History & Timeline

History:

The founding of the Intercollegiate Department of Asian American Studies (IDAAS) at the Claremont Colleges in 1998 was made possible by the collective efforts of students, faculty, and staff over the course of many years. As part of the larger movement of Asian American Studies, the formation of the department at Claremont is indicative of the growth and vitality of the field represented at liberal arts colleges as well as other institutions of higher education. IDAAS has joined the longstanding Intercollegiate Departments of Africana Studies and Chican@/Latin@ Studies to bring ethnic studies to the Claremont Colleges consortium.

Timeline:

  • 1968-1969: Third World Strike at San Francisco State University and the University of California, Berkeley leads to creation of Ethnic Studies.
  • 1969: Intercollegiate Department of Black Studies (IDBS), Office of Black Student Affairs (OBSA), Chicano Studies Department (CSD), and Chicano-Latino Student Association (CLSA) begin.
  • 1974-1977: Tim Dong (PSYCH-PO) and Rick Tsujimoto offer first Asian American Studies courses at the colleges.
  • 1980s: No Asian American Studies courses are offered at the 5Cs.
  • Apr. 1987: Suicide of Asian American PZ student heightens awareness of social issues facing Asian American students.
  • Feb. 1989: Helen Park and other PO students submit a 5C Asian American Resource Center proposal to Council of Presidents.
  • Fall 1989: Asian American Mentor Program (AAMP-PO) begins.
  • Nov. 1990: Dr. Dorinne Kondo (PO) and other Asian American faculty lead a protest against production of Mikado.
  • Fall 1991: Under PO President Peter Stanley, Asian American Resource Center (AARC-PO) opens.
  • Spring 1991: PZ Dean of Students Jack Ling, Dr. Linus Yamane, and Dr. Joe Parker offer “Introduction to Asian American Studies.” Over forty students enroll.
  • Mar. 1992: Community jolted when vandals alter “Asian American Studies now” on Walker Wall (PO) to “Asian Americans die now.”
  • Summer 1992: Working group submits IDAAS proposal to Academic Deans Council.
  • Spring 1993: A multiracial coalition of students take over Alexander Hall (PO) and demand greater support for Ethnic Studies. Students such as Ted Lau (PO), Diana Lin (PO), Giselle Ow Yang (PO), and Janet Yoo (SC) participate. AARC-PO Faculty/Director Ruth Gim Chung offers support.
  • 1996: A multiracial coalition at Pomona documents challenging campus climate and demand changes be made in a report titled “A Call to Action.”
  • Feb. 1997: Planning group submits proposal for IDAAS to Academic Dean’s Council and Council of Presidents.
  • Spring 1997: Asian American Student Alliance (AASA) organize Balch Hall teach-in calling for the formation of Asian American Studies.
  • 1997-2001: PZ students such as Laura Tamashiro, Kent Lee, Chelsey Kadota, and Summer Kelipio rally for the creation of a PZ Asian American student center with the help of staff Loy Nashua and Brooke Yoshino.
  • July 1998: IDAAS created and Linus Yamane serves as first department chair.
  • Sep. 1998: To launch IDAAS, Dr. Ron Takaki gives keynote on Asian Americans and multiculturalism, fills Little Bridges, PO.
  • 2001: Center for Asian Pacific American Students (CAPAS-PZ) opens with interim director Loy Nashua.
  • 2002: SC students mobilize around “Whose Voice, Whose Vision” including Motley teach-in and press conference.
  • Fall 2002: Students such as LeeAnn Wang, Jessica Wang, Keith Miyake, Anna Kim and others organize for 5C Asian American Student Center (AASC).
  • Fall 2003: 5C Asian American advisory board launches.
  • Spring 2004: Ethnic Studies departments meet in Laguna to address joint appointments and submit proposal for full FTEs in Ethnic Studies during fall 2004.
  • Spring 2004: An art piece in the shape of a cross is found and burned by students; a social club sponsors a scavenger hunt where participants are instructed to take a picture with ten Asians.
  • Fall 2006: Howard Chen restarts the Asian American sponsor program, API-SPAM at Harvey Mudd.
  • Spring 2007: Asian American Student Alliance (AASA) mobilizes for 5C AASC. Students include Sophia Cheng, Wendy Chu, Duyen Tran, Harrison Chiu and others.
  • Spring 2010: First 5C API graduation organized by 5c advisory board.
  • Fall 2011:  IDAAS students go on hunger strike regarding PO worker authorization issue. IDAAS faculty and staff participate in educational outreach efforts.

Faculty/Staff Timeline:

  • 1973: Rick Tsujimoto (PSYCH-PZ) joins faculty.
  • 1983: Sam Yamashita (HIS-PO) joins faculty.
  • Fall 1988: Linus Yamane (ECON-PZ) joins faculty.
  • Fall 1989: Lynne Miyake (ASN LANG and LIT-PO) joins faculty; Joe Parker (IIS-PZ) joins faculty.
  • Fall 1991: May Lee starts as first Coordinator of Asian American Resource Center at Pomona College (AARC-PO).
  • 1992-1994: Ruth H. Gim Chung teaches Asian American Studies and directs AARC-PO.
  • Fall 1993: Christine Kim starts as first Coordinator of Asian American Student Union (AASU-SC).
  • Spring 1994: David Yoo (HIS-CMC) joins faculty.
  • Fall 1994: Sharon Goto (Asian American Studies/ Psychology- PO) joins faculty.
  • 1994-1995: Norman Bok (AARC-PO) starts as Director.
  • 1994-1996: Alice Hom (AASU-SC) starts as Coordinator.
  • Fall 1995: Janet Clarke (LIT-PZ) joins faculty.
  • 1995-1996: Nancy Kim (AARC-PO) starts as Director.
  • 1996-1997: Tina Chinakarn (AASU-SC) starts as Coordinator.
  • July 1996-June 1997: Tai Chang (AARC-PO) starts as Director.
  • July 1996-June 1999: Alison De La Cruz (AARC-PO) starts as Assistant Director.
  • 1997-2008: Daren Mooko (AARC-PO) starts as Director.
  • 1997-2006: Brooke Yoshino (Admissions-PZ) starts.
  • 1997-1998: Daphne Nisperos (AASU-SC) starts as Coordinator.
  • July 1999-June 2001: Sunny Lee (AARC-PO) starts as Assisant Director.
  • Fall 2000: Thomas Kim (POL-SC) joins faculty.
  • July 2001-June 2003: Sejal Patel (AARC-PO) starts as Assistant Director.
  • 2001: Ming-Yuen Ma (MED-PZ) joins faculty.
  • 2001: Center for Asian Pacific American Students (CAPAS-PZ) opens with Loy Nashua as interim director of CAPAS.
  • Fall 2002: Stephanie Velasco Poserio (CAPAS-PZ) starts as first Director.
  • 2002: YouYoung Kang (MUS-SC) joins faculty; Seung Hye Suh (LIT-SC) joins faculty.
  • Fall 2003: Madeline Gosiaco starts as Academic Coordinator, Jennifer Marana (CMC) starts as associate dean of students/dean of first-year students.
  • Fall 2003: Beverly Chen (HMC) starts as associate dean of student health and wellness.
  • July 2003-June 2005: Mana Hayakawa (AARC-PO) starts as Assistant Director.
  • Fall 2004: Kathy Yep (ASAM-SOC-PZ) joins faculty.
  • Fall 2005: Marla Love (SCORE-SC) starts as Assistant Dean and advises AASU-SC.
  • Jan. 2006: Sefa Aina (AARC-PO) starts as Assistant Director.
  • Fall 2006: Hung Thai (ASAM/SOC-PO) joins faculty.
  • Fall 2006: Wei-Chin Hwang joins faculty (PSYCH-CMC).
  • Jan. 2008-Spring 2009: Traci Kato- Kiriyama (AAR-PO) starts as Artist-in-Residence.
  • July 2008- present: Karin Mak (AARC-PO) starts as Program Coordinator.
  • January 2009- present: Sefa Aina (AARC-PO) starts as Director.
  • Fall 2009: Warren Liu (LIT-SC) joins faculty.
  • Summer 2011: Kristin Fukushima starts as IDAAS’ Community Engagement Coordinator.
  • Fall 2011: Joyce Lu (THEA-PO) joins faculty; Joseph Jeon (ENG-PO) joins faculty.
  • Fall 2012: Todd Honma (ASAM-IDAAS/PZ) joins the faculty as first tenure-track hired in IDAAS.
  • Oct. 2012: Linda Lam joins IDAAS as the Community Engagement Coordinator.
  • Spring 2013: Denise Uyehara is our inaugural Activist/Artist-in-Residence (AAIR).
  • July 2013: Alexandra Margolin joins IDAAS as the Community Engagement Coordinator. Linda Lam (CAPAS-PZ) starts as Coordinator.
  • October 2014-August 2016: Michael Pedro: Community Engagement
    Coordinator.
  • Fall 2015: Stacey Doan (Psychology-CMC) and Jih-Fei Cheng (Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies-SC) join the faculty.
  • November 2015: Kehaulani Vaughn: Assistant Director, AARC-PO.
  • June 2016: Jenny Rodil: 7C Advisory Board Program Coordinator.
  • Fall 2016: Wendy Cheng (American Studies-SC) and Giovanni Ortega (Theatre-PO) join faculty.
  • January 2017: Steven Liang: Community Engagement Coordinator.
  • January/February 2017: Daniela Baena and Jenn Wells: Advisors, AASU-SC.

(Timelines compiled by: Prof. Linus Yamane and Prof. Kathy Yep)

Here is the complete IDAAS history & timeline in PDF.