Asian American Studies (ASAM)

The Asian American Movement at UIC from 1991 to 2008 Heading link

This student-produced video chronicles the timeline to establishing the Asian American Studies program from 1991 to 2008.

The Asian American Movement is in Your Hands Heading link

This student produced video chronicles the history of the Asian American Movement at UIC from 2007-2010, ending with teh establishment of Asian American Studies on September 23, 2010.

When Milestone
Fall 2015 UIC receives its second 5-year $1.5 million Part A AANAPISI grant which supports curricular and programmatic initiatives in GLAS and AARCC; Lorenzo Perillo joins UIC through the Chancellor’s Racialized Body Cluster Initiative as a tenure-track 100% appointment in ASAM.
Spring 2015 The ASAM Student Advisory Board and the Arab and Muslim American Community Network hold a student-led demonstration in support of the Cluster Initiative and protest the cancellation of searches; The Asian American Studies Community Advisory Board is created.
2014 Ronak Kapadia (100% in Gender & Women's Studies) and Mary Anne Mohanraj (100% in English) become 0% affiliated faculty in ASAM.
2013 Kevin Kumashiro leaves UIC. Karen Su joins ASAM and assumes the position of Project Director upon the departure of Kevin Kumashiro. Nadine Naber joins UIC through the Chancellor’s Diaspora Cluster Initiative as a tenured 25% appointment in ASAM. Jill Huynh joins ASAM as Assistant Director and AANAPISI Undergraduate Advisor.  Surbhi Malik joins ASAM as a Visiting Faculty. ASAM office set up in University Hall 1051.
2012 Anna Guevarra becomes director of ASAM. Relocation of ASAM faculty to the 10thfloor, University Hall, begins. Laura Fugikawa is hired as Visiting Faculty
2011 Anna Guevarra joins ASAM with a 100% faculty appointment. ASAM Student Advisory Board is formed. UIC receives a second 5-year AANAPISI Part F grant ($2.0M). Gayatri Reddy (75% in Gender & Women's Studies; 25% in Anthropology) becomes a 0% affiliated faculty in ASAM.
2010 ASAM Minor and Program are officially established with the inaugural “Kick Ass Kick Off.” Mark Chiang becomes director with a joint appointment in ASAM and English. Kevin Kumashiro joins ASAM with a 100% appointment. AARCC, ASAM, and the Institute for Research on Race and Policy successfully gain the first 5-year AANAPISI Part A grant in the Midwest ($1.9M). Visiting Faculty Rooshey Hasnain joins ASAM as coordinator of the community engagement initiative, fully funded by the AANAPISI grant.
2009 Mark Chiang serves as ASAM Coordinator. ASAM sets up office in 809 University Hall. Proposal to establish the ASAM program is submitted. Eric Tang leaves UIC.
2008 Gayatri Reddy serves as the second ASAM Coordinator. ASAM Minor proposal submitted. First Asian American Knowledge Bowl is held. Mary Anne Mohanraj joins English with a partial administrative appointment in Asian American Studies and Asian Studies.
Fall 2007 The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences establishes an official Asian American Studies Faculty Advisory Committee and appoints Kevin Kumashiro as the first ASAM Coordinator.
Spring 2007 “ASAM” becomes the official rubric to identify Asian American Studies courses in Timetable. Two additional tenure-track faculty are hired to teach Asian American Studies: Anna Guevarra, Assistant Professor in Sociology, and Eric Tang, Assistant Professor in African American Studies.
2005-06 Introduction to Asian American Studies offered for the first time. AACC holds a “Speak Out” to rally support for the establishment of an Asian American Studies Program. Holds a second Speak Out the following year. In Fall 2006, AARCC establishes the Asian American Studies Advisory Council made up of faculty, graduate and undergraduate students to coordinate activities in support of Asian American Studies.
2005 The Asian American Resource and Cultural Center (AARCC) is established with Karen Su, Corinne Kodama, and Elvin Chan as founding staff.
2002 Mark Chiang and Helen Jun are hired in English Department as UIC’s first tenure-track Asian American Studies faculty.
2000 Courses in Asian American literature, history and sociology are offered and a Hindi/Urdu course starts as a result of student petitions.
1991 Students begin to rally for an Asian American Studies program and form the Asian American Collegiate Organization (AACO).