Timeline

Timeline for Development of AAS at UCI

1965:  Founding of UCI

1965 Immigration Act

1968-1969:  Third World Student Strikes at SFSC and UCB establish Ethnic Studies

1975-early 1980s:  Fall of Saigon and Refugee migration of Southeast Asians to the U.S. and globally

1979:  Association for Asian American Studies is founded.

1983: Winter quarter of 1983 East/West ties publishes first newspaper.

1987:  APSSA, the Asian American Pacific Student and Staff Association formed at UCI in response to a student suicide and the need for support for AAPI students.

Southeast Asian Archive is founded at UCI.

1988:  APSSA split into the Asian Pacific Student Association (APSA) and the Asian Faculty and Staff Association (AFSA)

Winter 1991:  East/West Ties, a student newspaper with a more international focus) transitions to Rice Paper that is more Asian American focused.

“This alternative newsmagazine represented a voice for the Asian Pacific American community at UCI. The paper educated and helped raise awareness on this campus.” – Audrena Cheung, 97’ Final Rice Paper Publication

Spring 1991:  Concerned student organizations in the Cross-Cultural Association came together to form ESCAPE (Ethnic Students Coalition Against Prejudicial Education).

13 APSA constituents

ASSU

BSU

MEChA

“Right now you are witnessing, experiencing something that has never happened on this campus before: a unified minority.”Eveline Shih, member of APSA.

April 18, 1991 Rally idea began during ASUCI council meeting when Thomas Hei, APSA chair, gave Jack Peltason a list of three demands.  

  • Formation of Asian/Pacific American Studies Program
  • Hire a Faculty consultant  to evaluate the formation
  • Hiring 2 Asian/Pacific American FTE to teach the courses in Fall 1991

Gave him until noon Friday to complete demands.

April 19, 1991 Executive Vice Chancellor Smith meets with ESCAPE in closed door meeting (New University Vol. 23, No. 25)

Peltason does not agree to demands.  Groups meet in Cross Cultural Center to rewrite demands and make them multicultural.  Called for more Ethnic professors, more Ethnic FTEs, more individual courses, and student participation into Ethnic Studies.  

16 Ethnic Groups (ESCAPE) met with Dennis Smith to demand diversity and to demand for the immediate formation of Ethnic studies citing that 45% of the student body is white so other ethnic groups should be better represented in the curriculum.  While the meeting was taking place, more than 200 students, staff, and faculty waiting outside.  Smith agreed that there should be more ethnic studies but would not say when they will be implemented and cited budget cuts.  

April 20,1991:  ESCAPE protests for ethnic studies at Wayzgoose. (New University Vol. 23, No. 25)

200+ people march through Aldrich Park, officials cut electricity but KUCI allowed them to use equipment.  

“Being a college radio station, we want to do all we can to promote diversity,” said Joachim Vanee, the station’s program director.

“There is a measure of support on this campus for their concerns, but I’m not sure that this was the way to accomplish it,” said Director of Student Activities Randy Lewis. “But I certainly wouldn’t to want to undermine the importance of the concems of those who participated in the demonstration.  I hope they can keep dialogue open and take the concerns from the park to the conference room.”

April 29, 1991: New U article ESCAPE continues to fight for Ethnic Studies

“It’s all or nothing.  In terms of our demands, I think the administration has a responsibility to bring things up to par within the next year.  Nobody should wait for or five years to see results.” Mae Lee, ESCAPE activist.

Lee stated that they will present a list of faculty that is qualified.  Scheduled a meeting May 3rd with Smith, Academic Senate, and faculty members to discuss demands

“This move is historical.  I don’t think a coalition like this has occurred since the Third World movement for ethnic studies at Berkeley and UCLA twenty years ago.” Thomas Hei.

May 27, 1991: New U Cultural Diversity Section

Ethnic Studies Strong at other UCs

Student continue ESCAPE.  Still have the same demands.  African American proposal currently being reviewed by the CEP.  APSA would not have a proposal ready by June.  

November 14, 1991 Symposium on Ethnic Studies co-sponsored by ESCAPE, ASUCI Lecture Series, and Cross Cultural Center.  They discuss if they want to have one large ethnic studies program or multiple interdisciplinary programs.  

“By creating these separate units, you divide them and force them into competing with one another,” said Professor John Liu.  He later goes on to talk about the importance of Comparative Culture.

November 18, 1991: New U article about ESCAPE

Symposium Brings Ethnic Studies together

ESCAPE needs to iron out fine points of new program


ESCAPE needs to decide whether each program would be independent from each other or will they be under one umbrella program which encompasses all ethnic groups.  

“At this point everything is dynamic, changing… many of the premises that guided us (ESCAPE) are no longer valid.” Robert Rodriguez, ASUCI vice president of academic affairs.

Administration has agreed to most of ESCAPE’s demands.  African American Studies just became a minor.  Asian American Studies has started a search committee for faculty.  They are looking to start a Native American Studies, and Chicano/Latino Studies named acting chair.  

Jan. 6, 1992: “Breaking stereotypes is one of our biggest struggles” By Leslie Park from Rice Paper (New U)

March 19, 1992 Dean Matsubayashi sends Dr. Horace Mitchell, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs and Campus Life, a letter discussing the student services for Asian/Pacific American students.  The letter expresses appreciation that Dr. Mitchell discussed about the lack of Asian/Pacific American Staff within student affairs and lack of services at Feb. 13 meeting.  Matsubayashi states that APSA has offered to process names for those who can act as student representatives on the search committee.  

April 27, 1992: “C.V. Housing Smokes H.E.M.P. rally”- And in 1987, UCI officials decided that all Asian clubs on campus would be required to provide extra security at their events after an uzi-toting Vietnamese gang showed up at a campus party. (New U)

April 29-May 4, 1992:  L.A. Rebellion/Sa-I-Gu

May 11, 1992: “L.A. rage changes students’ lives”- I was looking at the test for five or ten minutes, just staring at it … When your family’s store burns down, how can you not let that affect you?’ Eric Choi  (New U)

September 21, 1992: First in a series on Asian American Issues- “Changing the face, keeping the issue” & 5 Months after the L.A. Riot (New U)

September 28, 1992: Second in a series of Asian American Issues- “Breaking the Model Minority Myth”  (New U)

October 5, 1992: Third in a series of Asian American Issues- “The myth of Asians in Media” (New U)

October 12, 1992: Search committee for Asian American Studies faculty had been formed a year prior   “Student Diversity does not translate to studies” “Gaping hole in curriculum- Still no Asian American Studies”  (New U)

October 19, 1992: “More Asian American Faculty needed at UCI” Asian American Students speak out (New U)

November 23, 1992: “1993 Swimsuit Calender Asian Women of Southern California” Order Yours Now!” (New U)

February 16, 1993: Dean’s undergrad forum, Social Science Dean says rep. isn’t a priority

April 22, 1993: Storming Chancellor’s office after 300+ person protest (Dan Froomkin Article, OC Registrar)

May 1993:  35 day Hunger Strike, book ended with occupations of the Chancellor’s office (forms, letters from Cross Cultural Center, Box 9)

June 10, 1993: 2nd Storming of the Chancellor’s Office

September 7, 1993 Eileen Chun, chair of APSA, sends a letter to Kim Ayala expressing extreme disappointment over the lack of communication and formal notice for the applicants for the undergraduate counseling position in the summer.  There were earlier conversations that would allow APSA members into the search community, but that was not possible.  There was a compromise where students would be allowed to participate in open interview during the final rounds.  However, APSA was not allowed because of “political” reasons.  They are upset that no other student representative was there.

Sept 20, 1993: Dr. Yong Chen recruited

October 1993: The Alliance Working for Asian Rights and Empowerment (AWARE) founded by Librarian Daniel Tsang, watchdog group for police who were attacking Viet. youth

December 4, 1993 Eileen Chun sends a letter to Dr. Thomas Parham about the part time position in the counselling center and APSA’s concerns.  The final candidates are not qualified to meet the diverse UCI population and the position should be full time permanent position to allow for stability and continuity.  

January 24, 1996: racially motivated murder of Thien Minh Ly, graduate of Georgetown, by two white men who described him as a “Jap” at Tustin High School

1996-1997:  AAS offers a minor.  

Course Catalogue 1996-1997
Participating Faculty:

 

  • Yong Chen, Assistant Professor in History, Asian American History and Asian American Studies.  
  • Dorothy Fujita-Rony, Assistant Professor in History and Asian American Studies,
  • Claire Jean Kim, Acting Assistant Professor of Political Sciences,
  • Karen Leonard, Professor in Anthropology  
  • John M. Liu Associate professor in Social Sciences.

Dorothy Fujita-Rony and Claire Jean Kim are hired for this school year.

1997: Rice Paper magazine ends

1998-1999:  AAS offers a major.

Course Catalogue 1998-1999, Southeast Asian Archive Newsletter Winter 1998

Participating Faculty:
Yong Chen, Assistant Professor in History, Asian American History and Asian American Studies.  

  • Dorothy Fujita-Rony, Assistant Professor in History and Asian American Studies,
  • Claire Jean Kim, Acting Assistant Professor of Political Sciences,
  • Karen Leonard, Professor in Anthropology  
  • John M. Liu Associate professor in Social Sciences.
  • Ketu Katrak, Director and Professor of Asian American Studies and Professor of English and Comparative Literature