Dr. Lupita Montoya was the first Latina engineer to be hired on a tenure track at the University of Colorado Boulder. Despite support from her department, external reviewers, and leading experts in her field, the university denied her tenure and classified her research with communities of color as “service.” Montoya is now pursuing legal action based on the documented discrimination she has faced at CU Boulder that claims a commitment to inclusive excellence.
Professor Lupita Montoya merits tenure based on the evidence of her intellectual, scholarly, research, teaching, mentoring and pubic service in Civil and Environmental Engineering. A university’s claim of academic excellence, equity and diversity is questionable when it disregards the efficacy of the majority of the scholars in the field, especially in new and developing research. It is also important that Dr. Montoya is a role model for intellectuals, underrepresented minorities, woman and students at large.
It is unjust to accept her decision based on unwarranted administrative procedures and processes. I strongly believe the decision should be reversed to advance fairness and diversity.
Dr. Noé Pablo Lozano, One of Lupita’s advisors and mentors, Stanford