I recently heard from several students about the ongoing struggle to establish a substantial Asian American Studies program at Rutgers University. To that end, dedicated students have been circulating an online petition: Petition for Asian American Studies Program at Rutgers University.
Rutgers' student body is roughly 25% Asian -- the school's largest minority population. Yet, as things currently stand, the school has an Africana studies program, an African American studies program, a Latino studies program, an East Asian and South Asian studies program... but no Asian American studies program. Here's what the petitioners want:
Petition for Asian American Studies Program at Rutgers UniversityTo sign and circulate the petition, go here. And spread the word -- they could really use your support, whoever you are and wherever you're coming from. For more information about the effort to establish Asian American studies at Rutgers University, go to the Facebook page here.
We have rallied and petitioned for the Asian American Studies Program at Rutgers University once before two years ago in March 2009, and Rutgers has unfulfilled its demands from students who try to enroll every semester to our already filled Asian American related classes. Rutgers University has been known to be one of the most diverse institutions in the nation, and yet, the university fails to provide a program that parallels its largest minority, the 25% Asian American student demographic. In order to fight Rutgers University for our major, we, the undersigned, reunite to more strongly establish our foothold in this institution and demand that the Rutgers Administration prioritize its agenda to allow the creation of the Asian American Studies Program, which will in turn strengthen the Rutgers' vision for diversity. Give students the right to choose. Give us our Asian American Studies program.