English hires new professor

The English department this week hired a Chicano assistant professor who, in addition to teaching 20th century American literature, will make it possible for the department to offer classes in Chicano literature. Rafael Perez-Torres, currently an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin at Madison will join the English faculty next semester. English Undergraduate Chairperson Alice Kelley said yesterday that Perez-Torres was offered the position about three days before the hiring freeze in the School of Arts and Sciences began. English Department Chairperson John Richetti said yesterday he is pleased that Perez-Torres accepted the position. "He'll give our department a new multicultural possibility," Richetti said. "We're delighted because he will be the only Latino in our department . . . he's something we don't have now." And Kelley said the department was especially pleased to hire Perez-Torres because of his interest in Chicano literature and poetry. "We had our eyes especially peeled for someone who did work in cultural studies," Kelley said yesterday. "This was a wonderful opportunity." The search began as a departmental junior search process, Kelley said, to fill the position of an assistant professor in 20th century American literature. The fact that Perez-Torres is qualified to teach cultural studies as well, she said, was an added incentive to hire him. Richetti said that he sees no relationship between the hiring of Perez-Torres and the recent tenure denial of Assistant History Professor Dain Borges, who teaches Latin American studies. "I think this is simply the English department's effort to diversify its faculty and to get people who are interested in multiculturalism," he said. Richetti added that he does not know if Perez-Torres' courses will apply to a Latin American studies minor.

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