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Hispanic leaders attack Iliff advertisement

Apr. 5, 2005

NOTE: Photographs of the Rev. David Maldonado, the Rev. German Acevedo
and the Rev. Philip Wogaman are available in the Photo Gallery at
http://umns.umc.org.

By Linda Green*

Hispanic leaders are incensed by a United Methodist seminary's newspaper
ad, in which the school extols its accomplishments following the
controversial departure of its Hispanic president.

The advertisement, in the form of an open letter to United Methodists
from Iliff School of Theology, appeared in the March 25 issue of the
United Methodist Reporter. In it, the Denver seminary said it was
resolved to address the findings of an investigative team that examined
leadership and cultural sensitivity issues related to the retirement of
the Rev. David Maldonado, former president of Iliff School of Theology.

The ad stated that the school was addressing the report's
recommendations "with efficacy and diligence."

Maldonado, the seminary's first Hispanic president, became president in
June 2000 and abruptly retired last May 26. He said the faculty resisted
his leadership. He said that some faculty accused him of being too
theologically conservative or moderate, or told him that he did "not
fit" or was "culturally different." In addition, Maldonado said, he felt
pressured to leave by faculty leadership and some trustees.

Iliff's March 25 open letter noted the controversy that has developed
surrounding Maldonado's departure in spring 2004.

"Nobody had accused him of wrongdoing, but the seminary community was
deeply divided about the continuance of his presidency," wrote Iliff
interim President Philip Wogaman in the open letter.

Hispanic critics say Iliff's letter puts a "slant" on the seminary's
progress in advance of an April 26-28 visit to the school by the
Religion and Race Review Team. They issued a rebuttal letter to the
United Methodist Reporter on March 30 and also e-mailed it to various
groups in the United Methodist Church, including United Methodist News
Service.

The investigative team from the denomination's University Senate and the
United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race issued a public warning
to the school last November after finding "patterns of institutional
governance and perceived racial and cultural insensitivities."

The team issued the warning after determining that "institutional racism
was a major, significant factor" leading to Maldonado's departure.

Iliff is one of 13 theological schools affiliated with the United
Methodist Church. The University Senate, an elected church body of
higher education professionals, determines which schools, colleges,
universities and seminaries meet the criteria for affiliation with the
denomination. The Commission on Religion and Race, which provided part
of the team, is the church's racial advocacy and monitoring agency.
Iliff is at risk of losing $900,000 in Ministerial Education Funds from
the United Methodist Church.

The school's trustees did not treat Maldonado "with fairness, justice
and care," the report stated. The investigation team also noted that
Maldonado came into a "difficult situation" and succeeded in stabilizing
Iliff's finances, increased student enrollment, brought institutional
mission and purpose, and increased Hispanic/Latino representation at the
school.

In a March 30 letter of response to Wogaman, two Hispanic leaders wrote:
"We urge you to not attempt to pull a fast one on the Latino/a community
or the community at large on this issue by simply whitewashing the
situation at Iliff with this particular ad. This ad is misleading and
untruthful.

"While we appreciate the fact that Iliff continues to address 'some'
issues, Iliff has much to fulfill before it starts to trumpet its
success in a meaningless ad of blatant propaganda.  Your endeavor to
paint your picture of reality through this ad, in our opinion, is an
attempt to influence the process and outcome of a very important visit
to Iliff by the review team."

The letter-reflecting a broader sentiment among Hispanics supporting
Maldonado beyond the United Methodist Church-was signed by Fidel "Butch"
Montoya, a former Denver director of public safety, and Estevan Flores,
executive director of the Denver Latino Research and Policy Center.

Hispanic leaders in Denver, from a variety of faith traditions, have
been in communication with the United Methodist Church's Hispanic "due
to our common stand against institutional racism, and seeking justice
for Dr. Maldonado," said the Rev. German Acevedo, a leader of MARCHA.
MARCHA is an unofficial church caucus; its full name, translated from
Spanish, means Methodists Associated Representing the Cause of Hispanic
Americans.

The caucus called on Iliff to reinstate Maldonado as president and to
issue a public apology to him and the Hispanic/Latino community. Should
Maldonado choose not to return to his former position, he should be
compensated with the equivalent of his salary until age 65, MARCHA said.
The caucus also advocated for the "well-being of other racial ethnic
minorities working or studying at Iliff, and for the quality of
theological education in the United Methodist Church." It cited findings
of intimidation against Maldonado's supporters.

Wogaman said the purpose of the ad was to summarize the seminary's
"fulfillment of expectations from the University Senate/Commission on
Religion and Race Review Team Report of last November." "Having
addressed these tasks faithfully, Iliff awaits the arrival of a
follow-up review team ... with confidence," Wogaman said.

He also responded to MARCHA's call for Maldonado's reinstatement. "Iliff
has indicated its willingness to plan appropriate celebration of the
accomplishments of the former president and to assist in his locating
further opportunities, having previously arrived at mutually agreed-upon
terms of settlement," Wogaman said.

Since the racism review committee issued its warning, Iliff trustees,
faculty and staff have been working on fulfilling 20 recommendations
listed in the committee's report. Actions have included arranging
diversity training; establishing the seminary president's right to
participate in any faculty committee; and hiring an ombudsperson.

But three seminary trustees resigned in January, citing impatience with
board decisions in the wake of Maldonado's departure. The trustees
allege that the racial climate at Iliff is unchanged since the
investigative team's report.

That sentiment is echoed by MARCHA. "We are looking forward to the next
review team visit to Iliff, and we know that they will look at the facts
and not at the Iliff paid propaganda," Acevedo told UMNS. "Iliff has not
taken seriously the possibility that the United Methodist Church (may)
withhold funds from them.

"Iliff wants to depict an image that everything is well to the wider
public of the UMC," he said, "because Iliff has not made any attempt to
really listen to what leaders of different racial ethnic minorities are
saying regarding the need to do justice to Dr. Maldonado."

In an interview with UMNS, Montoya spelled out what the school must do
to repair relations with Latino and other communities of color. "Iliff
must aggressively work to re-establish a partnership and a series of
conversations with the various ethnic communities and United Methodist
Church ethnic caucuses to ensure that the 20 recommendations of the
board and justice issues of Dr. Maldonado are met and institutionalized,
to ensure that racism, white privilege and marginalization within Iliff
are eradicated. Iliff has much to do to overcome the damaged
relationship with the Latino/a community."

*Green is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in
Nashville, Tenn.

News media contact: Linda Green, (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.

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United Methodist News Service
Photos and stories also available at:
http://umns.umc.org