I Guess People Like Me Can’t Become Professors

By Ana Betsabe Soto

This is in response to “Diversify the Faculty of ‘Diversity University!’” (May 1, 2009, Vol. CXLV, No. 20).

In my experience here at Wesleyan, I can honestly say that I have never in my four years had a Latino professor outside of the two semesters I took Spanish Language, much less a Puerto Rican professor. This is a shame because Latinos are more than just Spanish speakers.  

Not only should the university diversify the racial background of professors, but ethnic backgrounds should also be taken into consideration.

Recently, after a long search, last year the Psychology department hired a new professor, Professor Mosquera. After there were words of an awareness to add a professor of color, they hired Mosquera on what I believe is the basis that they can pass her off as “ethnic” and because she is a cultural psychologist who works on racism.  She has been a great professor and addition to the department, but the institution does not have a clear idea of what diversity is. Meaning the institution itself is ignorant as to what areas of diversity need to be reached. Do they really feel that adding the most Spanish full name that can be found in professorship means their search is a success?

Mosquera is from Spain, and has a European background, or at least when asked, she says she is from Spain. She is a European and a white professor, and I am still not sure if the department thinks that she is Latina, or that because she is international it will suffice for the lack of professors of color in the Psychology department, or if they care and are just glad her last name is Rodriguez Mosquera. We currently have ONE professor of color (not two) who is an international black man, which is great, but the department should not feel that he fulfills their minority quota and should be aware that it severely lacks a diverse professorship representative of all types of people.  

There is one professor of color in the Psychology department. He does not teach many classes; most times he teaches Social Psychology. I have not been able to take a class with him. I have never even been taught by a professor of color within my own major.  This only tells me that Latinos don’t often get a PhD in Psychology. An institution like Wesleyan should work to change this and demonstrate to its students that people of color do exist in academia and that I am not trying to enter a world where I don’t belong. The institution should help me, as a student, feel like I belong in academia. This should not only be the sole responsibility of programs like Mellon or McNair.

I have had five black professors—more than any other minority group. Besides Professor

DuCille who taught me English, the other four professors I have recalled: Monts, Burton, Abraham Adzenyah, and Iddrisu Saaka, were all professors of the performing arts.

So Wesleyan is teaching us that Latino professors are only good to teach Spanish and black professors are only good to show me how to dance and sing.  

Also, I have never been taught by an Asian, Asian-American, Native or South American, Native Hawaiian, Native Alaskan, or Middle Eastern professor.

I am not speaking about tenure. I am speaking about my history of professors my four years here at Wesleyan. I can only imagine the deficit of diversity that lies amongst those who are tenured.

Soto is a member of the class of 2009.