We've Got To Focus

a letter from AACC's Chair

Some UIC statistics:

Asian Americans are 23.5% of the undergraduate population, 29% of the freshman class, and 12.5% of the faculty.

And yet, UIC's Asian Americans have NO cultural center, NO Asian American studies program, NO student support office.

The Asian American Coalition Committee (AACC) is helping voice the need for Asian American resources like these. The only way to be heard, though, is if this voice is collective and strong. With the start of this new academic year, AACC again challenges the Asian American community at UIC to work together and speak with that strong, unified voice.

Last year, through persistence, hard work, and-most importantly-cooperation, Hindi-Urdu 101 and 102 language classes were taught at UIC for the first time ever as a result of student petitioning and negotiations. Its popularity has validated its continuation into this year for both 101 and 103 in the fall semester. We wanted it, we focused in on it, and we won it.

We also successfully fought for the first two Department of English faculty hires who will teach Asian American studies courses this year. We welcome Mark Chiang and Helen Jun to UIC! This is an amazing accomplishment especially in light of the numerous faculty searches that were cut due to the budget crisis.

With much collaborative effort, we created a business proposal for an Asian American Resource and Cultural Center on campus, for which former Provost Tate agreed to search for a director.

Students also put on over 23 events to comprise our 2nd annual Asian American Awareness Month at UIC, and we held our first annual Asian American Film Series. These events were almost entirely organized by students.

We will make this year even more productive in uniting, empowering, and educating Asian American students. This year, we welcome you to Asiantation, the first Asian American student orientation at UIC. Daytime booths and a performance night will introduce Asian American students to the resources available on this campus. AACC will also continue the initiatives of getting an Asian American Resource and Cultural Center and an Asian American Studies program at UIC. Students are also planning another eye-opening Asian American Awareness Month. This is also the inaugural issue of the AACCess, which will help publicize the concerns of Asian Americans on and off campus.

But we want to do even more! If we want more language courses, like Korean or Tagalog, we can get them. If we focus our efforts, Asian Americans can be recognized on this campus. In the meantime, we must focus on understanding ourselves; focus on uniting our efforts; focus our voices so we are heard.

We CAN do it! All we need to do is FOCUS!

— Catherine Kuo
2002-2003 Chair, Asian American Coalition Committee