Students Protest After UNC In Greeley Suspends Mexican American Studies Major
GREELEY, Colo. (CBS4) - Students at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley are protesting their school's decision to suspend one of its majors, saying they are being singled out.
Students walked around campus Thursday demanding the school reinstate its Mexican-American Studies major. With just two students enrolled this year, school officials decided to suspend new admissions to the program.
Administrators say that gives them time to figure out why the program isn't attracting many students and fix it.
"This is not something aimed at Hispanic or Latino students, it's not aimed at trying to single out a program," UNC Associate Provost and Dean of University College Dr. Tom Smith said.
Meanwhile, Hispanic and Latino students say the decision marginalizes minority students.
"How can you go out and really serve your community when you don't know the history of the people that make up more than half of your population in Greeley?" said protestor Susana de la Torre, a senior at UNC.
More than 16 percent of UNC's undergraduate student body identifies themselves as Hispanic or Latino.
The university says it has graduated 11 Mexican-American Studies majors in the last five years, with many of those students going on to careers in human resources.
