IU gains first-of-its-kind Asian American Studies Program
By
Ashlee Green |
POSTED AT
11:38 PM ON Oct. 1, 2008
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IU has announced its approval of the establishment of an Asian American Studies Program.
The announcement was made as part of the 10th anniversary of IU’s Asian Culture Center.
“The Asian American Studies Program is at a premature stage of development,” said Joan Pong Linton, IU associate professor of English.
Linton has agreed to serve as the interdisciplinary program’s interim director.
The new program will first offer an undergraduate minor in Asian American studies and will develop an undergraduate major and Ph.D. minor as time goes on, according to a press release.
It will also include 15 adjunct faculty members who have positions in other departments and in other schools.
“It’s time to usher in another component of IU’s cultural aspect,” said junior Julianna Yu. “With such a large and diverse Asian population on IU’s campus, I believe the program will help not only different Asian cultures but also students of non-Asian decent to learn about one another.”
According to the Asian Culture Center Web site, IU now joins institutions such as Michigan, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Ohio State and other universities by having an accredited Asian American studies Program.
“I’m happy to hear about the starting of an Asian American Studies Program,” said Tasha Turner, a sophomore of Chinese and Vietnamese decent. “I think that courses should be offered in Asian culture, religion, history, music and other art forms.”
Turner said the Asian American Studies Program should have been considered a long time ago.
“With the population of Asian students on campus, it would be a popular program that will not only benefit the Asian community, but enlighten other cultural communities as well, bringing a deeper understanding of our country’s melting pot,” Turner said.
Bennett I. Bertenthal, the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, will formally launch the program at the ACC celebration.