Chicago Flame: November 27, 2001

Asian Students Await Approval for Cultural Center

By Ignacio Lopez
Staff writer

UIC's largest minority works for gathering place.

Though Asian-Americans are the largest minority group on the University of Illinois at Chicago campus and the fastest-growing alumni group, many Asian students said they feel existing campus activities don't adequately reflect their culture.

UIC also has the largest percentage of Asian-American students among major universities in Illinois. But the school is the only institution without any official student programs, besides its Asian American Studies curriculum, that appeal to that portion of the student body.

The Asian American Coalition Committee has brought these issues to the university's board of trustees in an effort to start an "umbrella organization for all Asian organizations," said Rena Patel, executive board member of the Asian American Coalition Committee.

Committee members are proposing that Asian-Americans need more resources on campus.

"For now we want to focus mainly on resources and a culture center for the Asian community on campus," coalition member Cathy Kuo said.

"We feel the University of Illinois at Chicago has a lack of support toward the Asian community," Patel said. "If we can start the Asian American Culture Center on UIC it will be helpful not only for the Asian students, but for everyone as well."

Members propose an Asian cultural center would be beneficial to the entire student body and the 21 other Asian-American student organizations at UIC. The African American Cultural Center in Adams Hall and the Latin American Cultural Center located in Lecture Center B2 serve as a sanctuary for those who are involved there. Students who utilize those campus locations say it gives them a place to study and enjoy each other's company during breaks.

"We really don't have a place to go hang out with people of our own culture and hold activities," coalition member Rondell Caraos said. During the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, "having a culture center would have helped many Asian students," Patel said.

"I definitely think it would have helped. It would have given the Asian community a sense of comfort to talk to people of their own race," Caraos said.

Committee members said if university officials approve their proposals, they will work with the Asian-American Studies program to foster interest.

In a written proposal, the committee wrote: "The director of the AACC will be a tenured faculty member with demonstrated success in research in a area of Asian American studies."

Members envision the committee having a full staff, including academic advisers, within five years. As such, it could be compared in scope to the university's Latin American Recruitment and Educational Services.

Limited space on campus poses problems for another culture center. But with new construction occurring every year, committee members have high hopes.

"We don't want a really big room, just something so we can hold events and meetings in," Patel said. If its proposal is approved, the committee will start its search for a director in January and hopes to have a room by fall 2002.