The Associated Students of the University of New Mexico (ASUNM) designated UNM's El Centro de la Raza as a special funding priority for the 2004 session of the New Mexico legislature, said Ed Mazel, ASUNM Lobby Committee executive director.
ASUNM's interest is due to strong student support for El Centro, a support center aimed at Hispanics but serving all students on campus.
“A campus-wide student survey took place during the fall semester and about 500 students provided input in favor of helping El Centro de la Raza grow and meet the needs of its students,” Mazel said.
El Centro's current funding supports four full-time employees – money that comes from the New Mexico State Legislative Special Project and awarded on a yearly basis. Due to circumstances within the state budget, funding has decreased while needs continue to increase. In anticipation of increasing Hispanic enrollment on campus, it is critical to increase El Centro's funding to meet this growing need, Mazel said.
A recent 15 percent cut made it increasingly difficult for the center to meet its mission.
The requested funding increase would provide four additional full-time staff and several student employees who will mentor, tutor, provide community outreach and other cultural programming and participate in other leadership opportunities. Director Veronica Mendez-Cruz said El Centro de la Raza reaches out to more than 3,000 students annually.
El Centro plants the “educational seed” early by routinely conducting community outreach at local elementary, middle and high schools while continuing to nurture the undergraduate and graduate populations on campus. Additional efforts are being made to bridge students from New Mexico two-year schools to four-year institutions. For example, El Centro de la Raza recently sponsored Hispano Student Day, bringing on campus more than 1,200 New Mexico high school juniors and seniors, which was a record-setting event for the program.
It is not unusual to find El Centro staff giving kindergartners a campus tour, leading a workshop at a mid-school, a motivational talk at a high school or consulting with graduate students at UNM, Mendez-Cruz said.
Since 1969, El Centro has helped students transition to college life and provided social support important for success. Advising staff have master's degrees, serve as faculty and on national-level boards such as the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), National Council of La Raza (NCLR), National Association of Chicano/Chicana Studies (NACCS), and the Albuquerque Hispanic Round Table.
Many students who utilize El Centro's services have children, work and carry a heavy school load. The center provides support, advisement, encourages campus involvement and has facilities that include a computer pod, conference room, library, student offices, break room and copy/fax services.
“El Centro is considered a home away from home by many students,” Mendez –Cruz said.
The center is generally open 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., however, alternative schedules can be accommodated according to student need. The enthusiasm present in the students who use El Centro's services is evident in the amount of volunteer hours the students donate back to El Centro, Mendez-Cruz said, adding that a Hispanic Alumni Chapter is among her goals.
ASUNM is also throwing its support behind UNM's Accessibility Services, a UNM program geared for student success and independence in education serving students with disabilities.
Contact: Eleanor Sanchez (505) 277-1813
Posted by kwentworth at January 7, 2004 04:27 PM