University of Iowa on Verge of Adding Latino Studies Curriculum

As the percentage of Hispanics in the nation's population continues to grow, so too are they spreading out across the United States. Just as true, as more Hispanics enter the ranks of America's college population, more of them are studying the issues and histories that are relevant to them.

As a result, more colleges are looking at Latino Studies as part of the curriculum offered. In many cases, Latino Studies have been a part of the offered curriculum for decades. In border states like Texas and California, such coursework is to be expected. In other states, Hispanic populations are a new and evolving fact of life, and some schools are beginning to recognize and improve their academic selections to meet this demand.

Iowa is not a place that would immediately spring to mind when thinking of the growing Hispanic population in the U.S., but there has been a growing push to offer at least a minor in Latino Studies at the University of Iowa, right smack dab in the middle of the American Midwest.

An earlier effort to bring Latino Studies to UI lost steam back in 2006, but the demand has continued to grow, and once again the discussion is back on the table.

In 2012, the university held a symposium on "The Latino Midwest". The purpose of the conference was to provide "history, education, literature, art, and politics of Latinos in the Midwest in light of the demographic changes experienced by states in this region with growing Latino populations."

Omar Valerio-Jimenez, a University of Iowa associate professor of history, pointed out that while not at the front lines of Hispanic immigration, the state does have a long history in the area.

"Mexicans began harvesting crops and maintaining railroads throughout the Midwest in the late 19th century," he said. "By the 1940s, Puerto Ricans had joined Mexicans as laborers in agriculture, manufacturing, meatpacking, and domestic service."

Building on the momentum, the school has continued to hire educators with proficiency in the related field, implemented strategies to increase Hispanic enrollment and carried out research related to Latinos. All indications are that a Latino Studies program could happen very soon.

Valerio-Jimenez and Claire Fox, UI associate professor in English and Spanish and Portuguese, have been working on a proposal that they plan to have submitted this semester. UI doctoral candidate Carla Gonzalez has been at the forefront of that effort.

"When I contacted (Valerio-Jimenez) we tried to figure out a way to make (a Latino Studies program) happen," Gonzalez told the Daily Iowan back in December. "The faculty could write a proposal, but it would need both faculty support and student support."

Since that time, the effort has received support from students and the once-dead wheels are turning again. On Feb. 11, the Student Government at UI voted in favor of supporting the creation of a Latino Studies minor, joining the Graduate Student Senate, and the Executive Council of Graduate and Professional Students.

A final proposal must now be submitted to the university president, as well as the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

"Now the clock is ticking for the supporters of a Latino Studies minor to get all the details in place to have their plans approved by the Educational Policy Committee and Faculty Assembly of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences," writes the editorial board for Iowa's Press-Citizen, which has been endorsing the initiative for years.

The board continued, "The idea already has gained support from UI Student Government, the Graduate Student Senate, and the Executive Council of Graduate and Professional Students. And if everyone involved works with diligence, it's entirely possible interested students could start signing up for such a minor in the fall semester of this year."