Hire minority chief, SLCC told

Minority community leaders have made it clear to members of the Salt Lake Community College presidential search committee that the school needs a minority at its helm.

Given complaints raised in December charging instances of racial bias, language-based discrimination and a lack of cultural competency at the school, the recent input was welcome feedback and criticism intended to inform the 18-person search committee charged with narrowing the field of applicants.

The Salt Lake Community College President's Diversity Council has expressed concern about the lack of diversity on the committee itself because it includes no American Indians, Asians or Pacific Islanders.

Reading from a letter signed by state leaders in the offices of Indian, Asian, Pacific Islander, Hispanic and Black Affairs, Bonnie Dew, director of the state's Office of Black Affairs, said, "We highly recommend that the Board of Regents consider a qualified ethnic minority" for president of SLCC.

Of the 10 people who addressed the committee, each had his or her own reasons why a person of color would best fill the leadership role.

"The public perception is that there are major problems relating to racial/ethnic discrimination at SLCC. Unfortunately, this perception may be the reality," Dew said before saying it is vital for future success and relations to change this perception by hiring a minority.

"We don't want you to hire a minority because of race or color, we want you to hire a minority because he or she is qualified," added Mark Archuleta Wheately, director of SLCC Meadowbrook Campus.

Jesse Soriano, a member of the governor's Hispanic Advisory Council, said a minority is best because that person can look at the school from a fresh point of view.

"We end up getting people that look the same and look at things the same way over and over again," Soriano said. "We need someone who has worked with minority groups and won't come off sounding pompous, pretentious or patronizing as so many academics do."

Marco Diaz of the Utah Hispanic Republican Assembly wanted a minority president to better reflect the demographics of Salt Lake County. Since minorities make up 20 percent of the county's population and 12 to 13 percent of SLCC's student body, he argued they should also have a similar representation in faculty and administration.

"We need someone who has a history of working with minorities," Diaz said. "Desire does not mean they have the sensitivity to work with these issues."