KUCI Subversity: Cal State LA's Asian American & Asian Studies Program Threatened

In a sign of the times, ethnic studies programs have to fight for their survival, making some wonder if California is turning into an Arizona battle zone. A dean at the multi-ethnic California State University, Los Angeles, ahead of a academic program review, has arbitrarily decided he wants to suspend its Asian American and Asian Studies Program. He did say he would meet up with faculty Monday 29 November to hear what they had to say, but the dozens of faculty members who showed up, from a diverse group of ethnicities and disciplines -- as well as concerned students carrying signs declaring AAAS = Diversity etc, were confronted with an unreceptive dean, who would only promise to get word back by Christmas. On KUCI's Subversity program an hour or so after the meeting Monday, ChorSwang Ngin, the Anthropology professor who chair of the Asian American and Asian Studies program told show host Daniel C. Tsang she was impressed and gratified by the turnout, revealing the University had never shown much commitment to the program over the years, and that enrollment was "growing". She suggested that to "suspend" the program meant its end, which would be quite contrary to the University's commitment to diversity.