Task force to evaluate Chicano group director

Oh no the world’s gonna end!

Mediocre, conformist, egocentric prof? Being paid top dollar?

Its simple: Get out!

Go to LCC or something.

OH NO!! Not the Latino Studies program!! I’m too shocked…and too hurt to even think about this!

I call to question why this professor “attempted to dismantle the Chicano/Latino Fellows Program, a mentorship project, and has disrespected students who have complained about her job performance and her restricting access to office space.” It seems to have really upset many people who have tried to bring it to her attention. Hope that things are looked into and dealt with fairly. It appears from this article that the 30 people complaining may very well have just cause.

The faculty’s vote of no confidence is valid, the graduate student’s vote of no confidence is valid, and the undergraduate’s vote of no confidence is valid. They were all thrown in Dean Baba’s face. Does she want their signatures signed in blood? That allegation and this “taskforce” are all tactics to buy her time in making a decision.

If she hasn’t seen a list with names on it, how have people already decided to have theirs crossed off of it?

If all 3 tiers of CLS affiliated persons, her faculty, her graduate students, her undergraduate students (including the Fellows participants), want her gone because she is not willing to engage with them, then what is she doing? She should understand that the best thing for her to do is resign from her position.

This group of “supporters” includes other Latino faces and administrators on campus who she has gone around trying to get pity from. I can assure that half of the people in that room weren’t there in full support of her, they were there because it might look bad if she wins and they were on the wrong side. Its all politics. These guys have no stake in the program except trying to take its funding to fulfill their own agendas. They are not around the office, they are not there to give their input, they are not around to see the way she acts like a child in her relationship to undergraduates, graduates, and faculty alike.

“I need some real experts to go and really find out, ‘are a majority supporting or not supporting her?” Baba said. —— Is this a numbers game now? Of course it is. The funny thing is….

The whole world hated the Bush administration, but his constituents, American citizens, didn’t do shit about it (didn’t impeach him like they should have). The people who “support” Dr. Contreras have no direct affiliation to CLS, solely Spanish surnames. But because they all like her, she should stay? Even though none of her constituents want her there? It would be like us letting the whole world vote to impeach Bush. It would have been cool, but not possible.

This director is against the collective democratic decision-making that has run the CLS office from its conception at MSU. She wants totalitarian control of the program and no one will stand for that.

The student “venting” is not just about the Fellows program, its not just about the office space, its about the director’s complete disregard for anyone’s ideas but her own. Its about her disrespect to her constituents. There is a much larger picture that Dean Baba ceases to grasp.

Dean Baba heard what we had to say, and she better know we’re serious about it. As students that pay tuition, we deserve to have a director that is in our best interest. If we’re not getting what we paid for, then something needs to be done. Contreras is not in our best interest, and we need a director that will be.

Here is a friendly message to Sheila Contreras please resign today. From the article and comments you are not a friendly person. Please resign for the betterment of the CLS program.

Sheila Contreras must resign by 5:00 p.m. today. You do not have much support

Sheila Contreras please do us favor resign today by 5:00 p.m.

Dr Contreras would do the Xicano/Latino Studies program, herself and the Xicano community in general a great service if she were to resign. Contreras habitually misses faculty meetings, constantly postpones, cancels or doesn’t schedule meetings with student staff, can’t be bothered to attend meetings and forums organized by students and on the one occasion when she did attend a forum in the fall Contreras talked over undergraduate students, grimaced constantly and rolled her eyes, disrespected and demeaned graduate students and gave a demonstration of why she is unfit as a leader. As an outside community member I had given Contreras the benefit of the doubt until I saw an example of her atrocious behavior first hand.

One more thing. It is was quite egregious behavior by Contreras to have her flunky call undergraduate student concerns “silly and irresponsible” at a recent faculty meeting. Resign now!

Again more comments on why Sheila Contreras should resign. Sheila please do the CLS community a favor resign by 5:00 p.m. today

Sheila Contreras,
Please resign by 5:00 pm.

Thank you,
Latina Student

Sheila Contreras please resign tomorrow by 5:00 p.m.

Dr.Sheila Marie Contreras needs to start thinking with a rational mind. Her own faculty (with the exception of one faculty member) gave her a vote of no confidence, the graduate students (with the exception of 2 of’em) and the undergraduates all have asked her to resign. She is not paying attention to the CLS community at all, thats why shes seeking support from people who have NOT been in the CLS office like the undergrads have and witnessed first-hand the disrespectful and hostile environment that she has made of the CLS office. Shes a good professor, as her undergrad supporters have claimed, but she is not a good director. Please resign Dr.Sheila Marie Contreras.

Sheila Contreras please do us favor resign tomorrow by 5:00 p.m.

I message to Sheila Contreras, your so-called friends will not save you, Diana Rivera does not have any type of power to save your job. Do your peers a favor please resign tomorrow by 5:00 p.m.

March 26, 2009

Dear Dr. Contreras,

Earlier this evening two students attempted to meet you at a spot you designated for a meeting called for by Concerned Undergraduate Students. After arriving there fifteen minutes after the said meeting was scheduled to begin you were nowhere to be found. The students then attempted to deliver the letter to you at your office, yet you refused to answer the door. They knocked repeatedly for fifteen minutes. They attempted calling the office numerous times in order to tell you they were outside, but you failed to answer the phone. Students were forced to wait two hours before you opened the door. At this point you then refused to take the letter they had waited so long to give you. This further demonstrates your inaccessibility and unwillingness to listen. More importantly you disrespected us once again as well as our valuable time. By being unreliable, you demonstrated your lack of commitment to serving the undergraduate students. Since you continue to snub us, you will find the letter we intended to give you today attached to this email.

Sincerely,

Concerned Undergraduate Students

This is another reason why Sheila Contreras should resign tomorrow by 5:00 p.m. Sheila why did you behavior in that matter to these concerned undergraduate students after you set up a meeting date with them.
Please resign tomorrow by 5:00 p.m.

OK she may very well be bad, but from all of your posts, you all look kinda like sociopaths. Seriously, stop stalking the woman and use the logic and rational skills you should have learned to write out why she is a problem and present these findings in an orderly, businesslike way. I mean saying you’re soldiers and whatnot really hurts your arguments across the board.

Stop acting like spoiled children and present the problems like college students. If you do that, and you’ve got just cause, you’ll win. Keep this up and you’ll have acomplished as much as the “killer coke” nutters (i.e. nothing).

March 26, 2009

Dear Dr. Contreras,
Earlier this evening two students attempted to meet you at a spot you designated for a meeting called for by Concerned Undergraduate Students. After arriving there fifteen minutes after the said meeting was scheduled to begin you were nowhere to be found. The students then attempted to deliver the letter to you at your office, yet you refused to answer the door. They knocked repeatedly for fifteen minutes. They attempted calling the office numerous times in order to tell you they were outside, but you failed to answer the phone. Students were forced to wait two hours before you opened the door. At this point you then refused to take the letter they had waited so long to give you. This further demonstrates your inaccessibility and unwillingness to listen. More importantly you disrespected us once again as well as our valuable time. By being unreliable, you demonstrated your lack of commitment to serving the undergraduate students. Since you continue to snub us, you will find the letter we intended to give you today attached to this email.

Sincerely,

Concerned Undergraduate Students

Sheila Contreras please do us favor resign today by 5:00 p.m.

It seems to me that there are legitimate concerns over job performance, however, the aggressive tone of the bulk of these comments undermine your position. There are accusations of disrespect when respect is not being given. To call the professor in question “mediocre, conformist, egocentric” does not demonstrate HOW or WHY she is either mediocre, conformist, or egocentric.
Furthermore, all University programs are open to any and all and thus, all are allowed to participate in the ongoing debate. The proper context is not only the MSU Chicano/Latino Studies office, but Michigan State University. We all contribute by tuition as well as participation in its ongoing affairs if anyone so desires.
Also, attacking Ms. Contreras’ supporters as not having valid voices is an egregious attack on their agency. By implying that they are only Latino or Chicano in name only serves to further divide the community. We are allowed to disagree with one another and should not have to resort to attacking the authenticity of our identities.
Finally, showing up to a meeting 15 minutes late does not give you the right to know on someone’s door for two hours. Even if you would have showed up on time this does not give you the right to bang on her door for two hours. This is harassment. Respect is a two-way street.
Ultimately, my point is that the critique of Ms. Contreras should be reserved for job performance and not on personal attacks. Todo se puede resolver con respeto.

Sheila Contreras please do us favor resign today by 5:00 p.m.