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SIUC student hopes Treviño stays to recognize Latin American and Hispanic voices

BY SCOTT FITZGERALD, The Southern

Wednesday, March 19, 2008 10:28 AM CDT

CARBONDALE - Julio Barrenzuela, a senior in marketing at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, called the SIUC's chancellor's office Monday to make an appointment with Fernando Treviño shortly before receiving word Treviño had been placed on administrative leave.

Saying he was shaken by the news, Barrenzuela talked about the three or four times he has conversed with Treviño this year.

"He told me that he (Treviño) had been really busy and was looking forward to the weather changing and getting a little warmer this spring so he could visit places south of here like Cobden," Barrenzuela said about one of their recent interactions.

Barrenzuela said he is excited at furthering his interaction with Treviño to help develop a passion of Barrenzuela's - salsa dancing that could be used to entice more Latin American students and Hispanics to attend SIUC.

Barrenzuela is the founder of the SIUC Salsa Club, which hosted a performance at SIUC earlier this month of the ESPN World Salsa Championship winners, Zulmara Torres and Abel Pena, in the Student Center.

Barrenzuela said Treviño supports the idea of introducing high school students in Illinois high schools and universities to salsa dancing.

"He (Treviño) never ushered me out of his office. He usually sat down and was pretty relaxed. For me as a student, that really empowers me that I can talk to people at this level. If he (Treviño) goes, it will be short tenure. I still think this is the guy," Barrenzuela said about someone at the upper level recognizing the voice of Hispanic and Latin American students at SIUC.