UTEP loves Cesar Chavez

By |

March 31 declared a ‘no classes’ day
EL PASO, Texas — After several letters of protest, a rally and march to the President’s Office and a Gold Nugget recipient returning his award, Cesar Chavez Day is back as a “no classes” day only for this year. At their monthly meeting Feb. 8, the Faculty Senate voted in favor of reinstating Cesar Chavez Day and Spring Study Day as holidays for students. Last November, the same entity removed both dates from the school’s calendar to meet a requirement by the state legislature that mandated them to choose 12 staff holidays per academic year. The reinstatement of the holiday was announced through an e-mail sent by the President’s Office, which included a statement from UTEP President Diana Natalicio.

César Chávez’ struggle rings again on the UTEP campus: This is just the beginning, says student leader

By |

ELPASO, Texas — A decision to remove César Chavez Day as an observed school holiday taken by the University of Texas at El Paso Faculty Senate touched a nerve at this Hispanic-majority institution. “We were under pressure to make a quick decision,” said Faculty Senate President Dr. Carl S. Lieb, a professor of biology. The vote on November 9 by the faculty Catalog and Calendar Committee, followed by a unanimous vote by the senate, was in response to a Texas State Legislature cost-cutting directive to remove two holidays from the school’s schedule. “The first recommendation to come was to take away the Spring Study Day and Cesar Chavez Day, or (to) take one of the existing staff holidays during the winter break,” Lieb said. Spring Study Day, a faculty holiday on the Friday of Spring Break also was eliminated.

Napolitano promises an ‘overwhelming response’ to any spillover of drug-war violence

By |

“We have strengthened the Southwest Border in ways that many did not think possible.”
– Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano
EL PASO, Texas – The Obama administration has strengthened the U.S.-Mexico partnership along the southwest border, increasing security and safeguarding the U.S. against a spillover of drug-war violence, according to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. On the second stop of a national tour designed to explain President Obama’s border security strategy, Napolitano told an audience at the University of Texas at El Paso Monday that their approach to border security is working. “We are almost two years into that strategy and the verdict is in,” said Napolitano. “We have strengthened the southwest border in ways that many did not think possible.”

Napolitano did mention that challenges still exist, such as dealing with the drug-cartel violence taking place in Mexico and remaining on guard against a possible spillover effect into the United States. Any incursion of drug-war violence into the U.S. will face an “overwhelming response,” she said.

Live blogging: The American Society of News Editors/Inter American Press Association Border Newspapers Editors Summit

By |

EL PASO, Texas —

2:09 P.M.: Conference has started. Andres Gyllenhall, Vice President of News and Washington for McClatchy Newspapers and Alfredo Carbajal, Managing editor of Al Dia, Dallas Morning News welcoming attendees. 2:11 P.M.:  There are about 40 people in attendance. 2:12 P.M.: Angela Kocherga, Border Bureau Chief will now present a video from the El Paso/Juarez region. 2:13 P.M.: The video is a feature on journalists who report from the violence-stricken city.

La presidenta de UTEP afirma que la bala no frenará la educación

By |

EL PASO, Texas — La presidenta de UTEP, Diana Natalicio, recomendó ayer, a sus trabajadores y estudiantes, inscribirse en un sistema de alerta para situaciones emergentes que ya se tiene implementado en la universidad. También llamó a mantener la calma. Insistió en que la Universidad de Texas en El Paso (UTEP) continuará sus labores constructivas y de crecimiento docente. “Tenemos 22 mil estudiantes y tres mil profesores… tenemos funciones muy importantes que realizar”, dijo.