UMAS Constitution

On May 13, 1967 a historic conference took place at the University of Loyola. Historic because a mandate was agreed upon by a representative group of Mexican-American college students throughout southern California to establish a long awaited and needed unity of the Mexican-American in surrounding colleges and universities. UMAS (United Mexican-American Students) was thus created; its influence and interest quickly diffusing to college and university campuses all over the state of California.

During the hot summer days of 1966 an ad hoc executive committee met at selected campuses to grind out a constitution which was to govern a body of such large magnitude. Chapters at UCLA, USC, Loyola, Cal State, Valley State, and East Los Angeles Junior College were the first to organize. Today, student organizations are in existence from San Diego to Berkeley, while many more are beginning to organize, looking at UMAS for guidance.

Since its beginning, the UCLA Chapter has become one of the strongest and counts within its ranks several members (including the executive chairman for the entire state) who have been instrumental in the founding of this effort. Of the ninety Mexican-American students enrolled at UCLA, 3/4 have already joined the organization. Programs have been initiated in three areas: (1) education; (2) community involvement; (3) social functions.

The primary concern of the organization has been to assure the academic success of all students enrolled at UCLA, especially freshmen and sophomores. To this end tutoring and academic counseling centers have been established. Interestingly enough, these program have taken as a model those which were implemented some years ago by the EOP office when it ws under the direction of the Student Counseling Center. The second objective being that of multiplying our number, UMAS of UCLA has arranged a speakers program for local high schools. Again, this has been directly adopted from the old EOP program.

UMAS of UCLA would at this time like to thank the staff of the counseling Center for the help that they have so kindly given and for allowing us the use of various facilities. (Including what often seems to be an answering service. Hi, Candy and Carol) Special thank go to Dr. Palmer (otherwise known as "Uncle Dave"), Dr. McEvoy and Mr. Bame for their early guidance when the group was in its incipient stages. Lastly, a personal thanks to Linda Fredmore who has assisted the sec retares of UMAS and for teaching me how to dial a telephone.

La educacíon es el progreso.

Jorge Campos Aguinigo

President, UMAS of UCLA

Statement Of Policy

United Mexican-American Students

University of California, Los Angeles

One of the facts that confronts us today is that there are so few Mexican-Americans students in institutions of higher learning generally, and in UCLA in particular. This fact should be basic in determining the policies of the activities of UMAS of UCLA. That is, if we wish to do what we can to further the cause of Mexican-Americans in the United States today we must not ignore the reality that unless the number of Mexican-American students in colleges and universities is increased our efforts will, in all probability, be those of

An infant crying in the night;

An infant crying for the light,

And with no language but a cry.

If this proposition is true, then we must carefully weigh what function we can most effectively perform as students to improve the lot of Mexican-Americans in the community. First, as students, our first obligation to the Mexican-American community is to successfully complete our course of studies. If we do not accept this as our first duty, then we are negating the premise that much of the problem of the Mexican-American lies in the field of education. Further, we would be doing the Mexican-American community an injustice by depriving it of the qualified leadership that it requires and deserves. Secondly, as students, we are ostensibly on the road to success and can therefore lead others to the same road. We cannot turn our backs to the community that produced us. We must do something constructive to help those who need to be helped. What?

The following resolutions are offered as a partial solution to that question. They do not pretend to be a panacea to Mexican-American problems, nor are they offered as the sole means by which we, as students, can help. Rather, they are offered as a practical policy for UMAS of UCLA. One which can be successfully pursued without sacrificing personal objectives or interfering with the pursuit of our education. Imagine what it would mean to have as many students in the graduating class as we presently have in the entire school. Imagine, having 1000 Mexican-American students in UCLA> It can be done and we are the instrument by which it can be facilitated.

With these things in mind, the following propositions are offered as statements of policy for UMAS of UCLA.

(1) The primary concern of UMAS of UCLA shall be to do whatever is possible to help those Mexican-American students on campus successfully complete their course of studies here. This will be accomplished by the following methods. a) UMAS will act as an information center for students wishing assistance both financial and academic. UMAS will encourage its members to speak up about these problems before they get beyond the point of repair; b) UMAS members will help each other in academic areas where the situation warrants such, e.g., upper division and graduate studetns can assist members who are having problems with courses in their major.

(2) UMAS shall commit itself to actively assist Mexican-American in high schools, through tutorial programs, counseling programs, and other programs of a similar nature. This will be accomplished by the following methods: a) Through the UMAS committee that has been set up for this type of program; b) Through existing programs on campus such as the Tutorial Project, UCLAmigos, EOP Office, and Upward Bound.

(3) The appropriate UMAS committee should consider and present to the members plan for visiting junior colleges, and local high schools for the express purpose of recruiting Mexican-American students for UCLA. That similar programs should be set up for lower level schools to demonstrate to the students that Mexican-Americans do attend universities and to give them a source of identification, i.e. set an example.

(4) Political involvement should be restricted to those areas in which a majority of the members agree that UMAS of UCLA should participate. If the organization is to be active in polities, then it must do so as a well organized whole and not as separate groups or factions. However, an individuals members are free, and in fact encouraged, to participate in the political arena as much as their own motivations and study obligations permit them.

(5) Finally, since education is our main concern, it is hoped that the organization adopts as its motto, "Progress through Education." Or even better, its Spanish translation, "La Educacíon es el Progreso."

Respectfully submitted,

Ron Lopez Jorge Aguiniga

Graduate School of History President, UMAS of UCLA, 1967