The Short and Turbulent Life of Chicano Studies

THE SHORT AND TURBULENT LIFE OF CHICANO STUDIES: A PRELIMINARY STUDY OF EMERGING PROGRAMS AND PROBLEMS Author(s): REFUGIO I. ROCHIN Source: Social Science Quarterly, Vol. 53, No. 4, THE CHICANO EXPERIENCE IN THE UNITED STATES (MARCH, 1973), pp. 884-894 Published by: Wiley Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/42859068 Accessed: 11-12-2015 16:38 UTC Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/ info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Wiley and University of Texas Press are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Social Science Quarterly. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 132.174.254.159 on Fri, 11 Dec 2015 16:38:32 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE SHORT CHICANO OF AND STUDIES: EMERGING LIFE TURBULENT A PRELIMINARY PROGRAMS AND OF STUDY PROBLEMS1 REFUGIO I. ROCHIN of California, Davis University TO RECENTATTEMPTS AND TO ATTRACT TO COLLEGES CHICANOS few Chicanos in enrolled these because the institutions of universities, PREVIOUS interrelatedproblemsof low levels of income,racial isolation,weak school holding power, poor reading achievement,culturalexclusionand otherreasons which have been studied by the U.S. Commissionon Civil Rights.2Though manyof these problemsremain,estimatesof the number of Chicanos enteringcolleges show some increase.Accordingto a recent surveyof the College EntranceExaminationBoard, an estimated144,000 Chicanos were undergraduatesin southwesterncolleges in the fall of 1971.3This representsa 14 percentincreaseover the previousyear,as indicated by the study.For fall term1972,the enrollmentof Chicanos was expectedto increaseanother13 percent.4 Several factorshave convergedto increase Chicano enrollmentin colleges. The Board's study indicates that the contributingfactorsmay include special recruitment by Chicano staffand students,financialaid and work-studyemployment,remedial-developmentcourses, tutorials,Chicano-orientedcounseling,and perhapsmostimportantly, Chicano studies.5 1Revision of a paperpresented Social at theannualmeeting oftheSouthwestern ScienceAssociation, March30-April Texas. 1,1972,SanAntonio, 2 U.S. Commission Americans onCivilRights, ofMexican Report1,EthnicIsolation inthePublicSchoolsoftheSouthwest D.C.: U.S. Government Printing (Washington, in the : Outcomes Education 1970a) ; ReportII, The Unfinished Office, forMinorities Five Southwestern States(Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Office, Printing Mexican : Educational Practices 1970b); ReportIII, TheExcludedStudent Affecting D.C.: U.S. Government in theSouthwest Americans Office, (Washington, Printing in collegewereconcentrashowthatinthemid-1960's, Chicanos 1972). Otherstudies in 1966,7.4 in California ted in institutions belowtoplevel.For example, ranking In thefallof 1968,less had Spanishsurnames. oftheJunior percent Collegestudents wereChicanos. intheUniversity enrolled ofCalifornia ofall students than1.6percent ofthestate'spopulation areChicano.In addition, despitethefactthatover15percent areheavily inTexasandNewMexicoshowthatChicanos oncollegeeducation studies rather thanin thestateuniin thesmaller, colleges, vocationally-oriented represented Forreferences see: Leo Grebler, andlandgrant versities JoanW. Mooreand colleges. MinorAmerican People:TheNationsSecondLargest RalphC. GuzmanTheMexicanitu( NewYork:TheFreePress,1970),pp.178-179. 3 CollegeEntrance Examination Board,Accessto CollegeforMexicanAmericans No.6 (Palo Alto,California, intheSouthwest , HigherEducation July Report Surveys, ofChicanos would 1972),Table3, p. 19.Thisstudymadeitclearthattheenrollment to a number thatwasproportional havetobe increased 100,000toprovide byanother oftheSouthwest. inthepopulation ofChicanos thenumber 4Ibid.,p. 8. s Ibid.,Table18,p. 34. This content downloaded from 132.174.254.159 on Fri, 11 Dec 2015 16:38:32 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions ANDTURBULENT LIFEOFCHICANO THESHORT STUDIES 885 Accordingto the 153 respondentswho answered the Board's surveyof 189 southwesterncolleges,Chicano studies courseswere offeredby about 85 percentof the colleges in counties with large concentrationsof Chícanos.6In mostinstances,in both 2-yearand 4-yearcolleges,thesecourses have been developed into organizedprogramsof Chicano studies. Even though the emergenceof Chicano studies programshas become increasinglyevident,especially in the Southwest,few people are familiar with the stated purpose and objectives of such programs,including many of the older folk of the Chicano communities.Moreover,the role and functionof such programshas become clouded in politicaland social strugglesof college students.Furtherburied in the morass of issues is a clear understandingof the problemsfacingnearlyall Chicano studiesprograms. Ignorance of prevailingproblems may make new programsand even "old" ones sufferfroma turbulentexistence,to the detrimentof manypresentand potentialstudentsofChicano studies. Thus, the intentof this studyis twofold: (1) to highlightthe essential featuresof emergingChicano studies programsand (2) to analyze some of the problemsfacing such programsin progress.What the study does not do, however,is reviewthe literatureon Chicano studies,because practicallynone exists.Nor does the studypresentan extensivearrayof data. In short,thisis meantto be a preliminary study.Hopefully question-raising in the near future,more time and effortwill be put into in-depthinterviews and analyses of the social pressuresand stressesconfronting Chicano studiesprograms. THESTUDY In March and Augustof 1972,a questionnairewas sent to each director of a Chicano studiesprogramon 29 college campuses.There were no specificcriteriaforselectingthe 29; everydirectorwhose name and address was included in a directorypreparedby the Chicano Studies Division at the Universityof California,Berkeley,was sent a questionnaire.The list included eightmain campuses of the Universityof Californiaand schools in Arizona,Colorado, New Mexico,Texas, Utah,Washington,and Indiana. As of October 20, 1972, 18 directorsrespondedto the survey.It should be noted thatsome respondentsenclosed supplementary materialin addition to the questionnaire,which solicited an outlineof theirprogramsof Chicano studies. However, due to the smallnessof the sample, this studyis limited: (1) to synthesizingand summarizingthe main findingsof the questionnairesand ( 2 ) to generalizingwhenpossible. CHICANO STUDIESPROGRAMS One ofthe firstthingsthatmustbe clarifiedis thatnot all campuseshave a "Chicano StudiesProgram"per se. Of the 18 directorswho respondedto the survey,exactlyhalfcalled theirprogram"Chicano Studies."The other 6Ibid.,p. 14. This content downloaded from 132.174.254.159 on Fri, 11 Dec 2015 16:38:32 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 886 SocialScienceQuarterly names for theirprograms.In addition,conrespondentsnoted different siderablediversityexistsin thestructureof such programs.Some campuses have a Departmentof Chicano Studies.But in a few cases we find,forexample, a Chicano Studies Division withineithera Departmentof Ethnic Studies,or a ComparativeCulturesProgram,or withina newlyestablished college, such as one for Urban Studies. A few campuses house Chicano Studies Centers which serve principallyas academic researchunits. Of the 18 campuses,8 offermajorsin Ethnic,Culturalor Chicano Studies; 4 campuses offerminors. Though differencesbetween campus programsexist (in termsof the formalstructureand operationof each), theystill have featuresin common. For one, coursesare now taughtby Chicano facultymembersin each of the separate programsor departments.These courseshave the common in nature,drawingmaterialsfrom characteristicof being interdisciplinary the academic disciplinesof the respectivefacultymembers.The courses are also "for"as well as "about" Chícanos. What is new about most Chicano-relatedcourses is that theyattemptto develop the bilingual,bicultural mode of living. There is no apparent rejectionof the predominant of a Chicano Anglo culture; instead there is primarilya strengthening culturalheritage.Examples of the range of courses taughtare illustrated by the followingtitles: Popular Expressionof Chicano Life Styles,Chícanos and Higher Education, The Chicano and Farm Labor, Health and Medical ProblemsAmongChícanos,A Socio-PsychologicalAnalysisof the Chicano, The Church and the Chicano, Demographyand InternalMigrationsof Chícanos, Mexican Dance as an Expressionof Chicano Culture. For another,all programshave the unique characteristicof being new. The two oldestprogramsin thesample began in thefallof 1968.Two more programsbegan in 1969,sixin 1970,fivein 1971 and threewere initiatedin 1972. Altogether,the phenomenonof Chicano studies is ratherrecent, comparedto programsforblack studies,forexample. Factors behind the rise in Chicano studies are also similaramong campuses. Importantis the findingthat most programswere preceded by Chicano studentmovementsand interestedfacultywho expressed concern that: (a) The Americanuniversitieshad neglected the Chicano's socioeconomicand educationalneeds and had triedto imposethe Anglo-American monoculturesyndromeon all Chícanos in general.To quote fromone of theplans fora Chicano studiesprogram: Every developmental force- economic, political, linguistic,demographic- has confirmedthe Anglo-Americanmonocultureand denied the Mexican-Americanstheirown, and the substantialcontribution it would have made to the totalsociety.Chicano Studies existsto rectifythisculturalimbalance.7 7 Curriculum Foran Curriculum "A Proposed ChicanoStudiesDivision, Committee, of mimeo(Berkeley: A.B.MajorinChicanoStudies," California, 1, January University 1971),p. 1. This content downloaded from 132.174.254.159 on Fri, 11 Dec 2015 16:38:32 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions ANDTURBULENT LIFEOFCHICANO STUDIES THESHORT 887 of educationhad contributeddirectlyto the (b) The higherinstitutions the of conditions Chicano, rural and urban,by benign neglect. deprived On the otherhand, the institutions foundit appropriateto providespecial servicesto otherethnicgroupsand foreignstudentsand not to Chicanos. (c) The Chicanos would be by-passed by programsaddressing the needs of blacks and not the specificneeds of Chicanos. This concernwas importantbecause of the fact that Chicanos outnumberblacks as the it largestminorityin each of the states of the Southwest.8Furthermore, was obvious that Chicanos were not enteringuniversitiesor colleges in in stunumber9and, hence,were grosslyunderrepresented any significant dent affairsand other campus activitiesrelative to the participationof blacks and Anglos. Notablythese expressionsof the facultyand studentswho created Chicano studies are largelymanifestedin the objectives theyseek to fulfill. But, across the sample, Chicano studies programsshow some divergence on the thingstheyattemptto do now and the goals that theyseek to accomplishin the long run. For some respondents,theirprogramsfunction simplyto organize and to offera varietyof courses dealing with the Chicano and forthe benefitof those studentswho wish to learn more about the Chicano's historicaland contemporary presence.But forthe mostpart, Chicano studiesprogramspresentlystriveforthe following:(1) to create an image-buildingand power-showinginstrument which furtherinvolves the universitywith the Chicano communitythroughagency and communitysponsorededucational projects; (2) to have relevant10and scholarly courseswhichpenetrateeverypertinentdepartmenton thecampus; (3) to forthe educationof Chicanos and other providean effectiveenvironment11 studentswho are interestedin bilingual,biculturaleducation; and (4) to encourageand develop researchin all areas of knowledgenecessaryfora betterunderstandingoftheChicano. 8 Forpopulation estimates see: U.S. BureauoftheCensus,GeneralSocialandEconomicCharacteristics , 1970CensusofPopulation PC( 1)-C. See theindividual pamphletsforArizona, NewMexico, andTexas. California, Colorado, 9 to theU.S. Commission on CivilRights, According amongthefivesouthwestern in California of have thegreatest likelihood states,minority highschoolgraduates alsonotesthatifthepresent schooldrop-out rates entering college.ButtheCommission in California failto improve, morethanone of threeChicanopupilsin gradesone six-thatis, 120,000pupilsoutof330,000-wouldfailto graduate from through high school.For blacks,according to theCommission's thecorresponding report, figures wouldbe 60,000dropouts ofan elementary enrollment of190,000.As such,thedropoutrateforChicanos is proportionately thanthatforBlacks.Source:U.S. Comgreater mission on CivilRights, Education II, TheUnfinished , Appendix C, p. 80. Report 10Relevant coursesarereferred to as "thosewhichinspire in thestudents a sense ofcommitment andresponsibility to theChicanocommunity and courseswhichprovidestudents withtheknowledge andskillstoworkeffectively fortheChicano people." Source:general from thequestionnaires. response 11"Environment refers totheacademicandcultural neededtohelpstudents support succeedin an institution thathasheretofore donelittleto acknowledge orsustain the educational andparticular cultural ofChicanos." Source:response on rights strengths oneofthequestionnaires. This content downloaded from 132.174.254.159 on Fri, 11 Dec 2015 16:38:32 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 888 SocialScienceQuarterly Few would tend to questionsuch objectives;theyare apparentlymeanfromthe goals thatmostuniversitiesstrivefor, ingfuland not so different but in a broader context.However,if one looks at the available literature found in newspapers and monographsprepared by Chicano studiesprograms,the goals of Chicano studiesseem less functionaland morerevolutionaryin the longrun.They lead one to ask whetherthereis a social movement of Chicanos, much larger than the functionalaspects of Chicano studiesprograms.Accordingto one writer: Chicanouniversity in general, as well as the Chicanomovement students, take changewithinthecommunity knownas el barrioas thepointofthe ChicanoStudiesthen departurefortheirsocialand politicalinvolvement. the Chicanocommunity's as theyaffectthe univerrepresents aspirations sity.12 On the basis of similarrhetoricalexpressions,the findingthat the universityis pressed to develop Chicano studiesshould not be consideredan inisolated event.Chicanos perceive the universityas a vital institutional strumentof change. And theyseek to develop thenecessaryskillsand tools with which to prepare themselvesfor a more active social and political future.The means to thatfuturelie in Chicano studiesand the accumulationof a new pro-Chicanoknowledge.In the eyes ofmanyChicanos: and The University is a powerful moderninstitution because it generates, which Its is ... distributes, may product,knowledge, knowledge, power. be themostpowerfulsingleelementin our culture,affecting theriseand fallofprofessions and evensocialclassesof regionsand evennations.. . . socialchange,indeedrevoluThe roleofknowledgein producing powerful in creatingand ... it willhelpmeasurably tion,cannotbe underestimated mustpossess Chicanos which to that historical consciousness givingimpetus as a peopletowarda newvisionofAztlán.13 in ordersuccessfully to struggle Due to the importanceattachedto the developmentand success of Chicano studiesit is no wonderthatthe program'sdirectorsseek and at times demand, special attention.For them,it is imperativethat the problems theseprogramsface be solved. PROBLEMS CURRENT Surveyrespondentswere asked in two parts of the questionnaires(1) to list the main problemsencounteredin developingtheirprograms,and 12RayPaz,"Implementing IssuesandPola ChicanoStudiesProgram: Functions, at the itics,"mimeo(Las Cruces:New MexicoStateUniversity). Paperdelivered Social ScienceAssociation, Fourteenth AnnualConference of theRockyMountain ofUtah,SaltLakeCity,April27-29,1972,p. 3. Fora similar perspective University BetweenTwo Cultures," Americans: see: PhilipD. Ortego,"SchoolsforMexicanReview(April17,1971),p. 80. Saturday 13ChicanoCoordinating El Plande SantaBarbara: onHigher Committee Education, Education October, A ChicanoPlanforHigher ( SantaBarbara:La CausaPublications, thatsetsdownthe 1969), pp. 77-78. Thisis theonlyknownpublisheddocument a Chicanostudies fordeveloping andphilosophy program. guidelines This content downloaded from 132.174.254.159 on Fri, 11 Dec 2015 16:38:32 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions STUDIES ANDTURBULENT LIFEOFCHICANO THESHORT 889 (2) to statethe mostoftenheard problemfacingChicano faculty.It is the intentof this section of the paper to synthesizethe main aspects of responsesprovidedby the directorsofChicano studiesprograms. Listed in orderof descendingimportance,the main problemsfacingthe new programsare: (1) fundingwith "hard" moneythe recurrentand exand (3) compansionaryneeds of the programs,(2) facultyrecruitment, to aims interests of the and Chicano studies,first, the adminmunicating students. It is ironicto findthat as to the Chicano istration,and, second, the numberof Chicano studentsincreases on the college campuses they should create a problem for Chicano studies programs.Essentially,the problemarises fromthe conflictbetween the incomingstudentsand the "old" who were around to develop Chicano studies in the firstplace. As yet,thereis no clear pictureof the issues involved.All threeproblemsare highlyrelated,forwiththe provisionof more moneyforChicano studies, and communicationcan be reduced. the problemsof facultyrecruitment and But, on the otherhand, with the continuingproblemsof recruitment communication,the abilityto "justify"the need formore moneyis weakened considerably.Overall,though,the overridingproblemsconvergeon theChicano facultyat each oftheuniversity campuses. What are the problemsfacingChicano facultymembers?The foremost is pure and simple; thereis a great shortageof trained,experidifficulty enced and tenuredChicano facultyon any ofthe college campusesoffering Chicano studies.Accordingto thereportpreparedby theCollege Entrance ExaminationBoard, the shortageof Chicano facultyis pervasivein nearly all campuses of the southwesternstates. Altogether,there are an estimated 1,500full-timeChicano facultymembersin colleges and universities throughoutthe Southwest.14 Nearly90 percentof the Chicano facultyare in public institutionswith littlemore than half teachingin two year colBut one indicationof leges. The other10 percentare in privateinstitutions. the shortageof Chicano facultyis the ratioof Chicano studentsto Chicano faculty."A ratio of approximately20:1 is generallyaccepted as a typical ratio throughouthigher educational institutions."15 The student/faculty Chicano student/f acuityratio is far fromthat proportion.For nearlyall southwesterncolleges,the ratio is nearly100:1. Notably,the ratio of Chicano studentsto Chicano facultydiffersaccordingto the type of college one considers.For public 2-yearcolleges, the ratio is 124:1; forpublic 4itis 65:1; and forprivatecolleges,88 :1.16 yearinstitutions The surveyquestionnairerevealed two importantpieces of information. First,not all Chicano facultymemberssupportand associate withChicano studies programs.The reasons why are still unresearched,but generally, only two-thirdsof the Chicano facultywork to develop Chicano studies. By all indications,thismeans thatthe ratioof Chicano facultyto Chicano studentsis more severe than the figuresprovided by the Board's report. " 14CollegeEntrance Examination Board, Accessto College,"Table19,p. 35. " Ibid.,p. 15. Ibid.,Table19,p. 35. This content downloaded from 132.174.254.159 on Fri, 11 Dec 2015 16:38:32 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions SocialScienceQuarterly 8go TABLE 1 Numberand PercentageofChicanoFacultyMembersAssociatedwithChicano withNationalPercentages*1 StudiesProgramsby Statusand Comparisons ChicanoFaculty15 Number AcademicStatus Percentage 1L6 ÏÔ Full Professor 9.3 8 AssociateProfessor 32.6 28 Assistant Professor 34.9 and Instructors 30 Lecturers 11.6 10 Others Total 86 100.0 College Facultyin U.S.C Percentage 2L6 20.7 28.3 19.9 9.5 100.0 a Theterm"Associated" whoworkwithChicano Chicanofaculty is usedtoidentify StudiesPrograms. bChicanofaculty on the 18 whoworkwithChicanoStudiesPrograms members isofTotalNumber. Percentage campuses surveyed. c American Councilon Education, Faculty:A Statistical "Collegeand University D.C.: U.S. Government Research 5, No.5 (Washington, Printing Report Description," Office, 1970). Second, the greatmajorityof Chicano facultyare non-tenured.Moreover, comparisonswithfiguresreportedby theAmericanCouncil on Education17 show that relativelymore Chicano facultymembersare non-tenuredin relationto all college facultymembersin the U.S. (see Table 1). For the nation as a whole, the academic rank most frequentlyheld by college facultyis assistantprofessor(28 percent). But thereare also substantialnumbersof U.S. facultywithtenuredstatus;22 and 21 percentare full professorsand associate professors,respectively.By comparison,the overwhelmingpercentage of Chicano facultymembersare non-tenured, withstatusbelow the rankof associateprofessor.In addition,thosewho do not hold at least the rankof assistantprofessorare usually thosewho have notcompletedtheirPh.D. dissertations.Overall,Chicano facultymembers in the tenuredpositionsof mostcollege camare grosslyunderrepresented in itself is a major problemthat confrontsChipuses of the survey.This 17American Councilon Education, Faculty:A Statistical "Collegeand University PrintD.C.: U.S. Government Research Report5, No. 5 (Washington, Description," aredrawnfrom members ofcollegefaculty 1970) . Selectedcharacteristics ingOffice, and Welfare, of Health,Education, in: U.S. Department and reproduced thereport D.C.: U.S. Government Education(Washington, Officeof Education,American to thisarticleon theCouncil'sreport, 1970). According November, Office, Printing anda nativetobe white, is likely ofa collegefaculty member Protestant, "thetypical holda docmembers ofcollegefaculty citizen.. . . About45 percent bornAmerican haveearneda professional 14 percent tors degree,andan additional degree,suchas M.D.,D .D.S.,orLL.B.,"p. 33. This content downloaded from 132.174.254.159 on Fri, 11 Dec 2015 16:38:32 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions ANDTURBULENT THESHORT LIFEOFCHICANO STUDIES 89 1 cano studiesprogramsin theirinfancybecause of thepressureplaced upon untenuredfacultyto reach tenuredstatus,among othercommitments. Related to the problemof shortsupply,the mostfundamentalproblems faced by the Chicano facultystem fromthe acute needs of ( 1 ) the Chicano students,and (2) the educational institutionswhere the Chicano studiesprogramsexist. Withouta doubt,mostofthe Chicano facultyowe some sortof gratitude to the Chicano studentswho protestedagainst the educational structure which was dominatedby the northernEuropean culturalvalues and descendants.Accordingly,the studentsdemanded Chicano studiesto rectify thisculturalimbalance. Many of the studentseven set out to recruitexperienced facultywho would be "more sensitive"to the special problems Chícanos encounterin highereducation.Chicano studentshave also taken part in the selectionprocess of new facultyjoiningtheircampuses. Once committedto work withinChicano studies,though,the Chicano faculty are compelled to respond to the forthright requests of Chicano students. Such requests- and demands- very often involve the development of curriculadesigned to provide culturalawareness and insightinto the differentaspects of Chicano culture:historical,linguistic,educational,political, economic,sociological,and psychological.This in itselfis a tall order since the base of Chicano literaturefromwhich one can draw forlectures is slightlymore than nonexistent.The problemis thatit takesmuch more time to create new materialfor teaching purposes than it does to draw lecturesfroma standardtextthatis well knownby the facultymembers. Studentsalso tend to misperceivethe role and functionof Chicano faculty within a studies program.18For some students,the facultyrole is viewed as one of helpingthe studentsto adjust to the campus and to assist in activitiessuch as demonstrations, boycotts,and organizedsocial events. Moreover,personalized assistance is called for on many mattersranging fromproblemsof sex to finances,matterswhichtheydo notcare to discuss withnon-Chicanos.But in theirneed forhelp, the studentsdo not recognize the stringentboundaries which restrictwhat a facultymembercan and cannot accomplish.On top of this,studentsmake it clear that they "expect"fulltimeand energyto servingtheirinterestsbecause theiractivities helped bringabout the positionof the facultymember.Help in these matterscan be given,but not forlong since termination offacultyappointmentwill inevitablyensue unless other things are accomplished.While theabove pointsofview have been expressedin mostofthequestionnaires, in the words of one respondent:"There is no doubt in my mindthat Chicano studentsrelateto Chicano faculty.The problemis thatthereare many - talkmoreof themthanus. Many hoursare spentwithChicano students 18Oneoftherespondents mentioned thata problem facedbyChicanofaculty is in an imageof "SuperChicano."By all indication to one who thisrefers maintaining carries someaspectsofthemacho, is activeinel barrio, andlooksandthinks "Chicano" andnot"Mexican American." This content downloaded from 132.174.254.159 on Fri, 11 Dec 2015 16:38:32 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 892 SocialScienceQuarterly ing,joking,counseling,advising- but forme it is a pleasure and timewell spent." Of utmostimportanceto Chicano facultyis the problem of enteringa new professionas an equal competitorforsalary and honorsand not as a tokenforbeingbrownwitha Spanishaccentto boot.Accordingto a couple of respondents,this aspect of "tokenism"is one of the most oftenheard problemsfacing Chicano faculty.Realize in turnthe harshrealityof being testedfromwithinan academic departmentthathas set standardsand particularlythe rigid rule of "publish or perish."Whethera tokenor not, Chicano facultymembersare generallyexpected to provideresearchpublicationsand departmentalservice at a level similarto non-Chicanofaculty,a substantialportionof whose timeand energyis not expectedto go to his Chicano-relatedactivities.However, even with thesepressuresfacing the Chicano faculty,when asked in the questionnaireifthereshouldbe special provisionsfor appointments,promotionsand meritincreases,the unanimuosconclusionwas that "no special provisionsshould be granted because we are Chícanos. Instead,we would like to have theactivitiesthat we do with the Chicano studentsand communityat large be given more recognitionalong withthe creativityput intodevelopingnew coursesand publications." Altogether,the most serious problem faced by the presentnucleus of Chicano facultyis findingtime and in dividingtimebetween developing the interdisciplinary programsto meettheneeds oftheChicano movement therequirementsof thehard core academic elite,thetenured, and fulfilling who seek a single disciplinedexpertof specialized knowledgeto servethe profession.Withoutquestioningthe particulartalentsof Chicano faculty members,one should also ask how stronga Chicano studiesprogramcan be ifit depends on a small groupoffacultymemberswho have yetto complete the requirementsfortenureor even doctoraldegrees (referto Table 1). No doubt,manyare capable scholars,but it takes herculeantalentsto build new institutions of Chicano studieswhile simultaneouslyhoping to develop intorecognizedacademicians of a high intellectuallevel. Oftenmentionedby the respondentswere the problemsaddressingthe requests of the universities.The campus hierarchyposes problemsin the followingways: ( 1) it requiresa specificteachingload and (2) it expects on the multifarious committeesthatare createdto minorityrepresentation address the needs of minorities.With regard to the firstproblem,a few campuses are movingto alleviate the situationby grantingleaves of absence forresearchpurposesand by loweringteachingloads. But a number of campuses not doing these thingsdo remain.With regardto the second problem,Chicano facultyare asked to sit on committeesto provideadvice to documentthe forthe school'smain administrators. Though it is difficult thatChicano of it seems the from small at least case, sample respondents, off" the Chicano to "show used and are presenceand to exploited faculty "buffer"furtheracts of protestwhich commonlyarise fromstudents.But on theotherhand,ifa Chicano facultymemberdoes notprovideforrepre- This content downloaded from 132.174.254.159 on Fri, 11 Dec 2015 16:38:32 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions STUDIES LIFEOFCHICANO ANDTURBULENT THESHORT 893 TABLE 2 ofCalifornia ChicanoGraduateStudentsin theUniversity by Level,Fall 1972a GraduateLevel Masters - Less Than 36 CreditHours Doctoral Doctoral- Over 36 CreditHours Professional Number5 215 23 163 222 Percent0 2.45 1.84 1.74 4.19 a Source:DatatapesoftheOffice ViceofthePresident, ofAnalytical Office Studies, 1972. PresidentofCalifornia, Administration, Berkeley, University bTotalnumber of: Davis,Berkeley, on thecampuses ofChicanograduate students LosAngeles, andSantaCruz. SanDiego,SantaBarbara, Irvine, Riverside, c Figures inthatcategory. ofall students Chicanostudents as a percentage represent sentation,he gets shunted fromtwo sides; one, fromthe studentswho in the firstplace and, two, fromthe administrasoughthis representation tion who will pass decisionspertainingto Chicanos anyway,withouthis consultation. Obviously,one way to solve manyof the aforementioned problemsis to increasethe numberof Chicano facultyon each campus; the colleges' AfActionProgramshave thisas theirmain objective.Unfortunately, firmative the situationis much more complicated. To begin with, relativelyfew Chicanos are graduatingat thePh.D. level (see Table 2). In the University of Californiasystem,forwhichthereis data, the majorityof Chicano graduate studentsare in the professionalfields.19 The nextlargestgroup are in mastersdegreeprograms.Relativeto thetotalnumberofPh.D. candidates in the U.C. system,veryfew are Chicanos. And of the few, most appear to be concentratedin education,Spanish literature,historyand sociology. In the whole United States,I know of only six Chicanos with Ph.D.'s in economics,and ProfessorCarlos Muñoz of the Universityof Californiain Irvine has counted only eight Chicanos with Ph.D.'s in political science in the country.Furthermore, out ofhis nationalsurveyof 943 schools,ProfessorMuñoz has been able to identifyonly 55 Chicano graduate studentsin politicalscience,mostin M.A. degree programsas opposed to the Ph.D.20 ALLTHINGS TIEIN TOGETHER Most Chicano facultywould agree that it is encouragingto findthem19For detailedtableson theChicanograduate student see: David Nasatiret al., Chicanosand the University : Preliminary of California Reportto the Task Force ofCalifornia, 29, 1972),Chap.4. (Berkeley: September 20CarlosUniversity in theProfession : SomeRecommendations Muñoz,"TheLackofChicanos fortheBeginning ofTraining andPlacement," at theAnnualMeeting paperdelivered of theWestern PoliticalScienceAssociation, Portland, Oregon,April1972.Further discussion inthenextissueofAztlán. onthistopicwillbe included This content downloaded from 132.174.254.159 on Fri, 11 Dec 2015 16:38:32 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 8g4 SocialScienceQuarterly of a significant selves as forerunners Chicano movement.But forthe present,thisthoughtis oftenthesole compensationformanyexasperatingpressures which conflictwith intensedesires to succeed professionally within respectiveacademic disciplines.With these pressures,the young,inexperiencedand non-tenuredChicano facultymembersface severe difficulties in adjustingto colleges and the ideal of Chicano studiesprograms.Under presentcircumstances,withoutremedial improvements,Chicano studies programswill experiencea turbulentexistence.And it appears thatit will take some timebeforean adequate supplyof "interested"Chicano faculty will be ready to ease the transitioninto smoothlyrun and effectiveprograms. In concluding,though,thispaper does notintendto overlookthe efforts of manywho have developed Chicano studies. Both the studentsand the colleges have made it possible to advance the ideas of a new educational experience,Chicano studies.But thispaper s concernis to open up the discussionon a realisticcourseof eventsfacingthe emergingprograms.Without recognizingthe problemsand pressuresfacing them,and especially theirfaculty,Chicano studiesmay be the victimof a shortlife.From here on out,theirsurvivalwill depend increasinglyon measurestakenby theindividualcampusesto alleviatethepresentsituation.21 21As a finalnote,it shouldbe pointed "Task outthattheUniversity ofCalifornia's Forceon theChicanoPresence," is thefirst to inquire attempt bya majoruniversity intotheneedsandproblems ofChicanos intheentire TheTaskForce'sfinal university. forthefuture. shouldsetsignificant guidelines report This content downloaded from 132.174.254.159 on Fri, 11 Dec 2015 16:38:32 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions