Hispanic leaders attack Iliff advertisement

The Rev. J. Philip Wogaman

April 5, 2005

A UMNS Report
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.

The Rev. David Maldonado Jr.

“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 caucus “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.

The Rev. German Acevedo

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.

Statement Iliff Letter to United Methodists (PDF)

Suggested Articles Hispanic caucus calls for restoration of Iliff president Investigation team gives Iliff seminary ‘public warning’ University Senate investigates seminary president’s abrupt departure

Suggested Resources Iliff School of Theology Q&A about the Iliff Review (PDF) Iliff Board Actions (PDF) MARCHA Resolution Regarding Iliff School of Theology