CLS program losing students due to director controversy

“Baba and Contreras have generated an oppressive and hostile environment that, not only negates this fact, but also seeks to further marginalize students who are requesting a peaceful resolution to their demands. Contreras continuously has ignored the needs and humbled requests of the Chicano/Latino community and their allies and Baba has endorsed this vicious treatment with her actions.

MSU alumni, the University of Michigan Latin Social Work Coalition, and the multitude of concerned students throughout Michigan and our nation fully support the students, faculty and staff at MSU in their pursuit of social justice for the Chicano/Latino Studies program, the Chicano/Latino community and their allies.”

As an impartial student, I have to say that “hostile environment” has been nurtured by the CLS students. They don’t sit down and talk, they yell and they only want their demands to be approved. They don’t want to negotiate nor arrive to a consensus. They are “marginalizing” themselves by having that “all or nothing attitude”. Furthermore, the students are not “requesting a peaceful resolution” because they are not willing to settle. So, they will probably end up being violent and acting viciously. Actually, Baba agreed to various proposals but the CLS students they are only worried about having Contreras removed. Do they really care about the programs or about whose in charge? Do one of the professors want to be the chair? This has always looked to me as a personal, not academic, issue. As they always say, students and faculty make programs.

“MSU alumni, the University of Michigan Latin Social Work Coalition, and the multitude of concerned students throughout Michigan and our nation fully support the students, faculty and staff at MSU in their pursuit of social justice for the Chicano/Latino Studies program, the Chicano/Latino community and their allies.”

Not all MSU alumni care about this, UM Latin Social Work Coalition probably doesn’t have anything to do, “the multitude of concerned students throughout Michigan” is a good generalization that makes you sound like you are backed by hundreds of thousands and “our national fully supports…” is an even more impressive hyperbole. Then, “pursuit of social justice”, “community” and “allies” makes you sound like Gov. Granholm.

I sympathize with students that argue respectfully and are willing to negotiate and arrive to consensus. We live in a society where respect, negotiation and collaboration are, I would say, the most valuable personal assets. The CLS students have looked foolish in front of their peers and, I think, have lost the respect from the administration after the last terrible meeting they had. In fact, I would say that if those students are not willing to be respectful, negotiate and collaborate they shouldn’t be part of the MSU community. MSU distinguishes itself for being inclusive, respectful, among others, and these students are not following those values nor appreciating the opportunity of changing their academic program for better.

Changes can occur without approval from a director and chairperson, dean, etc. The faculty knows it. So, its either the students haven’t displayed all the facts to the general community or they are just behind personal interests.

BTW, MSU has a good SW Program so I find it amazing that you went there even though you LOVE CLS. Also, I don’t know if it is that you feel intelligent but writing that poetically and generalized makes you look uninformed.

To student:You nailed it.

This guy just wants to sound smart and maybe he is. But you have to definitely be informed.

The Chicano/Latino Fellows program would give students in the CLS program a monthly stipend to mentor other students like Solis. But when those students were asked to formally document the hours of mentoring they started making all this big deal about Contreras and blah blah blah. We all know the conflicts going on now.

Todd Mireles is just booty hurt because he hasn’t been able to get an administrative position in the university. He just needs to grow up and hang out with people his age.
I do not fully support everything Contreras is doing, but I’m also not totally against it.
What I do know for sure is that screaming and crying and demanding things like 5 year olds won’t get you anywhere. O and writing love stories won’t either.

Siempre!!1

As a mentor in that program I had no problem documenting my hours. In fact at the start of spring semester I went into the office to fill out a hard copy of my mentoring log and was told the new director eliminated the formal documentation. Students did not complain about documenting their hours, they voiced their concern when the new director eliminated scheduled events They voiced concern when after receiving a grant for Mentor Month in Michigan she decided to use the funding for a reception instead of recruitment. They voiced concern when she eliminated the program all together. So in terms of criticizing others for wanting to sound smart, I suggest you check your facts. Perhaps we all should, then we all might sound a little smarter. Don’t you think? Take care!

It seems odd that so many are so quick to criticize when the facts are not all out there. The same students being criticized for not willing to compromise are the same students who organized a public forum LAST fall that the director reluctantly came to. She then made it personal and got in shouting matches with people she had issues with in the past, neglecting students concerns. These are the same students that tried on numerous occasions to meet with the director only to be denied time and time again. These are the same students that calmly met with Dean Marietta Baba to address their concerns. These are the same students who went through a process taking nearly four months that the Dean stacked. The dean promised time and time again she would act based on the committee’s findings. A committee she hand selected. However, the SAME committee she created concluded the only way for CLS to move forward was without the current director in her position. It’s not personal. We are not asking her to be removed from MSU faculty. We are asking for her to be removed from a position she has proven unable to do. So while many try to criticize concerned undergrads for growing impatient I ask where all of you would stand after a year long struggle where the administration has made it clear they do not care about harassment, assault, or their promises to undergraduate students.

“booty hurt”

So now Contreras supporters are making homophobic comments?

What’s next? Ruben Martinez going to take us all out to lunch so we can talk about it on the University’s tab?

I think apologies to the LBGTQI community are in order.

Maybe this is just another example of the character and mindset of the people who Contreras has surrounded herself with?

watch these videos…As a Chicano Scholar I am embarrassed by the lack of academic respect these students showed to the dean and to the academic institutions. The students don’t get it, they presented no objective facts.

My advice to the students is to live MSU and stop embarrassing us.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doi173_HRmU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oj0Q958VzJY&feature=related

SEEMS LIKE SHE IS DOING A GREAT JOB!!!!
https://www.msu.edu/~cls/index.htm

Thought I saw Todd at the PB last night. Wanna talk about it Todd?

Ruben Martinez is doing an outstanding job. Look at this conference he is putting together. He has put MSU on the map.
http://www.jsri.msu.edu/whatsnew/index.html

The students have no clue how important he is to MSU and the midwest. They are living in a bubble.

Say it ain’t so, Todd.

Ruben Martinez is the man. He is the most important Chicano leader in the Midwest right now that is trying to create a space for Latinos

No, Dr. Martinez is not most important Latino leader in the Midwest. You have to be crazy to believe that!

No, Dr. Martinez is not organizing a conference because his staff is doing all work when he is at lunch and on “my time” in the office.

No, Dr. Martinez is not trying creating a space (JSRI) for Latinos because this space has been here for almost 20 years!

if you think you are so important to JSRI, you should quit and start your own conference. I bet the conference will still take place.

So, Todd, any repeats of Thursday night over the weekend? Or have you filled your quota for the month?

my favorite free lunch on the university’s bill was when I ordered one of everything off of the menu at bob evans.

i love bob evans.

Ruben O Martinez,
Could I set up a free lunch date with you at the state room to discuss your future as JSRI director and your rude and unprofessional behavior toward your worker. Remember Michigan tax dollars are paying for our lunch date. It must be nice to make $170.000 dollars a year and provide yourself with free lunches with my tax dollars.

Please call me

Todd, have you ever had a “party” like you had on Thursday before? How many times before? Who were at these “parties”? I hope the rumors aren’t true but you’ve been very quiet lately. Afraid of the consequences?

Xochi,

I’ve heard you’re quite a patron of PB yourself. I hear you have quite a love affair with Zinfandel. Good thing they sell it by the box. Better ween yourself down. You have a kangaroo kommittee to sit on. Now fly away little flower birdie.

Ruben Martinez is too busy making minor edits to other peoples work so he can claim authorship. He doesn’t have time to organize a conference. The JSRI conference is all his staff’s work. Apparently, in light of the whopping $5000 in funds he’s raised, he doesn’t have time for fundraising either.

Illinois, Ruben Martinez undoubtably would be insulted by you staining his proud Hispano heritage with the label “Chicano”. You Obviously don’t know the man.

Conference-_“if you think you are so important to JSRI, you should quit and start your own conference.”_

Oh my, you really are uninformed.

http://xicanocenter.org/pdf/xdc11709.pdf

Hope to see you there.

Tezcatlipoca:
I can’t explain myself, I’m afraid, Sir, because I’m not myself you see, said Alice.

I see you are already well into today’s box if not into the second. Congratulations. I wish you well.

My children, I did not create you to fight amongst yourselves. I did not breathe life into your lungs so that you may use that breath to destroy one another. Make peace with your brothers as I made peace with my earthly brothers.