Press Release: March 29, 2006

Student Rally is followed by a Sit In for Asian American Studies Program: Administrators Say Funding is Limited

Wednesday, March 29, 2006 — More than 200 students, staff, faculty, and community members appeared at a two-hour rally to support the development of an Asian American Studies Program on the UIC quad today. Then, more than 50 people walked from the quad to the Administration Building to deliver a letter to Chancellor Sylvia Manning. Student protestors waited for an hour and a half for a response from the Chancellor in near freezing temperatures as police patrolled the building entrance in anticipation of unauthorized entry by the protestors.

The rally was organized by UIC's Asian American Coalition Committee (AACC). According to Brandon Mita, AACC Chair, the goal of the "Speak-Out" was to urge the administration to step up its efforts to build a UIC Asian American Studies Program. In particular, advocates for a Program argued that Asian American students represent almost 25% of the undergraduate student population at UIC. They also said UIC is uniquely positioned as the single largest public university in Chicago to take a leading role in the field of Asian American Studies. Others suggested Northwestern and DePaul both have minors in Asian American Studies at the UIC's sister institution, UIUC, which has a similar total budget to UIC already has 12 core faculty and 9 affiliated faculty members; whereas, UIC only has 1.5, both of whom were hired only within the last four years.

At the rally, state officials appeared to lend support for the establishment of Asian American Studies at UIC, including the Honorable Sandra Otaka of the Cook County Federal Circuit Court, Chief Director Dan Cantrall to Congressperson Daniel Davis, and Eric Salcedo, Community Outreach Liaison for the Attorney General's Office, Attorney General Lisa Madigan. Judge Otaka strongly argued in favor of an Asian American Studies Program, saying that her roots were immersed in Asian American activism and she applaudes the students at UIC for their tremendous efforts. Assistant to Congressperson Davis said his office would help in whatever way possible to help students create an Asian American Studies Program. Lastly, Salcedo urged the university to make Asian American Studies its primary initiative while concurrently encouraging students to fight for a Program, which he feels they rightly deserve.

Advocates also argued that Asian Americans are underrepresented in terms of social services and educational opportunities at UIC. They suggested it took UIC more than 15 years of student pressure and activism before establishing the Asian American Resource and Cultural Center.

At what became a sit-in at the Administration Building, Dean Christopher Comer told protestors that five years of budget cuts has impeded the move to Asian American Studies but did not commit to the need to build an Asian American Studies Program. However, Dean Christopher Comer failed to mention the potential increase in funding from the legislature this upcoming academic year.