UTSA receives historic records from National Association for Bilingual Education
Share this Story(Nov. 15, 2013) -- The National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) history can now be found at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), where it was partially rooted.
Albar A. Peña, former UTSA faculty member and the first director of the UTSA Department of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies, helped start the association and became its first president in 1975. Now, nearly four decades later, the association's records are being preserved at the university.
NABE has donated 61 boxes of correspondence, administrative files, legislative lobbying documents, audio-visual materials, photographs and conference records to the UTSA Libraries. The association is an advocate for bilingual and English language learners and cultivates a multilingual, multicultural society by supporting and promoting policy, programs, pedagogy, research and professional development.
The collection constitutes 43 years of history that represent the work many individuals have carried out to advance bilingual education in the U.S., said Rossana Ramirez Boyd, immediate past president and current member of NABE.
"We are pleased to know the UTSA Libraries will make the information available to the public," she said. "This is particularly important to the new generation of scholars and policy makers who have been searching for NABE's history to write their thesis, dissertations and articles on bilingual education."
Belinda Bustos Flores, professor and chair of the UTSA Department of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies, helped facilitate the acquisition.
"There are historical roots and reasons for UTSA having the NABE archives," said Flores. "Albar Peña had a long history of activism and vision for bilingual education. His professional records alone consist of 16.2 feet of archival materials spanning more than 40 years, during which he served Texas and the nation in high-level positions of advocacy for bilingualism and biculturalism. We are thrilled to have this legacy available at UTSA."
NABE was looking for a location with a reputation of strong collections and services that included organizing and making the collection available for research, while providing onsite and remote reference services.
"With Bicultural-Bilingual Studies as one of the founding academic units at UTSA, bilingual education has a long history at the university," said Nikki Thomas, manuscripts curator at UTSA Libraries. "Special Collections is pleased to add the records of NABE to our holdings where they will complement both manuscript and university archives collections."
>> The collection's inventory is now available online. Students, policy analysts, teachers and others interested in the instruction and legislative efforts around bilingual education can submit a request to access the collection.
>> Connect online with the UTSA Libraries at lib.utsa.edu, www.facebook.com/utsalibraries or www.twitter.com/utsalibraries.
Events
Roadrunners who plan to learn, teach, live, work or research at UTSA this summer are invited to attend one of these town halls where members of UTSA's Public Health Task Force will share updates from their recently released 4.0 report. The town halls will be a terrific opportunity to ask questions and learn more about summer campus operations.
Virtual EventHonors College students will be presented with their stoles to wear to Commencement. The Honors College provides stoles only to students who are eligible to graduate with honors.
Retama AuditoriumVictory celebrations in San Antonio always include honking car horns, and we are carrying that tradition over to UTSA. If you are in San Antonio, join us for a nostalgic Commencement Drive around the Main Campus. This new tradition began in May 2020 and will begin at the Brackenridge (BK 5) parking lot adjacent to the Child Development Center. Vehicles can begin gathering at 5:00 p.m. The parade begins at 5:30 p.m.
Brackenridge (BK 5) parking lot, Main CampusIn person ceremony for students recieving their doctorate degrees.
H-E-B Student Union Ballroom, Main CampusIn person ceremoney for University College students.
Retama Auditorium, Main CampusThis spring’s commencement ceremonies will be college-based and held at various locations on Main Campus. While the ceremonies will look different than in previous years, they retain many of the traditional celebratory aspects to rightfully honor UTSA’s graduating students. 10 a.m. (last names A-GO); 2 p.m. (last names GP-O); 6 p.m. (last names P-Z)
Convocation Center, Main CampusThis spring’s commencement ceremonies will be college-based and held at various locations on Main Campus. While the ceremonies will look different than in previous years, they retain many of the traditional celebratory aspects to rightfully honor UTSA’s graduating students. 10 a.m. (last names A-GA); 2 p.m. (last names GB-O); 6 p.m. (last names P-Z)
Recreation Wellness Center, Main Campus
