‘Cup of Tea’ discusses new program

The Asian Culture Center hosted its monthly “Over A Cup of Tea” program Wednesday, featuring the topic about the process of developing an Asian American Studies program at IU. \nSuggested in 2000, with the help of instructors and other people with interest, a five-year proposal was compiled and seven years later it is on the fast-track to be completed. \n“We hope to see a minor by the next year and the major in about two,” Angela Powell said, who spoke at the session. \nA packed room full of undergraduates, graduates and community members were present. Ellen Wu, assistant history professor, Jennifer Lee, assistant sociology professor, Ilana Gershon, assistant communication and culture professor and Karen Inouye, American studies lecturer, were the four panelists discussing the difficulty of creating this program at IU. \nThey all agree it is not necessarily the lack of interest in the topic, but the complexity involved to allocate resources and find the management and money to start a new program. However, if students have ideas for the Asian American Studies program, they are encouraged to contact any of the assistant professors. \nCurrently, IU offers a few Asian American courses that generally do not gain large enrollment. One of the reasons is lack of awareness of these courses. They often fly under the radar because of their generalized title, causing students to surpass them.\n“The Midwest’s viewpoint of Asian American studies is at the forefront right now,” Inouye said. “Since colleges on the coast typically have a higher population of Asian Americans, university administrators assume there will be a higher interest rate for these courses.”\nStudents and community members need to get involved to help illustrate the interest and desire to legitimize an Asian American Studies program at IU. Signing a petition or enrolling in the current courses offered is a great way to get involved. \n“I’d like to see it be a dynamic program that attracts students of all different backgrounds and helps to engage students with the really important social and political issues of our day,” Wu said. \nThroughout the session, students and professors discussed options to make the program happen. \n “Students got to learn where the professors are coming from and the students could ask what they want,” said Lori DesRochers, graduate assistant of the ACC.\nWith the huge diversity of the Asian culture alone, the department hopes to attempt to cover all bases, but it is a difficult task. Therefore, the departments plan on bringing the history and current issues together to present lively discussion about issues Asian Americans face in the U.S. \nMelanie Castillo-Cullather, director of the Asian Culture Center, said she felt the session went well toward advancing the Asian American Studies program. \n“I was really pleased to see the students’ interest in Asian American studies especially when they asked the professors for the kinds of courses that will be offered in the spring,” Castillo-Cullather said. “Nowadays, many job opportunities are offered to individuals with a diverse perspective and a wide understanding of ethnic issues.”