University of Wyoming Chicano Studies Program

College of Arts & Sciences Department/Program Report

Chicano Studies Program

Introduction: Chicano Studies is an interdisciplinary field of instruction and inquiry that primarily examines the social, economic, and political experience of U.S. Latinos/as of Mexican ancestry. The Wyoming Mexican American experience dates back to the 16^th century through Spanish colonialism, and today Mexican Americans are the dominant non-white racial/ethnic group in the state and on campus. Given this, it is somewhat ironic that the University of Wyoming’s Chicano Studies Program is only in its fifth year of formal existence with peaks and valleys of success. Limited institutional support and dubious programmatic leadership together explain the erratic success of the program.

To illustrate, a contentious 2002 – 2003 academic year between the interim director and affiliated program faculty, staff, and students led to a change in leadership for the 2003 – 2004 academic year. At best, expectations for a novice administrator in his first year at the University of Wyoming would be for the stabilization of an institutionally neglected program. However, an academic plan collectively developed by the new director, faculty, staff, and students provided the necessary framework for not only stabilizing the Chicano Studies Program, but also for moving it forward with the promise of quickly gaining local, regional, and national notoriety.

Teaching Activities: During the last academic year, two formal joint faculty positions were created primarily to provide programmatic teaching and service support beginning with the recently completed academic year. Research tenure homes for these two faculty are in the Criminal Justice and Sociology departments. In addition, a visiting assistant professor (Geography and Recreation), two adjunct faculty (History; Modern Languages), and two temporary instructors (Social Work; English) provided instructional resources for the program. This makeshift instructional faculty was responsible for teaching three independent study projects and one special topics seminar (20 students) in the summer session of 2003; one independent study, two core courses (44 students), and two upper division classes (63 students) in the fall semester of 2003; and one independent study, one core course (7 students), and five upper division courses (131 students) in the spring semester of 2004.

Student teaching evaluations show considerable praise for Chicano Studies faculty and course curricula. Several faculty members were recently recognized with College of Arts and Science “Thumbs Up” awards (Muñoz; Bantjes) for their positive contributions to the University of Wyoming. However, additional formal faculty lines are necessary to offer core curriculum courses on a regular rotation, particularly for English and History core courses. This becomes even more urgent considering the loss of a visiting professor and a reduced temporary teaching budget in the upcoming academic year.

Additional faculty also can provide more service related resources. For example, a temporary faculty member submitted and had approved for University Studies Program (USP) diversity (D) and cultural humanities (CH) course selection requirements, the program’s “Mexican American Literature” core course. The director developed and submitted for approval two additional courses in response to institutional requests for proposals. Based on the merits of the proposals, both were accepted for funding and institutional support.

“Social Justice in the 21^st Century” was accepted as both an intellectual community (I) and diversity (D) University Studies Program course. This course also serves as the anchor course for the “We the People” Freshman Interest Group (FIG) that was chosen as a new FIG by the Office of Academic Affairs, and which is in collaboration with African American Studies, American Indian Studies, American Studies, International Studies, and Women’s Studies. “Diaspora Study in the Yúcatan” is a summer innovative course that combines a one-week experiential component in Mérida, Yúcatan, México with a three-week classroom component on the historical development and contemporary maintenance of the multicultural Latino Diaspora. Once again, this course was submitted in collaboration with the aforementioned interdisciplinary programs.

The recently approved academic plan calls for the restructuring of the Chicano Studies core curriculum in order to truly reflect an interdisciplinary academic program. Additional personnel to develop and implement proposed changes can add to a desired end effect of quicker graduation rates for all students in general (i.e., additional USP courses), and for attracting more Chicano Studies minors in particular. Most pressing is the need for tenure-track History and English faculty.

Research and/or Creative Activities: In the director’s judgment, it is appropriate to defer comments on research and creative activities as a programmatic whole due to the primarily teaching and service related nature of the Chicano Studies Program, the current lack of a centralized departmental infrastructure, and highly variable research responsibilities among the faculty. Annual reports submitted by the Criminal Justice, Sociology, History, and Modern Languages departments should be consulted for an indication of affiliated tenure-track faculty’s scholarly contributions.

Service Activities: The program plays a critical role in advancing the University’s commitment to diversity with numerous students, staff, and faculty providing their expertise and effort for various committees and projects at the programmatic, departmental, college, university, state, regional, and national levels. The Chicano Studies Program works collaboratively with Movimiento Estudiantíl Chicano/a de Aztlán (MEChA) and the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) to develop and implement programming for campus and non-campus communities that highlight Latino history and culture (i.e., Hispanic Heritage Month, Cesar Chavez Day, Cinco de Mayo). In addition, faculty are often called upon to provide workshops and seminars for ethnic/minority recruitment programs offered by the Office of Admissions (i.e., Minority Higher Education Day). This marked academic/student affairs collaboration allows for enhanced services, recognition, and honors for Latino/a students.

The program’s representation was highly evident at this year’s Shepard Symposium on Social Justice here at UW, as well other local and regional academic seminars/meetings (i.e., “Rooted in Diversity,” College of Agriculture; “Journey Through Our Heritage: A Month-Long Special Series Highlighting Hispanic Heritage and Influence—Past and Present,” Eastern Wyoming Community College). Most recently, faculty organized and participated in an assessment workshop at the annual meeting of the National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies (NACCS). The work started there is carrying over to a Rocky Mountain FOCO conference on the “Implementation and Assessment of Chicano/a Studies Curricula” that will be hosted by the University of Wyoming in the fall. The overall goal is for the publication of national standardized assessment guidelines for Latino/Chicana Studies Programs/Departments.

Enrollment Trends: Put simply, program accomplishments are rather amazing considering there was only one FTE dedicated to the program on an annual basis for only three years of its five-year existence. Nevertheless, this one FTE laid the groundwork for steadily increasing class enrollments through the establishment of a curriculum designed for matriculation in a Chicano Studies Minor. Although student credit hours (81-559) and average class size (12-29.4) increased significantly from the 1999-2000 to the 2002-2003 AYs, only four minors have been awarded since the 2000-2001 academic year.

These numbers are indicative of two factors. The first being a nascent program grappling with institutionally mandated increases in instruction (i.e., USP course requirements) with limited additional support. The second being a poorly conceived Chicano Studies minor course curriculum. As additional Chicano Studies courses are accepted for USP requirements, the trend in increased credit hours and class sizes should continue. A revamped Chicano Studies Minor course curriculum should increase the number of degrees awarded.

Student Recruitment Activities: As mentioned earlier, the bulk of the program’s recruitment efforts are coordinated with better equipped student affairs units such as the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Office of Admissions. Additional efforts will be/are being cultivated through regular participation at Resource Fairs and Discovery Days and through the Outreach School. Other recruitment efforts are haphazard and primarily informal efforts by affiliated faculty in the completion of their teaching, research, and service related responsibilities. Faculty often divulge the merits of a Chicano Studies degree in their courses, through collaborative independent research projects, at academic conferences and invited speaking engagements, and through non-academic organizational participation (i.e., Wyoming Latino/a Coalition).

More formal processes that particularly target Latino students are being developed and implemented, some farther advanced than others. Letters provided in the appendix indicate an increase in Rawlins, Wyoming middle school students’ educational aspirations after a visit from last year’s Tobin Award winner who discussed with them the virtues of diversity and the place of Chicano Studies in academe. This same Tobin award winner is chairing a committee composed of university and community representatives to develop a funding proposal for an improved Chicano Studies High School seminar that is tentatively scheduled for the summer of 2005.

Student Retention: Recruitment and retention are distinct, yet reciprocal efforts. Because of this, programmatic retention efforts are inextricably tied with recruitment efforts that are outlined above. Discussions are ongoing to develop a more efficient cross/divisional mode of communication so that students are fully aware of the many curricular and extra-curricular opportunities that are available to them as they progress towards matriculation. An integrated Latino/a student/staff/faculty listserv will be much more efficient for the distribution of vital information than the forwarding of material from one distribution listserv to another (i.e., Chicano Studies to Hispanic Student Services to MEChA).

Still, the Chicano Studies Program formally administered the Hispanic Heritage Scholarship competition that produced two deserving applicants. In addition, the program sponsored the first annual Chicano Studies graduation reception and recognized graduates with a University of Wyoming Alumni license plate holder to remind them of their ongoing recruitment and retention responsibilities. Finally, the program partially funded a McNair Chicano Studies Minor undergraduate student for her attendance at the annual meeting of the National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies.

Student leaders of MEChA and their adviser, Amy Crowell, are now realizing the benefits of having faculty visit with them at their weekly meetings. These visits will work to improve collaboration and co-sponsorship of more varied Latino academic and cocurricular events. More importantly, these visits will increase faculty/student interaction that is especially important since the Chicano Studies Program is only responsible for the advising of program minors that are presently minimal in numbers.

Development: In the past, a Rawlins public official has been critical at securing additional funding for the program’s cultural outreach efforts. Fortunately, the continued cultivation of this relationship is producing new recruitment and retention efforts. Discussions with key A&S development staff are leading to improving contact with donors and potential donors. Hispanic Heritage Scholarship award recipients have agreed to write letters to the scholarship fund’s anonymous donor thanking him/her for their generosity, which has helped them achieve their educational goals. The director attended this year’s College of Arts & Science Alumni Awards banquet and informally established contact with a potential donor. In addition, the director is working with campus and non-campus organizations such as MEChA, OMA, and the Wyoming Latino/a Coalition to develop scholarship fundraising events.

Public Relations: An integrated mode of communication between the Chicano Studies Program, Hispanic Student Services and Programs, and MEChA will produce a better combined effort at public relations that is necessary for the program’s sustained success. Even so, the program does use a variety of outlets to inform constituents about the program’s endeavors and successes. Regular and special advertisements of the program’s events and programs are published in the campus newspaper. Periodic updates about the program’s scholarly contributions are announced through the College of Arts and Science newsletter. Faculty have been called upon to deliver keynote addresses at various events such as commencement exercises. They are regularly called upon to participate in workshops and public seminars. The Wyoming Associated Press periodically makes requests for comments on issues involving Wyoming’s Latino population.

Classified and Professional Staffing: In February, a half-time office assistant senior was hired to fill the vacancy left with a change in position by the former office assistant. Without a doubt this hire has added tremendously to the administrative effectiveness of the office. In addition to providing general receptionist support, he has quickly and competently learned the various administrative duties associated with an academic program (i.e., budgetary items, course loading, event programming, etc.). This summer he will revamp the program’s website, which has not been updated for well over a year. He has applied for work study assistance in the office, and if granted, he can begin developing a newsletter, and, training to become the Chicano Studies program adviser. All this would become more feasible with the upgrade of his position to at least three-quarters time.

Web Pages: As mentioned in the preceding section, the office assistant senior is responsible for updating and maintaining the relevancy of the information on the department website. He is currently in the midst of advanced webpage training. In addition, computer hardware and software is being upgraded with the latest advancements in the field. It is reasonable to expect a new and much improved website by the end of the summer if not sooner.

Assessment of Student Learning: The program was partly successful in achieving the academic plan’s assessment of student learning timeline for the 2003-2004 AY. The Director, in his capacity as the Mountain FOCO representative of the Coordinating Committee for NACCS, introduced the need to standardize Chicana/o Studies Program/Department assessment guidelines at its annual conference planning meeting. The leadership voted to have the Rocky Mountain FOCO representative organize a workshop to further discuss the issue with the general membership. The workshop included NACCS scholars from the University of Wyoming, Iowa State University, California State University—Chico, and the University of California Santa Barbara that houses the only Ph.D. granting Chicana/o Studies Department in the nation.

From this workshop, the decision was made to continue the discussion online as the over 30 workshop participants felt the guidelines were long overdue. More importantly, Rocky Mountain FOCO conference participants decided to make assessment the theme of its fall conference, and they voted unanimously to hold its FOCO conference at the University of Wyoming. Major funding for the October 8 conference has been secured through the President’s Advisory Council for Minority and Women’s Affairs and will attract regional educators, scholars, and community activists for the drafting of guidelines that will then be presented to the national membership for discussion and debate.

This activity made the academic plan’s second 2003-04 assessment objective of appointing several members from the UW Chicanos Studies Advisory Committee to examine Chicano Studies websites at selected peer and non-peer institutions in order to propose Chicana/o Studies assessment techniques redundant and discarded. Left unaccomplished was the selection of current and prospective program undergraduates to discuss why (or why not) they chose a Chicanos Studies Minor and what they expect from the program’s curriculum to develop short exit survey instruments will for future graduating minors.

Even so, this objective should be easily accomplished in AY 2004-2005 as part of next year’s objectives are well underway. More specifically, next fall’s FOCO conference will facilitate the formalization, presentation, and publication of standardized program goals and expectations, student-based outcomes, and assessment techniques for Chicano Studies curricula. This will facilitate the identification and development of proven data collection instruments to make the collection and examination of data more manageable during AY 2004-2005.

Planning Implementation: Significant progress was made in the past year towards major goals/action items stated in the Chicano Studies Program Academic Plan II. The development and implementation of a plan for the assessment of student learning is well underway and will facilitate the restructuring and streamlining of the Chicano Studies curriculum. What’s more, curricular additions submitted and accepted for the current summer and upcoming academic year in the form of a study abroad course, a Freshman Interest Group, and an intellectual community course will serve to enhance program, college, and university commitments to interdisciplinarity, diversity, and internationalization.

More challenging, but achievable, is the possibility of a program name change that could help in strengthening existing interdisciplinary curriculum and faculty partnerships. Certainly contentious, but worth visiting further to explore interdisciplinary curriculum and faculty partnerships outside of traditional core disciplinary areas of the humanities and social sciences, is the viability of Cross-Disciplinary Chicano Studies and/or Ethnic Studies undergraduate major/graduate degrees.

Diversity: Considering its limited resources, the program has done much to increase diversity in the college and the university primarily through curricular and extracurricular programming. Inflexible staff position criteria (i.e., Spanish language literacy highly desired) and limited budgetary resources, however, do provide significant barriers to student/staff/faculty recruitment efforts. Nevertheless, the program did hire a bilingual Mexican American male for an office assistant senior position.

On the other hand, the lack of dedicated FTE lines prevents the serious recruitment of well qualified Chicano Studies scholars, even when they are joint positions with other departments. Deliberations are ongoing, however, to put a Target of Opportunity hiring package together that will bring a Chicana to the department of Theatre & Dance and the Chicano Studies Program.

Efforts to increase diversity in the Chicano Studies program must take into consideration the implications of renaming the program to U.S. Latino/a Studies. This is an issue contained in the program’s academic plan and one that will be debated in the coming year.

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