Student Activism

Whereas, Asian American Studies was one of the Ethnic Studies fields born in 1968 from the Civil Rights Movement, Third World Liberation Front, the anti-War movement, and in solidarity with multiple oppressed communities; and

Whereas, Arty Kameda (Asian American Curriculum Chairman), James Lee (Chinese American Curriculum Subcommittee), Robert Reyes (Filipino American Curriculum Subcommittee Chairman), and Douglas Tsuchiya (Japanese American Curriculum Subcommittee Chairman and Committee Chairman) worked in conjunction with community members (James Ono and Mike Honda), faculty (Kichung Kim, Assistant Professor of English; Stephen Ngin, Instructor of Sociology; Charles Ogata, Assistant Professor of Economics; Allency Yang, Assistant Professor of Sociology), and administrators (Acting President H.W. Burns and Acting Academic Vice President Brett Melendy) were the key individuals who drafted the proposed BA degree in Asian American Studies, submitted January 1970; and

Whereas, This program represented the culmination of the concerted efforts of many Asian American students at San Jose State College; and

Whereas, These students include students from Progressive Asian American Coalition under the leadership of Douglas Tsuchiya, James Lee, Mike Honda, Steve Takaguwa, and others; and

Whereas, The students wrote a detailed proposal for an Asian American Studies Program and then approached the college administration, interested faculty members, and the city's Asian American community; and

Whereas, When the BA degree proposal was rejected, they pursued a new proposal for a minor in Asian American Studies in April 1970; and

Whereas, Beginning in Fall 1970, then San Jose State College began offering a minor in Asian American Studies; and

Whereas, Student participation has been an integral part of our program from its very inception, and Asian American students either individually, or through their organizations (Asians for Community Action, Progressive Asian American Coalition, Spartan Chi, Filipino American Student Association, Spartan Oriocci, among others) have helped to do the bulk of the work required in operating the program; and

Whereas, If there is any one creed agreed on by all those participating in the program, it is that the program continued to welcome the support of and active participation of any and all members of the college community; and

Whereas, The basic goal of the Asian American Studies Program was to create an Asian American awareness and an understanding of the Asian American communities; and

Whereas, Through active student participation not only within the program but also within the community, the Asian American Studies Program became a great benefit to the student, college and the community; and

Whereas, The program office was located in Barracks 9, at the back of the Tower Hall, inviting students and community members to drop in at any time 8a-5p on weekdays “to rap, look around, and feel at home”;