Daily Egyptian Managing Editor

Encouragement and improving kindergarten through 12th grade schools is the key to retaining and attracting minority students to the University, the second of SIUC’s four chancellor finalists told participants of open forums Tuesday and Wednesday.

Diversity is a fact of life, Luis Proenza, the vice president for research and dean of the Graduate School at Purdue University, said. More than that, it is necessary if you are able to cope. It adds value to the educational experience.

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Proenza, a native of Mexico, said a smaller percentage of African-Americans graduate than other races.

We need to become very seriously involved in national dialogue and action that helps all K-12 students in the pipeline become better prepared, he said. There is nothing we can do here alone to make them stay if they are not prepared to go to college.

He said Asian-Americans embody the drive that is necessary for minorities to succeed.

Look at the Asian-American group. Something about that minority group has made them a non-minority, he said. They are participating in higher education more so than the caucasians.

If we could instill that ethic in every student then by God this country would knock the pants off every other country worldwide.

Proenza is the second finalist to be interviewed at SIUC. Two more finalists will be interviewed in February and the new chancellor will be chosen by SIU President Ted Sanders by March.

He said another priority would be recruiting and retaining students, especially international students. He said one method of attracting such students is by using alumni.

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They were the best spokesperson for Purdue to tell our story abroad, he said.

When questioned about technology concerns, Proenza said increasing technology was a priority at Purdue and would remain one at SIUC.

Enhancing technology is increasingly important to every walk of life, including education.

Undergraduate Student Government President Dave Vingren asked what Proenza’s three priorities would be in the event of a state-enacted funding freeze.

Improving faculty salaries is a must because the salary level has led to problems, Proenza responded.

Proenza added that deferred maintenance and student support services would be the other two priorities.

Proenza concluded his remarks by answering two questions about his philosophy toward the faculty union. Proenza met with faculty association representatives in a closed session Tuesday.

He said the key to resolving differences between the faculty and administration would be better communication.

They did not sound like union people to me, he said. They sounded like concerned faculty.

I had to ask them if they had made the right decision [to unionize], he said. They did not want a conflict, but a union negotiation is a conflict situation that breaks the parties into labor and management.