Current News

DukeEngage: Encuentros de la Frontera: US-Mexico Border Civic Engagement
The 8-week summer DukeEngage progam on the US-Mexico Border has successfully come to an end. Visit the following blogsite for student reflections: http://dukeengageusmexico.blogspot.com/
Visit http://dukeengage.duke.edu/ to learn more about DukeEngage intensive civic immersion programs around the world.

Spanish Speaking Volunteers Needed: Nasher, El Pueblo, El Centro

SPANISH SPEAKING VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Several Bilingual (Spanish/English) volunteers are needed for upcoming events.
Contact information and sign up instructions are included for each event separately.
1. NASHER MUSEUM OF ART, EL GRECO TO VELAZQUEZ: August 21 through November 9, 2008 Duke's Nasher Museum of Art will be exhibiting masterpieces of Spanish Art from the 17th century. Volunteers are needed for several positions at the museum. Training will be provided. To learn more about the exhibit visit www.nasher.duke.edu/elgreco. Contact the Volunteer Coordinator for the exhibit, Barclay McConnell at barclay.mcconnell@duke.edu.
2. LA FIESTA DEL PUEBLO: Saturday and Sunday, September 6-7 at the NC State Fairgrounds in Raleigh.La Fiesta del Pueblo is a two-day Latin American festival for the entire family. This festival has grown from an attendance of 2,000 in 1994 to about 25,000+ in 2007.  Through Fiesta, El Pueblo, Inc. has brought the arts and cultures of Latin America and the Caribbean to hundreds of thousands of people during the past fourteen years. Intended for all North Carolinians from all races and ethnic groups, La Fiesta has also brought together descendants of Latin American, Caribbean and Spanish cultures to celebrate and showcase their heritage and traditions. If you are interested in volunteering, contact El Pueblo at volunteer@elpueblo.org or visit their web site at www.elpueblo.org. 
3. FIESTA DE LA SALUD: Saturday, September 27 from 12:00-5:00 pm at Hillside High School (3727 Fayetteville Street,  Durham). Volunteers are needed to work at a number of health related stations during the Health Fair. Contact El Centro for more information or to sign up as a volunteer at 687-4635.

NC Community College ban lacks legal rationale
From Insidehighered.com on July 28:
In May, the North Carolina Community College System banned students who could not document legal immigration status from enrolling, but last week the legal rationale for that decision apparently fell apart. In barring the students, the system cited a recommendation of the state’s attorney general, who said it would be illegal under federal law to enroll such students. On Friday, however, the system released letters from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to the state attorney general saying that such enrollments were not necessarily illegal, and a letter from the attorney general’s office stating that — based on the federal letter — it appeared the state community college system was not barred from admitting these students after all. The community college system also released statements indicating that the ban would remain in place for now, but would be discussed by the state community college board soon, based on the new letters.
Visit http://www.adelantenc.org/5.html to find out more and learn of ways to support higher education for all students.

CERTIFICATE APPROVED: Latino/a Studies in the Global South
BIG NEWS for LATINO/A STUDIES: Our undergraduate certificate proposal for "Latino/a Studies in the Global South" has been approved by the Arts and Sciences Council!! The certificate program allows students to expand on their knowledge of Latino/a communities in the United States by combining courses across the disciplines in the humanities, natual sciences, and social sciences along with interdisciplinary introductory and capstone courses. Certificate details will be posted on-line under the "Academics" section soon. Students interested in the certificate may contact Jenny Snead Williams, jennysw@duke.edu, Coordinator of Latino/a Studies.