putting things in place to better serve Latinos, we can better serve the population," he said.
Dannie Higginbotham is the Reporter news editor
Although a set location hasn't been decided upon, one possible spot is near the student activities center, where the Greek office, LGBT center, and veteran's affairs are located. The area also offers couches and a satellite computer lab for students.
The proposed location would move LGBT and veteran's affairs and take away from some of the available lounge space.
Still, no final arrangements have been made.
"We need to make a decision soon," said Interim Dean of Students Walt Wolff, adding the university would like the center up and running by spring semester. It is the university's goal to have the location decided on this week.
The decision still needs to go to the Student Union board for consultation.
Wolff said the university is setting its sights to the near future. By 2015, the number of graduating Caucasian seniors in Minnesota will have decreased dramatically - from about 53,000 this year to 46,000. In return, the number of graduating Latinos will number a little more than 3,000 - an increase of more than 1,000 graduates.
The new center would also benefit current Latino students. Guadalupe Quintero, Director for Chicano-Latino Affairs, said a Latino center would provide a stronger support system for MSU's Hispanic population.
"It would be a place for them to hang out, a place to feel where they belong," Quintero said. She said the extra space would also be beneficial, as Latino affairs has books full of information on scholarship resources and various aspects of Latino culture, but nowhere to display them.
Some are upset about what they feel is a lack of communication with the students.
"Where the hell is the student feedback?" asked psychology sophomore AJ Pitts, who said he didn't know what was wrong with the current multicultural center.
Although the new center would go in an area frequently populated by members of fraternities and sororities, Pitts pointed out that many people, not just Greeks, used the area.
Others are surprised by the suddenness of the situation.
"They didn't advertise it at all, and they should have," said Moisés Lima-Guerrero, secretary for the Chicano Latin-American Student Association (CLASA).
Lima-Guerrero said he believes people would use a Latino center, but that he would rather have a bigger multicultural center rather than a separate one for Latinos.
"If we want to be a multicultural school like we claim to be, we should have a bigger center," he said.
Though some have expressed concerns that a specifically Latino center may show favoritism towards one minority group, Michael Fagin, vice president of institutional diversity, said the name was a misnomer and wasn't only for one group.
"All Mankato students will have open access to the center," he said. "It will serve all students, like students with an interest in Latino culture or anyone who wants to understand the role of Latinos in America."
Fagin said the center wouldn't encourage segregation between students. Rather, it would promote cross-cultural integration.
"I think any structure put up would foster integration," he said.
Quintero agreed, saying it would help students learn to share their culture, as well as hopefully help with student retention.
The Latino center wouldn't serve just the student population - it would also house the Plaza Comunitaria, a program brought to MSU by a recent agreement with the government of Mexico. The Plaza Comunitaria will help Mexican immigrants who never finished school in Mexico earn their diplomas, providing programs and materials in Spanish and encouraging adults to finish school and consider higher education.
Quintero called Plaza Comunitaria another recruitment tool, since the way to attract members of the fast-growing Latino population was to recruit by whole families.
"It helps families become familiar with the university and its system," Quintero said. "Once they know it's a friendly place, they will motivate their children to go to college."
Quintero said, that while all the groups on campus deserved more space, priority should be given to Latinos.
"The average age of Latinos in the U.S. is 14," she said. "They're the largest minority group, and the population is growing fast."
Fagin thinks that serving the needs of one population will help the overall community.
"By putting things in place to better serve Latinos, we can better serve the population," he said.
Dannie Higginbotham is the Reporter news editor
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