At MESA, a change in philosophy

Acosta wants MESA programs to encompass all types of people on campus, rather than planning activities devoted to individual multicultural groups. He said MESA was never supposed to be an organization devoted solely to multi-ethnic students, but it has been historically perceived that way.

“I think we need to move away from those perceptions,” Acosta said. “Our primary mission in higher education is to raise everybody’s consciousness about diversity.”

Acosta became the director of MESA in August 2006 after holding various administrative positions at the University of Massachusetts. With an academic year of experience, he has developed various plans to expand the amount of programs and the image of MESA.

Acosta said campus leaders have always tried to bridge the gaps between different communities but that there has not been much progress for a while. He said he knows that change can create anxiety among students.

“It’s always scary to take risks,” Acosta said. “So I don’t feel I’m trying to do anything that the institution doesn’t want done or that the students don’t want done.”

Some student groups are questioning his approach.

Jenn Ortiz, president of the Latino Students Organization, said that LSO’s contact with MESA has been more limited this year than in the past. Ortiz said LSO used to meet weekly with a Latino Task Force moderator in MESA, but since Acosta arrived, this hasn’t happened.

Ortiz also said that a sense of community on campus is important but that each minority group has specific issues. For example, she said, Latino students have issues with recruiting students to the University and keeping them here.

“It’s difficult to address our specific needs if you’re just focusing on the broader voice,” Ortiz said.

In December, tensions arose between MESA and the Assisting Latinos to Maximize Achievement program when Acosta asked ALMA to remove the MESA name from all of its publications. ALMA’s largest program is providing an orientation program that is solely for incoming Latino students, and Acosta asked them to remove the race-specific aspect of their program.

Acosta said that he was concerned about providing equal services to all minority groups, but ALMA members said his actions made it seem like an attempt to sever the relationship between ALMA and MESA. Acosta said he only wanted to expand ALMA’s program to include other ethnic groups.

Part of Acosta’s plan for community on campus would be creating a safe space for students of all backgrounds to interact and to discuss issues of race and ethnicity.

Acosta said these types of interactions are not taking place in the classroom and that MESA needs to provide spaces for students to experience diverse exchanges.

The William Monroe Trotter Multicultural Center is a prime candidate for this proposed space.

Acosta is working with Trotter Program Center Coordinator Edward Burnett to add more amenities to the building on Washtenaw.

Trotter is equipped with wireless Internet, plasma-screen televisions, University computers and printers, shower facilities and a vintage disco ball.

It is also the only University building with a restaurant license that legally allows student groups to use its kitchen. This allows the groups to hire caterers outside of the University or prepare food in the kitchen on their own, Burnett said.

Burnett said that some University buildings are sterile and hands-off but that he tries to make Trotter student-friendly.

Burnett said he plans to add an art gallery, coffee cart, barber shop and media library to Trotter before September.

Acosta said the gallery would feature artwork that celebrates cultural heritage and awareness months.

The barber shop would offer haircuts to students from all backgrounds. Acosta said Ann Arbor lacks this amenity.

“Here I am, a brown man with kinky hair, and the community of Ann Arbor is not welcoming,” Acosta said. “Why is it that if a student of color wants to get a haircut, the best place to get a haircut is in Ypsi?”

Acosta also said he plans to work with the American Culture department to bring some classes to Trotter.

Ortiz disagreed with Acosta’s focus on Trotter. She said the improvements at the center would not be the best way to spend funding for the majority of Latino students. She said putting money into planning, minority groups, educational initiatives and conferences would be better.

“Put it back into the community instead of things like beauty salons,” she said. “That would be a lot more useful.”

While most programs like the Trotter additions are still in the works, one change that Acosta has already implemented at both the MESA office and Trotter is the student staff.

Acosta said when he began working in August, there weren’t many student employees in MESA.

“Students were not an integral part of the services and program development,” he told the Daily in February. “How can you service students if students are not an integral part?”

Now both the MESA Office and Trotter are run by student employees, including some employed through the work-study program.

Acosta has also developed various student initiatives, like the group of students who will travel to the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in American Higher Education in California this summer to understand how diversity issues are addressed.

Acosta said he hopes these students plan a small symposium at the University similar to the one they’re attending.

Acosta said he doesn’t want students to think that MESA is straying from its dedication to a cross-cultural, inclusive campus. “We still have the same mission. We still have the same goals,” Acosta said. “I think we’re just trying to embrace more brothers and sisters into the process.”