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Warm greetings of solidarity from Elisa Facio, director of the Center for the Studies of Ethnicity and Race in America (CSERA) and Associate Professor of Ethnic Studies. This year I have the privilege, honor and joy of working with Ethnic Studies Chair, Emma Perez, and Professors William King, Daryl Maeda, Reiland Rabaka and Vivian Delgado. Together, we will constitute the CSERA Advisory Committee for the 2008-2009 academic year. |
CSERA was founded in 1987 under the leadership of Professor Cordelia Candelaria. After a national search, Professor Evelyn Hu-DeHart was hired as CSERA's first director and served in that capacity until 2002. The following academic year, CSERA was guided under the directorship of Professor Angel Nieves, and most recently Professor Arturo Aldama (2004-2007). With the establishment of the Department of Ethnic Studies in 1996, CSERA was retained as a center within the department and was officially recognized as the campus' organized research unit responsible for assisting with development and supporting research in areas related to race, gender, and ethnicity. During the last decade, CSERA has gained national attention as one of the most distinguished centers in the country. My intentions are to continue contributing to CSERA's development and prominence both nationally and internationally.
Our goals will no doubt be challenging. Given the neo-conservative environment and political agendas of academia across the nation, research units such as CSERA, which advocate critical studies in the interdisciplinary nature of race, class, gender and sexualities, are being contested more than ever. In order to strengthen the Center's research infrastructure, the major focus for this year's CSERA Advisory Committee will be fundraising. CSERA anticipates developing a number of research initiatives to foster relationships with faculty of color primarily at CU Boulder as well as nationally and internationally. Our goal is to create a critical and supportive space conducive to new ways of organizing knowledge and collaboration among faculty that will ameliorate the exodus of CU Boulder faculty of color.
Such endeavors include CSERA'S Speaker Series where the Center will continue to encourage colleagues throughout the nation to visit the CU Boulder campus and share their latest contributions to Ethnic Studies. Scholars whose research draws attention to changing global historical realities, notions of empire, cross-border and interdisciplinary approaches while being attentive to the intersections of class, race, gender and sexualities will be encouraged to participate. Faculty of color whose interests compliment the Center's mission will be invited to take part in Research Clusters. These collaborative projects will result in publications in scholastic media such as the Department of Ethnic Studies' refereed E-Journal or the University of Colorado Press. Our goal is to establish three to five Research Clusters (2008-2010) that will receive financial support to complete their research projects within a two-year period.
CSERA is also committed to the advancement of undergraduate and graduate students. Our goal is to continue supporting students in the capacity of research assistants, course graders, and teaching assistants. An important future Center goal involves instituting scholarships for Ethnic Studies majors and minors.
We are also eager to continue our role in supporting community-building efforts on the CU campus such as Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead and other activities committed toward creating a welcoming environment for both faculty and students of color, first generation students, Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgender (LBGT) students, and working-class communities.
We look forward to a new and exciting year! |
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