by Christopher Sanchez
Daily Lobo
Provost candidate Ram¢n GutiÇrrez received flak during a student interview Friday because of a controversial history book he published in 1983.
After GutiÇrrez's introduction, students were asked to address questions to the candidate.
The first student asked GutiÇrrez how he would be able to run an institution with a diverse student community if he made disrespectful comments toward American Indians in his book When Jesus Came, the Corn Mothers Went Away.
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UNM student Rebekah Horsechief said GutiÇrrez describes Pueblo women as lustful in the book.
Horsechief said GutiÇrrez also stated in the book that Pueblo people are unaware of their history.
"Immediately when the book was released, there was uproar, because it is absolutely horrendous and blatantly disrespectful," she said during a phone interview Sunday.
The first question was followed by similar questions by several other students.
GutiÇrrez said his book was highly criticized at the time of publication, and he tried his best to apologize to the American-Indian community. He never meant to offend anyone when he wrote the book, he said.
GutiÇrrez was prepared for the criticism and passed out documents in defence of the book, including a letter from the All Indian Pueblo Council in 1993.
"It is evident certain assumptions you made are precisely guesswork," the letter stated.
Later in the letter, the council stated it did not believe he tried to offend American Indians in the book.
"Taking offense to such work is not right," the letter stated.
GutiÇrrez said all royalties from his book go to American-Indian education and a shelter for battered women.
Horsechief said GutiÇrrez should not be running for provost.
"He needs to do the right thing and not be a finalist," she said.
Putting the criticism aside, GutiÇrrez said he knows the University more than any other candidate because of his 50-year connection.
GutiÇrrez said he has frequented UNM since he was 4 years old when his father would take him to Zimmerman Library to read National Geographic magazines.
He also received his degree in Latin American history and fine arts from UNM.
GutiÇrrez said during his time at the University of California, San Diego, he trained more than 40 doctorate students and has taught about 15,000 students during his 26 years as a professor.
During his time at the University of California, GutiÇrrez said he raised $1 million a year to fund a research center on Latinos.
He said if he is hired as provost, he wants to make sure faculty and staff are stimulating students' imaginations. He wants students to be able to exercise judgment, solve problems, synthesize and appreciate beauty, he said.
GutiÇrrez said one of the problems he wants to solve is the student dropout rate. According to the UNM Fact Book, in 2003 about 25 percent of freshmen dropped out during their first semester.
He said he wants to implement a summer bridge program for students who need to take remedial courses. Once those courses are completed in the summer, students would be able to take University-level courses, he said.
GutiÇrrez also spoke about UNM's graduate program and the need to teach graduate students how to teach. He said there should be seminars or classes for graduate students that would train them how to make a syllabus and how to write letters of recommendation.
UNM student Katryn Fraher, who attended the forums for all three candidates, said GutiÇrrez is best for the job.
"He was the only (candidate) out of all three that actually didn't make broad statements and answered the questions in full and precisely," she said.
Fraher said GutiÇrrez seemed like he cared about the people at UNM, and he emphasized the need for better communication rather than making more money.
Fraher said the attacks against GutiÇrrez's book were out of proportion.
"I think his character was attacked and not his policy," she said. "I don't believe he is racist whatsoever."
GutiÇrrez said he hopes the criticism of his book does not affect his chances of being provost.
"Universities are places for debates and ideas," he said.
Faculty and staff forums for GutiÇrrez are today.
