Introduction

The Asian American Studies program at California State University, Sacramento is one of the four programs in the Department of Ethnic Studies. The following is a proposal to revise and expand the course offerings in the Asian American Studies program over the next three to five years. The development of new courses specifically in Asian American Studies is needed:

· To raise the program to a level commensurate with the other programs in Ethnic Studies (Pan African, Chicano, and Native American).

· To provide a solid area of concentration for Ethnic Studies majors.

· To offer a formal minor in Asian American Studies at CSUS.

· To make Asian American Studies at CSUS respected among other Asian American Studies programs in other major universities across the nation.

Goals and Objectives

The expanded Asian American Studies program will enable students to develop critical thinking skills, competencies, and sensibilities to appreciate, contribute, and thrive in a culturally diverse world. The goal of the Asian American Studies program is to promote better understanding of Asian Pacific Americans and their contributions to U.S. society. Students taking course work in Asian American Studies can be expected to gain an appreciation for the diversity and complexities of this segment of American society. The program is structured with several objectives in mind:

· To provide students with a full and comparative understanding of Asian American and transpacific historical experiences and contemporary social issues in the United States.

· To promote study of, and engagement with, the variety of Asian American and transnational communities throughout the Sacramento region.

· To prepare students for graduate work in Ethnic Studies with a concentration in Asian American Studies.

· To encourage students to enter professional career paths where knowledge of the Asian American experience is important, particularly in education, health and human services, government, business, and law.

Needs Assessment

In accordance with the memo by Otis Scott dated September 20, 2000, the following tries to integrate the needs of the department with the needs of the program. Over the next five years I see the program moving from an traditional Asian American Studies program to a more expansive Asian American and Transpacific Studies program. While the emphasis will be firmly on the Asian experience in the United States, greater attention must be placed on the importance of transnationalism and comparative diasporic studies. This is consistent with the general shift in the direction for the Ethnic Studies Department, which already has a Pan African Studies program. Chicano Studies is interested in developing an emphasis on “border studies” and Native American Studies is broadening out to look at indigenous peoples around the world. New faculty positions with specializations listed below are priorities to building a new and dynamic program:

· International migration

· Cultural Studies/Theory

· Media/Popular Culture Studies

· Gender Studies

· Education

· Asian American families

· Asian American psychology and mental health

· Multiraciality

· Ethnic Identity

· Asian American politics and public policy

New faculty members must have a strong background in comparative race and ethnic relations. All of the areas listed above have relevance for other groups in Ethnic Studies. For example, a person who specializes in Asian American politics could, in all likelihood, also teach a course on comparative race and ethnic politics. Similarly, a person who specializes in Asian American multiraciality, could also teach a general survey course on multiraciality.

It is also important to look at the diversity of the Asian American population as reflected in the student population at CSUS. Within this, new faculty with research and teaching experience with the following Asian American ethnic groups should also be given priority consideration:

· Southeast Asian Americans

· Filipino Americans

· Asian Indians/South Asians

Faculty

The new hire for Fall 2001 will address some but not all of the needs stated above.

The addition of two more full-time faculty positions over the next five years will be required to meet the needs of the expanded program. There is considerable interest among students, and especially in the Asian American community throughout the Sacramento region, to see a strong Asian American and Transpacific Studies presence at CSUS.