The Latino Studies courses planned for this year will go untaught because the Latin American and Caribbean Studies department has not yet found someone to teach them.
"When we decided to add the four Latino courses to the curriculum two years ago, we hired Brenda Bright to do that for two years," Associate Dean of the Social Sciences George Wolford said. "We decided to make that position permanent and began to search last year for someone to fill that position."
In response to student and faculty efforts to make Latino Studies a permanent part of the LACS program, the College decided to create a tenure-track position for a Latino Studies professor and began its search in January.
Bright said the search committee attempted throughout the Spring term to find someone to teach the Latino Studies courses.
Bright applied for the permanent position, but after her contract expired in the spring, she was compelled to leave the College. After leaving the College, Bright went to Getty Research Institute in Santa Monica, California where she is a postdoctoral fellow.
"The timing was such, that it made things difficult," Bright said. "They didn't cancel the courses, they all had approval, they just couldn't find anyone to teach them that quickly."
"It's unfortunate for the students that there is no continuity in the course offerings," Bright added. "Even in absence of someone to teach the Latino courses, it is still possible for students to take related courses in other departments to hold them over."
Latin American and Caribbean Studies Chair Marysa Navarro said when the Dean of Faculty Office informed her in January that the LACS department could begin the search, it was too late to hire someone for the fall.
"By that time, things must be in the middle of the process, but because we wanted to jump on the opportunity, we began the search," Navarro said. "We received a small pool of candidates, but felt that was not the way we do things at Dartmouth. We needed more time."
Navarro said faculty from the LACS program are conducting the search process in conjunction with several other departments.
She said other departments are participating because the applicant will divide his or her time between the LACS program and other social science areas.
"Searching is a long process beginning with advertisement in national publications," Navarro said. "We're in the middle of that process right now."
Ana Henderson '94, who played a major role in establishing the Latino Studies courses at Dartmouth, wrote in an e-mail message she feared the lack of an instructor would prevent interested students from taking Latino courses.
"If you are a senior or only have an opening for an elective this year to do pre-med or a study abroad, then you have no opportunity," Henderson wrote.
Pete Gilmore '99, a LACS major, said that without the Latino Studies courses, options are limited in a department with already limited offerings.
Students expressed concern that the interim between course offerings will result in the program's termination.
Ebony Jones '98 said, "What I see as a danger is that [the Latino Studies courses] will be forgotten, since they haven't been here very long, and could slip back in to the woodwork".
"I sincerely hope this will not be the end of Latino/a Studies at the College," Henderson wrote.
But Navarro said she thinks this year's lack of Latino Studies course offerings does not indicate that College considers Latino Studies courses a low priority.
"The College told us as soon as knew, that we could begin the search," Navarro said. "The resources are there and available, we just have to find the right person, but that cannot happen overnight."
Wolford said the College wants to include Latino courses as part of the curriculum.
"We had the resources to pay for the course," Wolford said. "The question was whether we could find someone qualified to teach them and that it was someone we liked."
But even without someone to teach the courses, students are already working to expand the Latino Studies course offerings.
James Gallo '99, president of L'Alianza Latina, said the group is currently working with Navarro to establish more course offerings.
"Obviously, we're very disappointed that Latino courses are not being offered," Gallo said. "But Ricardo Ortiz, who was just hired by the English department, may be able to teach some Latino courses."
