Despite having the highest Hispanic enrollment rate of ASU's four campuses, ASU Tempe is not offering a unified celebration for Hispanic Heritage Month.
The monthlong celebration is being represented better at the smaller campuses with events and exhibits.
Hispanic Heritage Month began Sept. 15, which is the anniversary of five Latin American countries' independence -- Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Mexico won its independence on Sept. 16. and Chile on Sept. 18.
The celebration runs until Oct. 15.
Maria Elena Coronado, student success coordinator at the Multicultural Student Center on Tempe campus, said size was likely the reason the West and Downtown Phoenix campuses have unified efforts toward Hispanic Heritage Month.
"It is easier to organize efforts on their smaller campuses," she said.
As of the end of 2004, Tempe campus enrolled 49,171 students. Of those students, 11.2 percent are Hispanic.
ASU West, which is also participating in Hispanic Heritage Month, enrolls 7,348 students, 16.6 percent of whom are Hispanic.
Despite having more than 4,200 more Hispanic students, ASU Tempe has fewer events celebrating the month.
Tempe campus is featuring a photography exhibit in Hayden Library. Also, El Concilio, an organization that is an umbrella for over 13 student organizations, will put together a week full of different events toward the end of the month.
The Spanish Harlem Orchestra also performed last weekend at the Tempe campus.
West campus will offer three art exhibits and host a series of guest speakers and informational sessions.
ASU at the Downtown campus will offer a monthlong lecture series.
ASU's Polytechnic campus had no events listed for the month.
Some students at ASU Tempe are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month independently of ASU.
"It would be nice to have something here [on Tempe campus] for the whole month," said Anita Melendez, an education and psychology senior.
Since there are not many organized activities on campus, Melendez is turning to her work to celebrate her heritage. She will attend a festival this weekend honoring the month.
Other students were unaware that ASU Tempe had organized any events for Hispanic Heritage Month.
In many of Rebecca Rosetti's classes, Student Life announcements are made. But the interdisciplinary studies senior said she never heard anything about Hispanic Heritage Month, or even knew it was going on.
"We are the biggest campus, and it [Hispanic Heritage Month] should be more promoted," Rosetti said.
Reach the reporter at amanda.m.gonser@asu.edu.
