Students and faculty meet to fight for LLAS major

After five long years of struggling to solidify Latino and Latin American Studies (LLAS) as a major at NEIU, proponents of the measure see light at the end of the tunnel. On March 30, students and faculty met to discuss the current status of the initiative for transforming the LLAS minor into a major at the university.

Dr. Kimberly Sanborn, Director of the McNair Scholars Program, showcased a slideshow that detailed a description of the LLAS major advisory board recommendations. It also detailed the three major goals of the program.

1. To promote a critical understanding of historical and contemporary positions, and experiences of Latin America and Latinos. 2. To provide students with an interdisciplinary approach - not unlike the minor - to Latin America and Latino history, culture, society and languages. 3. To explore the relationship of Latin America to Latinos, each other and the world. Sanborn expressed her pleasure at presenting the work that she and two of her colleagues, NEIU Professors John Hageman and Christina Bueno, had done to fulfill their advisory duties. "Hearing the feedback of students and seeing that they're taking this [the transition] seriously makes me happy," Sanborn said.

Xavier Luis Burgos, editor of Que Ondee Sola and President of the Union for Puerto Rican Students, spoke about the structural and educational importance for a LLAS major.

He stated that in regards to public education, for example, teachings that the LLAS major would provide could create an opportunity for educators to develop a deeper, broader understanding of their students from the Latino community.

"Latinos will play an increasingly important role in society. It is important that teachers help students to understand Latinos historically and contemporarily," said Burgos.

The NEIU Strategic Plan, goal 3.4 is "to make NEIU, as a designated Hispanic Serving Institution, an institution of choice for Latino students." This proposition, started by a handful of students who were persistent, along with Professor Carlos LeBron, and a sympathetic associate provost, Estella Lopez, has proven to be somewhat of a mainstay in the effort to offer enriching programming to students who attend NEIU for its status as a Hispanic serving institution.

Of the program, Dr. Victor Ortiz, who is one of the major advocates for this proposal said, "This program has never been for Latinos only. We understand that these groups interplay with other groups... It is focused on Latinos and Latin America, but there are no groups in isolation."

Advocates for the proposed major will not hesitate to ask for assistance in the process of approval, which the proponents are hopeful will be finalized by the Illinois State Board of Higher Education in the coming months.

"To educate ourselves is to liberate ourselves, and unless we know our history and our past, we'll never be liberated," said President of NEIU's Movimiento Cultural Latino Americano (MCLA), Juan Ibarra Flores when he stated his view of creating a LLAS major.