Latin American Studies not linked to consortium

Editor,

The involvement of UNM in the Southwest Border Security Consortium has been publicly announced in the Albuquerque Journal and on UNM's Web site. On Monday, the Daily Lobo published information about the border consortium based on interviews with key University administrators, such as Associate Vice President for Strategic Projects Frank Gilfeather. In this article, Gilfeather listed a number of departments participating in research projects associated with the border consortium, including the Latin American Studies program.

I would like to clarify that the Latin American Studies program, an academic unit housed in the College of Arts and Sciences, has not been contacted about participation in this border consortium, nor has it agreed to become involved in or support research projects connected to the border consortium.

Faculty and students affiliated with the Latin American Studies program, representing 13 departments and six colleges, are involved in research focused on cultural, economic and political issues connected to the U.S.-Mexican border. However, the language for the

mission of this border consortium is couched in terms of security and, according to the UNM Web site, is related to the Threat Reduction Consortium.

Faculty active in our program have expressed concern about the involvement of the Latin American Studies program in research funded by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. Therefore, I want to assure faculty and students that the Latin American Studies program is committed to the full disclosure of the sources of its research funding.

Kimberly Gauderman

Director, Latin American

Studies program