After years of delays and false starts, an Asian-American Studies program may finally be getting off the ground.
College Council representative Thomas Gibson, Asian Student Union President Todd Aman and Anthropology Prof. Pensri Ho will introduce legislation to Student Council tomorrow asking College officials to create an Asian-American studies program as soon as one is viable.
With the hiring freeze lifted and professors' salaries increasing by 2% this year, Gibson said he thinks the administration can handle the creation of a new academic program.
"We feel that they have the resources to make the program happen now," Gibson said.
Aman said he is optimistic and thinks the legislation will come at an optimal time. In addition to the support of Ho, the fledgling program also has the support of American Studies Prof. Sylvia Chong, Aman said.
Aman pointed to the recently created President's Commission on Diversity and Equity as helping to set the appropriate cultural climate for the program. The commission recently submitted a report on race and diversity at the University to the Board of Visitors.
"We've been pushing for the Asian-American Studies program for about 10 years," Aman said. "We believe that Asian-American history is largely missing from people's American history, and it is the University's job to fill in those gaps."
Gibson spent the summer researching the program with Aman and examining Asian-American Studies programs at other colleges. Gibson said he sees the program as a way of helping to maintain the University's academic reputation.
"You have schools like the University of Michigan and Cal Berkley that have full-blown programs in Asian-American studies," he said. "From a competitive perspective, U.Va. needs this."
Gibson also said the program will be inclusive to those of non-Asian descent.
"It's for everybody, and it's not just for minority students," Gibson said. "There will be more classes for people who are at least interested in Asian-American studies."
Robert Hueckstedt, the department chair for Asian and Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, said he supports the new program and approves of its classification as an American culture program.
"I think it makes sense to have it where it is now in American studies," Hueckstedt said. "The Asian-American experience is quite different from the people who spend all their lives in Asia."
The number of Asian Americans at the University has increased in past years. This fall, the percentage of Asian Americans in the incoming class jumped to 14 percent, up one percent from last fall, according to University statistics.
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