The Latin American Council is a hub group of multiple Hispanic student organizations at New Mexico State University that are under the supervision of Chicano Programs. The purpose of the Latin American Council is to foster professional development and leadership skills at NMSU. Another purpose is to foster unity and cultural awareness among the different Hispanic organizations on campus. The activities of Latino Week, funded by ASNMSU, are organized under the auspices of the Latin American Council with supervision by Chicano Programs.
To be a part of the Latin American Council, an organization must have an official connection to the Hispanic culture or some official connection to issues of Diversity. All organizations in the Latin American Council must be chartered by ASNMSU (NMSU’s student government). If an organization at NMSU would like to approach the Latin American Council to become a member organization, there is a process for this which is described in the Hispanic Council bylaws. Copies of the bylaws are available at Chicano Programs upon request. Students need not be of Hispanic descent to be members of any of the Hispanic Council Member organizations or to be elected officers of the Latin American Council. In fact, there have been many non-Hispanic members and officers of these organizations and the Latin American Council itself.
The director of Chicano Programs is the advisor to the Latin American Council. Meetings of the Latin American Council are closed to the general public. Only members of the Latin American Council organizations, their invited guests, and Chicano Programs staff attend these meetings.
If an individual or group would like to address the Latin American Council, the protocol is to contact the President of the Council a few days before the next meeting to request to be placed on the agenda. It is up to the President to accept, deny, or postpone each request.
