Walking into Berkey hall, a thick smell that reminds me of history and long days. I am lead to the fourth floor, where I find the Chicano Latino Studies Program office. The Chicano Latino Studies program offers a variety of courses and data that can enhance a students knowledge on Chicano/Latino history and modern issues. There are four entities that make up the entire program. They are the Fellowship Program which is responsible for mentoring incoming and transfer students; the Seminar Series; the Mexican Voices/Michigan Lives, which constructs oral history projects; and the Enrollment Advocacy Project, which seeks to increase the number of Chicano/ Latino students admitted to Michigan State University.

Walking into room 442 is almost like walking into a glove-everything is tight and confined. It’s a wonder how the faculty and students are able to be so productive in such a small area. Its also amazing that after funding was cut to the Chicano Latino Studies Program this year by the university, that they were able to withstand the pressure of finding answers and their money. Once the community learned that their budget for the year was $0.00, they decided to take it to the streets. Interdisciplinary Studies junior Claudia Gonzalez, recalls the events that surrounded the cutback in funds. “There was an uproar within the Chicano/ Latino community due to the fact that there was going to be a budget cutback from the program. When the director of the program Theresa Melendez received the information about the budget it was $0.00. Melendez was supposed to receive the budget in early July, but did not get the information until the first week of September. She was told by the administration to take it up with the Social Science department [in Berkey Hall]. The Social Science Department, did not know where the money was.”

How could a prestigious, Big Ten, affirmative action, equal opportunity university drop the ball like this? Who is responsible for dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s? Of course the Chicano/Latino community was not going to lay down and let the university walk over them and their history. Instead of playing tag with the administration, student activist group, Movimiento Estudiantil Xicano de Aztlan (MEXA) came to flex their muscle in the struggle for recognition and respect within the MSU community.

So, what did they do? MEXA organized a good old fashioned sit-in. Members of the student group sat in the Administration Building for hours, with a list of demands and no intentions of leaving without having them met. The list of demands included an increase in the budget, more available resources to students, and recurring funds. After the protesters sat for an hour and a half, they eventually spoke with Vice President of Student Affairs and Services Dr. Lee June. The university contended that the cutback was a huge mistake and that the funds were accidentally misplaced to a different program. The money was reallocated and the list of demands were met. Now we need to work on securing a bigger office space for our champions!

In response to the events, Miguel Torres, a Family Community Services and Chicano/Latino Studies senior says, “I was devastated because this is the only program on campus where the faculty and professors are teaching us about our Chicano/Latino history and culture. By having the opportunity to be apart of the program, we are keeping the history alive by learning and teaching it to others so the history does not become lost over time”.

Heads up to the other minority based programs and organizations, it could easily happen to you. To them it’s only a dollar, to us it’s much, much more. KEEP HOPE ALIVE!!

Ashley Jenkins

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