President’s Letter - Elizabeth Ortiz

I write to you for the last time as ILACHE president.  It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the members of ILACHE.  Thank you for this wonderful experience.  Effective July 1^st Andrew Sund will be our new ILACHE President. I am confident the future of this organization is in very good hands.

      It is my pleasure to provide highlights of our 20^th annual conference, which was a milestone event for the Board.  The conference was record breaking with over 400 registrants and 26 sponsors.  We actually were forced to close down registration for the first time in ILACHE’s history.  The program included 14 workshops that were filled to capacity.  Our keynote speaker Maria Cotera captivated the audience with her talk on Chicana histories and the creation of a digital archive of their personal stories and journeys. 

Congratulations to ILACHE Board Officers 2012-2014

• Andrew Sund, President
• Norma Seledon, Treasurer
• Daniel Aranda, Secretary
• Daniel López, Jr., Vice President of Academic and Professional Development
• Patricia Mota, Vice President of Membership
• José Perales, Vice President of Communication and Marketing
• Leonard Ramirez, Vice President Policy and Legislative Affairs

Choosing One’s Adversary: Why I will Vote Despite the Choices

COMMENTARY

By Leonard Ramirez

I am not an enthusiastic supporter of Barak Obama. He has reneged on his promise to promote comprehensive immigration reform. Even worse his administration has stepped up efforts to deport undocumented workers that have led to more divided families and more human misery. His Chicago surrogate, Rahm Emanuel, has continued the lackluster Arnie Duncan’s push to increase the number of charter schools that are more a business opportunity for connected political associates and a strategy to break the back of the Chicago Teacher’s Union than a quality educational option for city kids.

Under Obama, human rights have continued on the downward spiral begun by Bush. With right wing support, the Obama government has assassinated people in other countries, including at least one US citizen. Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which expands the power and scope of government. NDAA allows for the indefinite detention of terrorist suspects including US citizens. It undermines the human rights guarantees in the Constitution including the Sixth Amendment. While Obama has promised not to use this prerogative, he leaves the door open for others who will follow. His signing of the NDAA truly represents a shameful deterioration of democracy.  Obama’s latest cha-cha with the corporate oligarchy reduces a few of the wealthy’s tax loopholes but grants them additional tax cuts.

ILACHE Conference Photos

     Thank you for helping to make the 20^th Anniversary Professional and Student Development Conference a great success.  With more than 400 participants, this year, we broke attendance records and created many memories.  We look forward to seeing you at our next event. To view photographs of the event, click here.   

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THE ENLACE FELLOWS PROGRAM

Higher Education Leadership For a Global Society

Master of Arts Educational Leadership in Higher Education

Class of 2013 - 2014  (Cohort 6)  Application Deadline is July 16, 2012 

THE ENLACE FELLOWS PROGRAM

     Northeastern Illinois University's ENLACE Fellows: Higher Education Leadership for a Global Society mission is to invest in the preparation and representation of a generation of Latino leadership in higher education that will create transformative change responsive to the educational challenges of an increasing U.S. Latino community; a community that is positioned to share in bringing change in an American society with global perspectives. The underrepresentation of Latinos in graduate programs is a leading factor that contributes to the critical shortage of Latino tenured faculty and senior administrators at colleges and universities across the nation. It is anticipated that through their unique professional and practical preparation, the ENLACE Fellows will significantly improve the educational status of Latinos in the region, United States and in a global society.

LATINOS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION FORUM

(Free event open to the public)

Sponsored by LATINOS IN SKOKIE & OAKTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Saturday, April 21 from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM

Oakton Community College in Skokie Campus

7701 Lincoln Avenue Skokie, IL 60077

• Presentations by Top Educational Institutions
• Professional Panel discussions
• Information on how to prepare for College
• Information on Financial Aid
• Presentation on the Dream Act

More information:  Dr. Liliana N. Fargo LilianaFargo@yahoo.com Education Commission for Latinos in Skokie Mr. Luis Caballero Lcaballe@oakton.edu Community Outreach at Oakton Community College

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Latinos-in-Skokie-LIS/142048462515821

3rd Annual DREAM Gala

“Con Esperanza Celebramos El Poder De La Accion”
(With Hope We Celebrate the Power of Action)

The DREAM Gala Committee would be honored by your presence at the ^3rd Annual DREAM Gala in support of undocumented college students who struggle financially in order to obtain a higher education because of their ineligibility for federal and state financial aid in Illinois. With the theme “Con Esperanza Celebramos El Poder De La Accion”  our program will include the announcement of the 2nd Dream Scholarship recipients, cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, guest speakers, silent auction, live music, dance performances and much more. 100% of the proceeds will support the Dream Scholarship Fund.

 

Friday, April 27, 2012

From 7:00pm to 12:00am

The Living Room Lounge

1100 W. Cermak Road

Chicago, IL 60608

Contact Information: galaforadream@gmail.com  or (773) 609-GALA

RSVP on Facebook: Click here
To Purchase Tickets:  Click here
Website:  Click here   Facebook: Click here

ILACHE Responds to Attacks on Affirmative Action

By Elizabeth Ortiz

            The Illinois Latino Advisory Council on Higher Education strongly supports the use of affirmative action in college and university admissions practices and procedures.  ILACHE is going on record in defense of hard won affirmative action decisions and states unequivocally the compelling interest of the U.S. as a nation to ensure access and diversity for all students in higher education. The recent decision by the United States Supreme Court to hear the case of Fisher v. Texas et al. has put affirmative action in jeopardy, along with the benefits that accrue to all students in diverse learning environments. The hard won gains of recent decades should not be undone.