Steve Beditz, assistant vice president for Human Resources Management, whose office staff recently assumed affirmative action responsibilities, will be the guest speaker. He has been asked to briefly discuss the status of the Office of Affirmative Action, as well as the status of Latino student, faculty, and staff representation on campus. Maritza Martinez, assistant dean in the Educational Opportunity Program and a former co-chair, says, We try to choose a speaker who incorporates all aspects of our existence. Part of the organization s mission statement states that alianza, or alliance, suggests the merging of efforts or interests of its members in their desire to create an environment whereby members can gather in mutual support and understanding of one another, and where information can be exchanged. Robert Osuna, a professor of biology, and Librada Pimentel-Brown of the Department of Latin American and Caribbean Studies, said one of the benefits of a group like Alianza is that if one of us has a concern, we have a body here that can listen to and act upon this concern.
Several members agree.
Julio Serna of the Office of Academic Support said Alianza Latina has the potential to attract other Latino faculty and students to campus. The group was begun in 1996 when several friends and colleagues met regularly for lunch and shared their concerns. After several informal meetings, they agreed that others could benefit from their solidarity if they formally organized a group. Anthony Torres, one of Alianza Latina s founding members and director of Multicultural Student Affairs, said several of the group members had attended UAlbany together and wanted to build a support group. Student group representatives are invited to participate and to share their concerns at monthly meetings.