Richard Yi, Prof. Sobredo, Swani Vo, Prof. Uba (Chair), Kiet Ton, Arnil Brown. Arnil Brown, Kiet Ton, Richard Yi, and Swani Vo were the first students to earn degrees from the newly approved Asian American Studies major in 1999.
Selected Timeline
1981 - First proposals for AAS courses. At the time only one course is available, Introduction to Asian Americans, taught in the Anthropology Department by Dr. Laura Uba.
1988 - CSUN professors approach student groups about the concept of
AAS and invite them to a meeting to talk about it in a group.
Concept of having an organized student network to support
the department was born. The Asian Pacific Students Alliance
was founded (APSA) with about
12 APA student groups as members and Gary Mayeda elected
as it's first president.
1989 - First Asian Pacific American Cultural Awareness Week
was sponsored by APSA to promote culture, diversity, Asian
American Cuisine, and fun.
1990 - Former Academic Affairs Vice President, Bob Suzuki creates the Asian American Studies Department at CSUN.
Student leaders such as Gary Mayeda and faculty members such as Laura Uba, George Uba, Tim Dagalag, Warren Furumoto, Michael Ego, and Dr. Gordon Nakagawa push to expand the department's curriculum and become the first faculty in the Department.
Dr. Kenyon Chan becomes the first Chair of the Department.
1992 - AAS minor is established.
1994 - First tenure-track faculty is hired, Professor Timothy Fong.
1996 - Dr. Teresa Williams-León joins the faculty
1997 - Dr. James Sobredo joins the faculty
1997 - B.A. Major/Double Major curriculum is offered. One of the first AAS departments/programs to offer courses on biracial-multiracial studies and Asian American sexuality.
1998 - Dr. George Uba serves as interim Chair
1999 - First graduates from CSUN with a major in Asian American Studies.
2000 - Dr. Enrique de la Cruz joins the department as Chair; APSA is reborn as the Asian American Studies Student Association (AASSA)
2001 - Dr. Gina Masequesmay, Dr. Steven Ropp and Dr. Edith Chen join the department
2002 - Dr. Ayanna Yonemura joines the department in a joint position with Urban Studies
2003 - Dr. Eunai Shrake and Dr. Vivian Tseng join the department; Dr. Gordon Nakagawa serves as interim Chair
2004 - Dr. Teresa Williams-Leon becomes Chair
2006 - 23 majors graduate with a BA degree in Asian American Studies
2007 - Dr. Gina Masequesmay becomes interim Chair