Latino Students Call for Action

Latino students submitted a petition with more than 500 signatures to University administrators Nov. 23, calling for more Latino faculty and courses, a stronger presence for Latino students and alumni, and more support for undocumented students.

Issues raised by the petition were compiled at a meeting of Latino students Nov. 18, the first day of the Nassau Hall sit-in by the Black Justice League. Both groups are demanding a diversity distribution requirement for all students and a “safe and accepting place” set aside in the Carl Fields Center.

The petition said that only 2 percent of professors at Princeton are Hispanic/Latino and that Latino undergraduate enrollment, while increasing from 7 to 9.2 percent in the past 10 years, is below that of peer institutions.

The Latino Studies Program has been hampered by failing to offer “a consistent slate of courses,” students said.

The petition also said that Latino students “experience bias inside and outside of the classroom.” Students expressed concern about a Mexican-themed party held recently on campus.

The students are discussing ways to coordinate activist efforts, said Courtney Perales ’17, who helped prepare the petition. “We’re very excited to start coalitions with various other organizations on campus, other cultural groups, other groups of marginalized students on campus,” she said. “There’s strength in numbers.”