HALO requests new major to increase Hispanic enrollment
HALO requests new major to increase Hispanic enrollment
Published March 17, 2006
Hispanic enrollment increased 9 percent this past semester, but some members of the Hispanic American Leadership Organization say that is not enough.
"Hispanics make a huge part of the United States," freshman Carolina Escalera said. "And the population of Hispanics in the U.S. and in Missouri is not reflected at MU."
In a Four Front meeting in February, members of HALO presented Chancellor Brady Deaton with a number of objectives it would like to see achieved at MU, including a proposal for a new interdisciplinary major, Hispanic cultural studies. The major would help increase Hispanic enrollment, according to HALO.
HALO President David Combs said the new major would differ from the currently offered Latin American studies emphasis within the International Studies major.
"We want a major with the emphasis of highlighting Hispanic culture," Combs said. "Latin American studies focuses more on the history of the Latin American countries."
Combs said a major in Hispanic culture would make a recent graduate marketable in many fields.
"With the growing Hispanic demographic, there are many positions in government jobs, statistics, public relations, business (and) law in respect to understanding certain cultural aspects," Combs said.
Combs said Michigan State University has implemented a similar major.
"When Michigan State started a similar major about six years ago, it attracted many Hispanic students," he said.
Students in the organization are also working to provide a Spanish version of the admissions application for prospective Hispanic students.
The application was translated about two years ago, but Combs said he received an e-mail saying it would be too expensive to produce.
"The Spanish application has been done for a long time on the West Coast," HALO Secretary Nicole Mangudo said. "We need to get more modernized."
Mangudo said Hispanic parents often have difficulty helping their children fill out the applications because the parents cannot understand the applications.
Combs said he met with Missouri Students Association President John Andersen on Wednesday.
"John said he would contact committee directors, such as the head of Student Affairs, to see how to get these things through," Combs said.
Combs said he had not heard from Deaton since the Four Front meeting but hopes to contact with him after spring break. He also said Deaton told the members of HALO he would speak with colleagues at the University of Texas because UT also has a similar major.
Combs said he plans to involve all HALO members and ask them to be vocal on campus.
"I want to have them talk to different departments on campus, talk to people (at) Jesse Hall, advertise and involve other students, even non-Hispanic students," Combs said. "Even non-Hispanics have asked why we lack this major."
Combs said Hispanic students have made strides on campus with the addition of the Cambio Center, a research development center for Latinos in Missouri.