Recommendation:

That the Faculty recommend to the Dean approval of the request for an entitlement to plan a major in Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latin Studies, as structured in the program description below.

Rationale:

See Section 2. below.

1. History of the Program

The development of this program is the cooperative effort of two units at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee: the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) and the Roberto Hernández Center (RHC). CLACS was established in 1965 as the Latin American Language and Area Studies Center when the U.S. Office of Education designated UWM as a National Defense Education Act Center charged with providing students with an opportunity to pursue an intensive course of language and area studies focusing on the Latin American region. It has retained its designation as a U.S. Department of Education Title VI National Resource Center since that time, initially independently and since 1973 in consortium with UW-Madison. The Roberto Hernández Center, established in the fall of 1996, was an outgrowth of the Latino advising office in the College of Letters and Science, and the Spanish Speaking Outreach Institute (SSOI), which was organized in 1971 through the initiative of community leaders who identified a range of educational needs shared by Latino residents in the Milwaukee area. CLACS reports to the College of Letters and Science; RHC reports to the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

Individuals involved in both centers for a long time have recognized areas of common interest, and informal conversations about creating a major have been on-going for several years. Especially in light of the growth of the Latino population in the U.S., which is projected to reach 100 million by the year 2050. Most recently, representatives from CLACS, RHC, the Educational Policy and Community Studies Department of the School of Education, and the English, History, Sociology, and Spanish and Portuguese Departments in the College of Letters and Science have been involved in such discussions. In the spring of 2005, Dean Richard Meadows of the College of Letters and Science appointed an ad hoc committee "to examine any and all issues related to and options for offering an academic focus in Latino/a studies." In a report on the committee's progress, submitted to Dean Meadows on May 17, 2005, by Professor Joseph Rodríguez who was then co-chair, the committee reported its consensus that the creation of a broader, interdisciplinary major in Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latino Studies was both desirable and feasible.

After subsequent meetings with the Chancellor, Provost, Dean, and Associate Dean of the College of Letters and Science, the committee decided to move forward with plans for the major. Professors Kristin Ruggiero and William Vélez agreed to serve as co-chairs of the committee.

The proposed program will focus broadly on Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latino studies for a number of reasons. It will:

• offer a focus different from most Latino studies majors around the country by linking Latino studies with the study of Latin American (including the Caribbean) countries from which Latino populations originate;,/li>
• embrace comparative studies that will contribute to a greater understanding of the commonalities and differences among Latinos;
• appeal to a wide range of student interests because of the inclusion of both Latino and Latin American studies;
• allow students to focus on such specializations as Chicano, Puerto Rican, Andean, and Southern Cone studies, within the major's comparative approach.

The major will include the usual curricular areas for a program of this kind, that is, the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Unique to this program, however, is that it also will offer Latin American/Caribbean/U.S. Latino courses in the natural sciences and in such professional schools and colleges as Architecture, Arts, Business, Education, Health Sciences, and Nursing. The major will require two core courses; two comparative courses; and one integrated course, perhaps as a capstone course.

Because of the strength of the UWM faculty in the Americas, the proposed major will offer both breadth and depth as the following examples illustrate. The Anthropology Department (L&S) includes four faculty members specializing in Latin America and/or the Caribbean in the following areas: Caribbean diasporas (Haiti), zooarchaeology and ethnoarchaeology (Peru), medical anthropology (Honduras), and linguistic anthropology (Caribbean). In the School of Education, six faculty members specialize in U.S. Latino studies in the following areas: bilingual/bicultural education (2); cognitive studies and museum education; multicultural and foreign language education; Latino family and environmental health; and cultural anthropology and Latino studies.

Another unique aspect of the major will be what the committee is calling an "integrative studies" course requirement, which will ask students to examine the similarities and differences in the life experiences, belief systems, customs, and so forth of Latinos in the U.S. and people in the country or countries from which they originated. An informal survey of faculty members who indicated an interest in designing such courses produced the following possible topics: "Latino/Latin American Cities," "Language and Ethnicity in the Americas," "Tracing Mexican Art," "Human Trafficking in the Americas," "Borderlands," "Literature and Music Across the Border," and "Migration Issues Across the Border."

The major will be administered by an interdisciplinary faculty advisory committee composed of representatives of the units involved in providing instruction for the program. A program coordinator will have responsibility for the day-to-day administration of the program, student advising, and record keeping. Because of its interdisciplinary focus and the availability of staff support, the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies will house the new major.

2. Rationale

A number of very different factors argue for the development of this major. Foremost among them is the awareness of an increasing number of students whose academic interests are not being served by the more traditional disciplinary programs. Currently, UWM offers a major and minor in Spanish, with some coursework in Latin American and Latino literature and culture available, a Portuguese minor, a certificate program in Latino studies, and a certificate program in Latin American and Caribbean studies. These programs are not structured, however, to allow students to bridge the two areas of interest with coursework focused on the ties between Latin Americans and U.S. Latinos.

Although this major is expected to appeal to students from many different ethnic backgrounds, it may be of special interest to Latino students who want to know more about their countries of origin and the impact of those cultural influences on their lives today. Committee members believe that this aspect of the major will provide incentive for interested Latino students to persevere in their studies. The comparative focus of the major anticipates interesting possibilities for study abroad. Additionally, it may provide a context for increasing UWM's connection with MPS.

Linking Latin American and Latino studies is becoming increasingly desirable. The Latin American Studies Association, which is the predominant professional organization of Latin Americanists in the world, also includes individuals involved in Latino studies. The Association's newsletter, the Forum, published an article in which the authors call for a critique of the categories constituting Latin America; they argue that we need to work against the tendency to treat Latin Americans and Latinos as separate populations and recognize instead that there are Americas-wide solidarities (vol.36, no.3, fall 2005, "Interdisciplinarity and Historical Encounter of the Americas" by Heidi Tinsman and Sandlya Shukla, UC Irvine).

Latino students are expanding their efforts to identify with countries of origin in recognition of a pan-Latin identity. For example, students from the UWM Latino Student Union, on their own initiative, arranged a visit to Chalatenango, El Salvador, where they set up a community center and brought to campus speakers from El Salvador to talk about international political struggles and models of community organizing. At the same time, the demand for Latino studies courses continues to grow, primarily from second and third generation Latinos.

Because of this growing interest in dual identities, there also is an increasing national and international need for research and scholarship that moves beyond the nation-state and seeks to treat the peoples and cultures in the Americas as an integrated unit. The impact of globalization, the increasing importance of Latin American countries as political and economic players on the global stage, the growing influence of the Latino population in the U.S., and the increasing number of issues in which both the U.S. and Latin America are stakeholders are just some of the reasons that make this program imperative. There is a growing realization that institutions of higher learning need to expend a greater effort on research that develops a deeper understanding of the cultures of the Americas and on educating students to acquire this understanding, giving them the skills they need to address issues from the broadest possible perspective.

The committee believes that this major is especially important and necessary in the context of the current discussion of immigration movements in the United States. Cultural crossings of national and linguistic borders can be rich and complex, but also messy and subject to stereotyping and misinformation. An integrated Latin American/ Latino studies major will provide students with an important perspective on this issue in the hope that they will be better positioned to contribute in constructive ways to the ongoing concerns about immigration.

In addition, the committee believes that this interdisciplinary major will provide students with greater access to good jobs and positions relevant to their education and skills, especially their language skills. Job opportunities include positions with national and international organizations; area specialists with state and federal government agencies; careers in the private sector with corporations and private organizations with a need for employees who are conversant with both Latino and Latin American/Caribbean populations and environments; and careers in the fields of education, human services, law, health fields, journalism, public policy, and indigenous languages. Graduates of this major will be uniquely qualified to provide leadership in Milwaukee and its varied ethnic communities. Committee members also expect that this major will serve UWM in its efforts to recruit new Latino and Latin American/Caribbean faculty members.

3. Student Demand

As mentioned above, the activities of the Latino Student Union have indicated an interest in this area of interdisciplinary learning. Anecdotally, individual faculty and staff members have related conversations with students and other potential learners in which the desire for more academic options has been expressed. In Spring, 2006, the Committee developed a survey in an effort to learn whether or not the anecdotal evidence represented a significant level of actual interest. The survey was administered in May, 2006, by faculty members in approximately fifty classes at UWM. The results, compiled by William Vélez, Professor of Sociology, suggest that there is strong student interest in this major.

There were 711 surveys completed in courses in the following curricular areas: Comparative Literature, Curriculum and Instruction, Dance, Educational Psychology, English, Geography, Health Sciences, History, Latino Studies, Sociology, and Spanish and Portuguese. The major findings are summarized in Appendix A.

Based on this information, committee members anticipate that between twenty and thirty students will declare this major initially, and that the numbers will increase rapidly as the program becomes known. The data suggest that many students will view the new program as a strong supplemental credential to a traditional major. We also anticipate that the major will draw new students to UWM who otherwise would either attend college elsewhere or not attend college at all.

4. Relation to Institutional Mission, Strategic Plan, Goals and Objectives

The major in Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latino Studies contributes to serving the UWM select mission ". . . to meet the diverse needs of Wisconsin's largest metropolitan area . . . [by providing] a wide array of degree programs, a balanced program of applied and basic research, and a faculty . . . active in public service." In particular, the new major addresses the following academic goals:

(d)	To attract highly qualified students who demonstrate the potential for intellectual development, innovation, and leadership for their communities. This major, especially as it may be used as a second major or a minor, will attract students for whom it will be of use in community leadership positions, both formal and informal. The proposed major offers a different focus and set of goals from other programs in the Upper Midwest region in that it links together U.S. Latino studies and the study of Latin America/Caribbean countries from which Latino populations originate. Second, it embraces comparative and transnational studies in Letters and Science and the professional schools and colleges that will contribute to a greater understanding of the commonalities and differences among Latinos. Third, it allows for and encourages the creation of integrated courses, that is, courses that contain both a Latin American and a Latino focus. When faculty were asked for their thoughts about this proposed major that would integrate the two Americas, rather than establish formal "tracks" in the major (that is, one in U.S. Latino and another in Latin America/Caribbean), they were most supportive of an integrated approach.
(e)	To further academic and professional opportunities at all levels for women, minority, part-time, and financially or educationally disadvantaged students. As one of its two main objectives, UWM's strategic plan identifies the need to increase student access to the University. The University recognizes that Latinos are underrepresented in the student body, especially in relationship to their presence in the city and county of Milwaukee. Since UWM is the UW campus that attracts the greatest number of residents, it is vital that the University adopt strategies to serve this population. As July 1, 2005, Latinos constituted 99,155 or 10.5 percent of Milwaukee County's 921,654 residents (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, August 4, 2006). The Hispanic/Latino population of the City of Milwaukee numbers 80,945, or 14.5 percent of the city's total population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2005 American Community Survey). Currently, Latinos make up only 3.6 percent of the student body (approximately 1100 students, graduate and undergraduate). The six-year graduation rate for undergraduate Latinos is only 22 percent. Chancellor Carlos Santiago has made "access to success" a priority for his administration; his goal is to increase the number of under-represented students who are admitted, retained, and graduated from UWM. The major in Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latino Studies will contribute to that goal by attracting more Latinos to campus because they will want to enroll in a major that has great relevance to their past histories and future aspirations.
(f)	To establish and maintain productive relationships with appropriate public and private organizations at the local, regional, state, national, and international levels. The RHC and CLACS, as well as the faculty members who are affiliated with the two Centers, already play an important role in the City of Milwaukee. In fact, this proposal for a new major is, in part, a response to on-going changes being recognized in the Milwaukee community and the State of Wisconsin. The Centers and their faculties work together with City and State communities through collaborative programs with the Milwaukee Public Schools, the United Community Center, the Milwaukee Public Museum, and Channel 10/36 public television programs such as "Adelante" and "Fourth Street Forum." Many of these programs reflect a new pan-Latin vision. For example, the program "Adelante," hosted by Patricia Gómez at Channel 10/36, attempts to bring Latin American issues to Latinos in Wisconsin. The United Community Center, through Latino Arts, hosts events that include both a Latin American and a Latino focus. At the national and international level, CLACS is involved in the major Latin American professional organization, the Latin American Studies Association (which also includes U.S. Latino studies); in grant applications to the U.S. Department of Education, not only for the Title VI program, but also for the Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education; and in the organization of study abroad programs for UWM students.
(g&i)	To promote public service and research efforts directed toward meeting the social, economic, and cultural needs of the State of Wisconsin and its metropolitan areas; to provide educational leadership in meeting future social, cultural, and technological challenges. This integrated program I predicated on the assumption that students will need to make the transition from the local to the global. That is, they will need to work not only in local communities in Wisconsin, but also in the global economy. Contributing to this is an increase in immigration and investment of Wisconsin corporations in the world markets in Latin American countries. This will make UWM more appealing to prospective students, businesses, and donors.

5. Projected Source of Resources

The proposed major will be housed in the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS)in Pearse Hall (rooms 168-174). The Center reports to the Dean of the College of Letters and Science and receives significant budgetary and programmatic support from the College. The staff includes a Director (50% time at the Center and 50% in the History Department), an Assistant Director (100% time), a Program Assistant (100% time), and one to two part-time students. All of the full-time staff members have been at the Center for at least 7 years. Thus, the Center enjoys longevity in its staff, as well as in its funding as a National Resource Center. There are sixty affiliated faculty members, 30 of whom are core faculty members substantially involved in creating curricula. In any one semester, there are approximately fifteen Latin American/Caribbean courses offered at UWM. In the 2004-2005 academic year, UWM taught 92 non-language courses with a minimum of 25% Latin American content with a total enrollment of 5,263. The courses were taught in nineteen academic departments and five professional schools. Twenty-one were offered at the 100-299 level; 54 at the 300-699 level; and 17 at the 700-900 level. Faculty members come from fifteen departments in L&S and from six professional schools and colleges (Architecture, Arts, Education, Engineering, Health Sciences, and Nursing).

The Roberto Hernández Center reports to the Provost and receives significant support from that office. It also receives funding from Hispanics in Philanthropy to conduct a Latino Nonprofit Leadership Program as well as other grants for additional projects. There are approximately fifteen faculty members who teach U.S. Latino courses; some of these faculty members also appear on the CLACS roster. In any one semester, three to six Latino-focused courses are offered at UWM in various departments and at various levels. The introductory course offered in the Latino Studies curricular area enrolls between 52 and 74 students per section. Classes offered through the English Department tend to enroll between 25 and 35 students per section; Sociology enrolls between 15 and 20 per section; and Spanish between 15 and 20 per section. The number of faculty members is more than sufficient for the program to be launched, although additional U.S. Latino faculty members would strengthen the program. The core courses and the majority of 200-level and above courses already are being taught.

Committee Members:
César Ferreira (Spanish and Portuguese)
Enrique Figueroa (Latino Studies and RHC)
Connie Jo (L&S Administration)
Mauricio Kilwein-Guevara (English)
Joseph Rodríguez (History)
Kristin Ruggiero, co-chair (History and CLACS)
Charles Schuster (L&S Administration and English)
Javier Tapia (Educational Policy and Community Studies, SOE)
William Vélez, co-chair (Sociology)
(former members: Gilberto Blasini and Ismael Márquez)