The HSI Task Force has been named, steering committee co-chairs chosen and the members all charged by President Stephen Jordan with developing recommendations by February 2008 that outline how Metro State will attain the designation “Hispanic Serving Institution.”
Interim Associate Dean of Letters, Arts and Sciences Luis Torres has joined Judi Diaz Bonacquisti, associate vice president for enrollment services, as co-chair of the 67-member task force. An associate professor of Chicana/o studies, Torres has been with Metro State for 12 years, 10 as department chair.
“Dr. Torres’ credibility and the respect he has garnered from the Metro State community and the Denver community at large are unmatched,” said Diaz Bonacquisti, who over the last several months has the led the steering committee’s work on a template for the task force. “He will be invaluable in helping us gain support and momentum for the HSI initiative,” she added.
Torres has worked extensively on the Denver Public Schools’ Alma de la Raza curriculum and teacher training project and for many years was chair of the Hispanic Education Advisory Council.
“I think it has become common knowledge that HSI status is good for the entire College community,” Torres said. “Research shows that having the HSI designation improves the retention rate of not only Hispanic students, but all other students, including those who are African American, Native American and Asian American.”
In addition to Torres and Diaz Bonacquisti, the members of the steering committee are Professor and Co-Director of the College Assistance Minority Program (CAMP) Arthur Campa, School of Professional Studies Dean Sandra Haynes, Assistant Vice President of Communications Cathy Lucas and Associate to the President for Diversity Sallye McKee.
Torres says he was impressed with the large number of nominations and volunteers, whose names were gathered at the “Why HSI?” launch of the initiative in April. (To read about the launch go to http://www.mscd.edu/~collcom/artman/ publish/hsi_twv4042507.shtml.)
“To have 65 members of the College community volunteer for such an important and time-intensive initiative really speaks to the importance we’re placing on this endeavor,” he said.
The members have chosen which of the six subcommittees they would like to serve on. The six committees are:
• Assessment: Building a Culture of Evidence
• Recruitment, Retention and Student Development
• Creating a Culture of Academic Success
• Public Relations: Promoting a Tradition of the “Urban-Land Grant Institution”
• Campus Climate: Enhancing a Culture that Respects Diversity
• Faculty & Staff Development, Grantsmanship: Enriching our Faculty and Staff
• Curriculum Development: Expanding Academic Excellence
The full Task Force will hold it first retreat this Friday, July 27.
Following is the list of members and their subcommittee assignments:
Assessment
Rick Beck, Information Technology
Ellen Boswell, Institutional Research
Denny Boyd, New Student Orientation
Paul Cesare, Admissions
Steve Culpepper, Human Services
Joan M.C. Foster, Academic Affairs
Derrick Haynes, PaceSetter Scholars Program
Gretta Mincer, Student Activities
Percy Morehouse, Equal Opportunity Office
David Rein, Development Office
Larry Worster, Student Services
Recruitment/Retention and Student Development
Rick Cisneros, Information Technology
Kimberly Clark, Registrar’s Office
Skip Crownhart, Academic Advising
Sylvia Dawson, Journalism
Richard Jividen, Creative Services
Joan McDermott, Athletics
Michelle Pacheco, Admissions
Richard Paiz, CAMP
Michelle Ramirez, student
Elena Sandoval-Lucero, New Student Programs
Pat Trotman, Trio Program
Betty Vette, Student Intervention Services
Public Relations
Leroy Chavez, Veteran’s Upward Bound
Clayton Daughtrey, Marketing
Ramon Del Castillo, Chicana/o Studies
Brooke Dilling, Student Activities
Donna Fowler, College Communications
Theresa Godinez, Financial Aid Office
Robert Hazan, Political Science
Cathy Lucas, College Communications
Mercedes Salazar, Chicana/o and African American Studies
Campus Climate
Josh Anderson, Alumni Relations Office
Kate Ashley, New Student Orientation
Charles Batey, Equal Opportunity Office
Gail Bruce-Sanford, Counseling Center
Dave Cisneros, Transfer Services
Alton Clark, Veterans Upward Bound
Allison Cotton, Criminal Justice and Criminology
Yvonne Flood, Information Technology
Joan L. Foster, School of Letters, Arts and Sciences and Biology
Michelle LeBoo, Scholarship Center
Augie Maestas, Creative Services
Emilia Paul, Student Life
Greg Root, Access Center
Faculty and Staff Development and Grantsmanship
Debra Clark, Student Services
Vincent C. deBaca, Chicano Studies
Donelyn James, Bridge Program
David Kottenstette, Communication Arts and Sciences
Patti Lohman, ESL/Immigrant Services
Denise Schuette, Information Technology
Curriculum Development
Antonette Aragon, Secondary Education
Heather Boylan, Early Childhood Education
Eric Dunker, Tutoring Center
Hal Nees, Faculty Senate and Criminal Justice and Criminology
Esrom Pitrie, Teacher Education
Esther Rodriguez, TQE
Tat Sang So, English
Luis Torres, School of Letters, Arts and Sciences and Chicana/o Studies
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