Chicano/Latino Conference CSULB

By Patrice Ewell

Drop-out rates for Chicano/Latino students are at all-time high. Students, faculty and staff filled the auditorium to discuss strategies to keep Latinos in college at the 7th Annual Chicano/Latino Retention Conference held in USU Ballroom B, Thursday.

The main issues Latinos struggle with include drop out rates, taking longer than four years to graduate,a disconnection between campus and community and working to help their family.ar

Each year betweeen 1972 and 2002, the college drop out rate was lowest for Whites and highest for Latinos, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

CSULB Professors conducted workshops on budgeting, loans, advice before and during grad schools, campus community connections and bridging the gap between students and professors.

One of the major issues students addressed at the conference was the cultural gaps between Latino student groups and professors.

“The latino community is facing some severe issues on campus regarding minorities,” according to Al-Karim Shivji, program coordinator. “Latinos have one of the highest drop out rates at California State University, Long Beach.”

Accordingto Shivji, Latino students feel alienated and intimidated by the campus. They fell that some faculty members do not embrace them with open arms and there is no connection.

“The university has a really cold atmosphere considering minorities and many students feel alienated, according to Shivji. “Students did not have good relations with professors and the services were hard to get. “We’re trying to expose that one piece at a time.”
Sadie Martin, Interdisciplinary studies major said, “Many students feel intimidated by the cost of college and they do not know how to connect to the campus community.”

The Chicano/Latino Club is working on budgeting and loans to keep students in school to relieve some of the pressure that students face.
This is another problem.“Over an 8 year period, the overall graduation rate is 80 percent, but people aren’t graduating on time,” said Shivji.
Family responsibilities and low-incomes are a huge contributors to the drop put rate among Chicano/Latinos. They may be needed to care for their siblings and their families may need them to work.
Latino students may have to help contribute financially to the household,which can hinder study-time, according to Mendoza.
The Chicano/Latino club invited 100 professors and three were in attendance according to Martin. This is an example of the gap between professors and students.
“Many minority students are intimidated by science, physics and biology professors.” Martin stated. “Many students feel like they cannot talk to their professors because they make them feel stupid.”
This is why one of the topics for the workshops is the Professor/Student workshop where a group of professors sit on a panel and students ask them questions.
Rosana Mendoza, senior, film major said the annual conference has motivated her to continue her education and strive for success.
“Students do not get encouraged if professors do not show up to a conference to bridge the gap between minorities and professors,” said Mendoza. “We look up to professors and if they do not care about their students we take it as, they just want to get paid.”
Cristelle Telesford,-an African American senior interdisciplinary studies major, “ As teachers, their job is to not only teach, but build a connection with us and if they don’t do that it feels like they are taking out a piece of what the learning process is.”
“When professors show they care about their students, we work harder and we do better,” said Telesford.
Marisol Moreno, liberal studies major ,inspired Mendoza to apply to graduate school with her statement “Family can be put aside until you apply to graduate school” because you will be able to support them better with a degree.
Mendoza had not thought about going to graduate school prior to Moreno’s statement at the conference because she had no one “motivating her or pushing her” to go.